experimental development aircraft led vertical short landing jet fighter bomber development began taking advantage choice invest creation thrust engine testing began july end year aircraft achieved vertical horizontal flight test program explored possibility use aircraft carriers landing aircraft crashed testing paris air improvements future development aircraft swept wings powerful engines led development evaluated military pilots britain united_states west_germany later flights conducted military nasa related work aircraft cancelled result raf variant closely based ordered production year named originally intended served nations carrier based aircraft design development background informed project combine jet engines produce fan jet original idea engine named based came french aviation consultant enhancements bristol reduce size weight original concept took planned engine basis plane meet current nato specification light tactical support fighter replace prior project working replacement hunter cancelled shortly defence white paper advocated policy shift away manned aircraft missiles end barely eighteen months start project main features developed exception reaction control system resolved april developed time deep defense cuts seek commercial funding significant engine development funding came wind tunnel tests conducted sub scale model showed acceptable flight characteristics test pilot went nasa request fly bell march company board directors decided privately fund prototypes late contracted prototypes prototype strike aircraft serial delivered july static engine testing october flight engine available prior asked suppose going conventional flying sydney replied said know sure nice control replied beautiful wrong going bother vertical time flight took place october free flight achieved november publicity photos released second prototype conventionally july aircraft proceeded close gap vertical flight achieved september prototypes ordered period improved engines developed capable lbf thrust apart aircraft similar fifth introduced taller fin later seen fourth machine production test pilots carrier vertical landing performed prototype introduced swept wing eventually fitted lbf functioned prototype crashed second development prototype crashed paris air caused dirt air feed lines control motor causing engine stick aircraft fully repaired resumed development flying pilots involved survived evaluation aircraft ordered improved version flying march fully swept wings larger tail early fuselage modified larger lbf engine prototype interest germany tri evaluation squadron formed october staffed military test pilots britain united_states west_germany flight march equipped formed norfolk march evaluation pilots developed typical sortie routine conducting short offs returning base vertical landings manner operation judged optimal practice operating rough nearby raf aircraft proved adept traversing ground taking variety temporary ground testing aircraft lost pilot tried rolling parking brake finalised november surviving evaluation aircraft allocated plus allocated germany transferred evaluation army air_force navy evaluation passed evaluation edwards air force base assigned nasa remaining british based attached went modification engine addition strengthening alterations air intake series featured lip smooth intake aircraft stationary concerns service life devices replaced conventional relief doors experience gained naval testing board commando carrier convinced project officers materials substituted uses airframe prototypes production aircraft prototype pre production raf nato requirement specified aircraft performance aircraft phantom capability drafted meet winner nato competition prototype construction underway point cancellation french government withdrew shortly selection raf began looking simple upgrade issued ground attack jet known raf late raf ordered pre production raf aircraft raf flew august order production aircraft formally received early time aircraft received designation successful aircraft british service exported nations seeing usage carrier based aircraft variants fighter prototypes development aircraft evaluation squadron built later transferred united_states designated raf development ground attack reconnaissance fighter built pre production evaluation aircraft type ordered production aircraft flew august united_states military designation transferred designation development aircraft delivered operators armament experimental establishment trials evaluation evaluation squadron known aircraft allocated evaluation aircraft lost accident aircraft later passed united_states_army trials trials evaluation participated american tri service evaluation team aircraft allocated evaluation acquired allocated germany later transferred united_states_air_force united_states_air_force participated american tri service evaluation team aircraft allocated evaluation united_states_army aircraft operated trials united_states_navy participated american tri service evaluation team aircraft allocated evaluation nasa operated west_germany luftwaffe participated allocated aircraft delivered passed united_states_army aircraft display display london england fitted wing display england temporarily fitted earlier wing display surrey england display england raf display scotland raf display germany display ohio united_states nasa display virginia air space center virginia united_states held storage alabama united_states nasa display virginia united_states specifications data mason general characteristics crew length wingspan height weight approximately loaded weight max takeoff weight approximately powerplant thrust lbf performance maximum speed mph sea level service ceiling service approximately rate climb approximately min thrust weight
Hawker Siddeley P.1127