DescriptionVickers Type 010 Swallow (50096142993).jpg
Model of the incredible Vickers Type 010 Swallow at the RAF Museum, Cosford, Shropshire, 8 July 2020. Conceived by the brilliant mind of Dr. Barnes Wallis (of Wellington and Bouncing Bomb fame) in the early 1950’s, he considered the Mach 2.5 Swallow would be the successor to the Vickers Valiant bomber.
The Swallow was a swing-wing controlled aerodyne, flight being controlled by the entire movement of the wings and the jets at the wingtips, the jets being able to rotate and tilt. There were no conventional control surfaces and no tail. By 1956 a series of flying models of the Swallow had apparently solved all the technical problems and the Ministry of Supply became interested in the project and allocated funding to it. However, that interest was soon lost and in 1957 Ministry funding was withdrawn. Nonetheless, Vickers continued with its research and considered the design could be adapted for use as an SST. Both NASA and the US Navy expressed interest in the project. Unfortunately, the US Department of Defence vetoed any resources being committed to the project and that was the end of the Swallow.
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