British Secret Weapons

[RyanCrierie]

So the Germans and Americans don't get all the fun!

Martin-Baker 5
From Link



The M.B.5 (serial number R2496) flew for the first time on May 23, 1944. The performance was superlative, the Armament and Aircraft Experimental Establishment raving about the general design and layout of the aircraft. All pilots who flew it praised its qualities, and it is sort of a mystery why this airplane was never put into production, even though there would have been enough time for this plane to have entered squadron service by the time of the end of the war against Germany.

Martin-Baker M.B.5
Rolls-Royce Griffon 83 inline @ 2,340 hp
395 MPH @ SL
426 MPH @ 6,000 ft
460 MPH @ 20,000 ft
20,000 ft in 6:30
34,000 ft in 15:00
40,000 ft service ceiling
4 x 20mm (Wing)

[langley]

Its one of a number of aircraft that would have very intresting to see how it held up in battle.

If there had been any spare production sources and the drive to put it into production it would surely of been a winner.

MJT

[Denniss]

First flight 5/1944; usually further developtment took at least one year to become producable (lots of test to find and remove bugs). Also these contra-rotating props had always been problematic.

[The Dude]

Building and maintaining bomber command took up 25% of the entire British War Effort. I'm surprised at how many planes ended up in service during the war.