Description
Short SA.4 Sperrin. Includes BONUS kits of the Gloster Javelin, Hawker P.1127 and Short SB.5. After the end of the second World War, the British military felt there was a need for an independent strategic bombing capability that they should not be reliant upon the U.S. Strategic Air Command. In 1947, Air Ministry issued a request in the form of Specification B.35/46 for an advanced jet bomber capable of carrying a nuclear bomb, and other Specification B.14/46 for a more conservative jet bomber that would provide insurance in case the advanced B.35/46 effort ran into trouble. Vickers responded with the T.660 Valiant that became the the first V-bomber, and Short submitted SA.4 Sperrin that was basically a jet-powered version of World War II style bombe r with conventional tail assembly and straight wings. Short received contract for two prototypes. The First Sperrin prototype made its maiden flight in 1951. By this time, the Valiant project was proceeding well. The Air Ministry had decided that the Sperrin would not be put into production, but work on the two prototypes was allowed to continue. The Sperrin program was changed to serve as a research aircraft. The two Sperrins were used in a variety of research trials that included Blue Danube nuclear bomb test.