Strangely, it's not actually part of the Gerry Anderson exhibition. Housed in the Test Flight museum building is one of only two TSR-2 Cold War strike & reconnaissance aircraft to survive after the experimental project was controversially cancelled in 1965.
I've always had a fascination for the TSR - 2. It's futuristic look and advanced design meant it featured in many adventure comics in the early sixties.
The short lived Hurricane gave away a free card model of it. photo from eBay.
The best thing as far as I'm concerned is the early sixties Marx toy version of it.
Marx produced the toy prior to the real thing even having a test flight. I think its a really nice model which didn't do the usual out -of -proportion friction drive motor, instead it had landing wheels similar to those on the actual aircraft.
The toy's front wheels drove the battery powered motor, and illuminated the exhausts.
When the TSR - 2 was cancelled, Marx repackaged the toy, eventually replacing the battery powered version with a cheaper friction powered version.
Funnily enough, I did find a very tenuous link between the TSR-2 and Gerry Anderson's series. The technology and innovative design behind the TSR -2 was eventually developed into the smaller Panavia Tornado aircraft with it's variable -swing wing design.
I'm told by a friend of mine who worked on systems associated with the Tornado, that during it's development, rumour had it that the aircraft was occasionally referred to as Thunderbird 1!
Whether that rumour is true or not (and I do hope it is) I'll still look forward to re-acquainting myself with RAF Cosford and it's TSR-2.
...and we're looking forward to your photos Scoop! Hope you have fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ed, I'll do my best. : )
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