Bréguet 1001 Taon
Br.1001 Taon | |
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Role | Single-seat strike fighter |
Manufacturer | Bréguet |
First flight | 26 July 1957 |
Number built | 2 |
The Bréguet Br.1001 Taon was a 1950s French prototype single-seat jet strike fighter aircraft built by Bréguet.
Design and development
[edit]In 1953 European aircraft manufacturers were invited by NATO to submit aircraft for evaluation for the "LWSF" (Light Weight Strike Fighter) role. The Taon (en: Gadfly, but also an anagram of NATO or the French version OTAN) was designed to meet the requirement. The Taon was a small mid-wing monoplane with swept wings and tail surfaces and retractable tricycle undercarriage. The aircraft was powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.3 turbojet. The company was contracted to build three prototypes, the first aircraft flying on the 26 July 1957. The second aircraft incorporated improvements and had a slightly longer fuselage. Development was discontinued and only two aircraft were built.
Operational service
[edit]The Taon was evaluated without success, along with other designs which included the Fiat G.91, Northrop N-156, Dassault Étendard VI, Sud-Est Baroudeur and Aerfer Ariete. The NATO nations did not order a common aircraft and the French government preferred to pursue development of the Étendard.
The aircraft set an international speed record for a 1,000 km (620 mi) closed circuit with a speed of 1,046.65 km/h (650.36 mph) at 7,620 m (25,000 ft) on 25 April 1958. On 23 July, it broke the record again at a speed of 1,075 km/h (667.98 mph).
Variants
[edit]- Br.1001
- Prototype powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.3 engine, two built.
- Br.1002
- Proposed missile-carrying interceptor, not built.
- Br.1004
- Proposed production version powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.12 engine, not built.
Specifications (Br.1001 Taon)
[edit]General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 11.68 m (38 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)
- Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 14.7 m2 (158 sq ft)
- Gross weight: 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Siddeley Orpheus B.Or.3 turbojet, 21.6 kN (4,850 lbf) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,194 km/h (742 mph, 645 kn)
Armament
- Guns: (proposed) four 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Colt-Browning machine-guns
See also
[edit]Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Buttler, Tony (2015). X-Planes of Europe. Vol. II: Military Prototype Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946–1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN 978-1-90210-948-0.
- Carbonel, Jean-Christophe (2016). French Secret Projects. Vol. 1: Post War Fighters. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing. ISBN 978-1-91080-900-6.
- Cuny, Jean & Leyvastre, Pierre (1977). Les Avions Breguet (1940/1971). DOCAVIA (in French). Vol. 6. Paris: Editions Larivière. OCLC 440863702.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.