Shipbucket

The Raf also deployed nuclear capable Canberra and Vulcan bombers to Barhain and Oman, so I think security was covered well.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pmQ ... st&f=false

An interesting challenge. Ironically much now is being written about the USAF's aging bomber fleet that grandfathers of current BUFF pilots flew and the LRS-B programme being the next most important item on the expensive wish-list.

I think after Skybolt in reality the RAF was out of the strategic bomber game, the Vulcan lingered on well past its sell by date as a weapons platform and NATOs missile arsenal removed any real need for extra bombers to put warheads on targets, although in post-Cold War scenarios the B-52 has proved a useful asset. However, I've thought of the following options based on the necessity to use stand-off weapons.

a) Do what the USAF did and spend a fortune stripping out Vulcan B.2s and fitting all new electronics and avionics and radar and perhaps fitting 8xALCMs/other stuff on two external hardpoints, keep the Olympus but probably with some refinements. Life extension, probably 3-4 man crew and maybe a new canopy and other structural improvements.
b) As above but this time using the Vulcan Phase 6 (B.3?)developed for Skybolt use with more fuel and oomph all round. I have drawn this variant in the Project Cancelled thread with Skybolt.
c) A bomber Nimrod with stand-off weapons. Probably not many in the bomb-bay but perhaps a mix of internal and external stowage.
d) Skybolt is brought and the VC-10 is used as a platform, Skybolt retired 1980s and replaced by ALCM, would lack any conventional capability and SALT would probably chop these anyway.
e) 1970s Super-TSR, VG wings, wedge intakes and longer fuselage (kind of a super-Tornado/ mini Tu-22M). No idea what the weaponry would be though and this would be an expensive all-UK project unless perhaps West Germany/ France gets involved.

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What about a Airbus MPA/Bomber/tanker ?

An alternative would be a A330-200 or A340-200 based aircraft ordered instead of MR4 as a MPA/Elint/bomber. (and refuelling ?)

Garlicdesign has already done the A319 MPA (but cant see image in his AU thread ?))

I'd imagine it's out of the remit date wise as a long-ass time would have passed before that could come to fruition unless you use an A300. Then you have the issue of it only being able to fire cruise missiles at places from over the North Sea or similar.

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I think a widebody airliner conversion would be pretty pants unless you were just lobbing stuff at long-range and even then most of the fuselage would be wasted space.

Had another thought though, a bomber version of the Hawker Siddeley HS.1101 supersonic maritime patrol/ anti-submarine aircraft. That could easily become a British Tu-22M. Expensive though, but I guess with 40-50 bombers and 40 or so MPA it might not be too bad cost wise.

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I will try myshelf that posted from the forum "Empire's Twilight". We have everything needed, Tu-22M, TSR.2 and Concord. The result would be a Backfire with canopy based on TSR.2, as also intakes an different tail (based on Vulcan design). Having 60,000 lbf of thrust, she will be capable for 2+ Mach, carrying max load of 24 tn of weapons (internal and external. Backfire has bombay of 7m X 1.8m and three hardpoints ( two under internal non swinging wing part capable of taking the 12m and 5.3 tn Kh-22 and one centerline taking a same missile semi-conform). So she will have serious missile carrying capability, as its main weapon would be something analogue to the Kh-22.

The HS.1101 is also sounds good, it is an all British design which could indeed developed.

An airliner in capable only for tanker or a maritime patrol aircraft and thats all. No more.

I must say, there are some awfully good, sensible comments and ideas on this thread, and I can't wait to see some of these designs, along with some projected stats

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Did anybody really believe the idea that GB and France intended to build a supersonic airliner ? with hindsight it should have been obvious that the economics didn't work after all only one has ever entered (limited) service (TU144 with only 55 scheduled flights and that was rumoured to have be 'helped' to start by the Anglo-French deception plan).

But the Concorde project did manage to hide a very powerful Anglo-French aircraft the Aérospatiale-BAC SSR4.....

Nice drawing.

What about the low altitude radar penetrating BAC TSR-2, the tiny monster...

A nice start, and its a proper looking bomber with some important changes rather than the usual 'Bombcorde' kitsbashes you find (even from the 60s!).

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