First Supersonic

In 1948 the Vickers Transonic Research Rocket became the first British aircraft to break the sound barrier in level flight. The un-manned aircraft was based on the design of the Miles M.52 reduced to 30% scale and powered by a rocket motor rather than a jet engine. Flights took place over the sea to the south west of England and were air launched from a de Havilland Mosquito with early trials being accompanied by a Gloster Meteor F.4 chase aircraft.

The Mosquito was modified as follows ...

• Bulged bomb bay doors replaced

• Mounting brackets added to the bomb bay doors

• Connecting pipe and observation mirror added under the fuselage

The rocket itself and Meteor were built unmodified

The depiction presented above incorporates a large helping of 'artistic licence' for the following reasons ...

• No photographic evidence that I could find was in colour

• I could not determine the identity of the Meteor or any indication of it's colour scheme

• The use of a chase Meteor was discontinued before the successful supersonic flight

• I suspect the separation of the aircraft depicted is considerably smaller than it would have been in reality