# Supermarine Type 545



## johnbr (Sep 6, 2017)

The Type 545 was designed in response to Specification F/105D2, which called for a supersonic fighter to replace the Swift. Two designs were suggested, the Supermarine Type 545 and the Hawker P.1083 (this was soon cancelled). Supermarine were awarded a contract to produce two prototypes in February 1952, with the first to be ready in 1954.

The Type 545 had an area ruled fuselage, with a flat base and curved sides. It was given a swept back wing with different degrees of sweep along its length. The thick inner section, which also carried the main wheels, swept back at 50 degrees. This was reduced to 30 degrees at the outer section, to improve high altitude performance. It had movable swept tail surfaces. The air intake was in the nose.

The Type 545 was to be powered by the Rolls-Royce Avon RA14, which was expected to provide 9,500lb thrust and 14,500lb thrust with reheat. This engine was expected to allow the Type 545 to reach Mach 1.3, but as work on the design continued the speed estimate was reduced.

Supermarine suggested installing more powerful Avon RA35R or RB106 engines in the second prototype, and expected this version to reach Mach 1.68. However this was a period of rapid development, and by the end of 1954 it was clear that the rival English Electric P1 was much more promising. As a result the second prototype was cancelled on 9 November 1954. Work on the first prototype continued, but the aircraft was now only expected to serve as a research aircraft. The entire project was cancelled early in 1955, and the largely complete first prototype was used as an instructional airframe until the early 1960s, when it was scrapped. The English Electric design lived up to expectations, and entered service as the Mach 2 capable English Electric Lightning.


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## johnbr (Sep 6, 2017)

Supermarine 545





The *Supermarine 545* was a British supersonic jet fighter project of the mid-1950s.

*Design and development*
The Supermarine 545 was a development of the Swift for intended operation as a naval fighter to meet Air Ministry specification F.105D2. It had a crescent shaped wing and was intended to fly at supersonic speeds.[1] [2] It was powered by a single afterburning Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet fed from an elliptical nose air intake with a central, bullet shaped centrebody. The intake was the most obvious difference between the Type 545 and its precursor, which had side intakes.[2] [3]

Two examples of the Type 545 were ordered from Supermarine under contract 6/Acft/7711 in February 1952. The first, serial number XA181 was completed at Hursley Park but had not flown when the contract was cancelled on 25 March 1956. The second aircraft XA186 was cancelled before construction of the airframe commenced.[4]

*Operational history*
The prototype Type 545 was stored by Supermarine after its completion in the mid-1950s. It was donated to the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield Airport, Bedfordshire in the late 1950s.[2] It was used to give instruction to aircraft engineering students attending the college. The aircraft was scrapped during 1967.

*Specifications (performance estimated)*
Data from The British Fighter since 1912[3]

*General characteristics*


*Crew:* 1
*Length:* 47 ft 0 in (14.33 m)
*Wingspan:* 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)
*Gross weight:* 20,147 lb (9,139 kg)
*Powerplant:* 1 × Rolls-Royce Avon RA.14R turbojet, 9,500 lbf (42 kN) thrust dry, 14,500 lbf (64 kN) with afterburner
*Performance*


*Maximum speed:* 858 mph (1,381 km/h; 746 kn) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
*Maximum speed:* Mach 1.3
*Service ceiling:* 53,000 ft (16,000 m)
*Armament*


*Guns:* 4× 30 mm ADEN cannons


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## Old Wizard (Sep 7, 2017)




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