BAC TSR-2 XR219 (1:72 scale)
- The Tactical Strike/ Reconnaissance 2 (TSR-2) was an ill-fated Cold War strike aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for the Royal Air Force in the early 1960s. It was designed to penetrate a well-defended forward battle area at low altitudes & very high speeds, & then attack high-value targets in the rear with close-in bomb runs & precision drops. TSR-2 included a number of advanced features that made it the highest performing aircraft of this type in the world. The prototype TSR-2, XR219 flew from Boscombe Down on 27 September 1964 & the test programme soon made good progress despite some initial problems. However, a Labour Government had taken office shortly after the TSR-2’s first flight & the writing was on the wall. XR219 was the only example to fly, the project being cancelled controversially in favour of the General Dynamics F111, a procurement that was itself later cancelled. Thankfully the ordered destruction of all the TSR-2 prototypes did not happen. XR219, along with prototypes XR221 & XR223 were lost, having been taken to Shoeburyness range in Essex & used for target practice. The other two prototypes were rescued & XR220 was placed on display at RAF Cosford’s Aerospace Museum, whilst XR222 was initially sent to the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield & is now on display at the Imperial war Museum at Duxford.