On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:43:03 +0100, ®i©ardo wrote:

none wrote:
On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:39:52 +0100, ®i©ardo wrote:

jd wrote:
Speed record holder; and Concorde test aid

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It looks more like British Aircraft Corporation 221 WG774 than the
Fairey Delta II!

Rebuilt as BAC 221, but it is both:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAC_221,
as the FD2 was 'rebuilt' (new wing form) to the BAC 221 to assist with
Concorde development.

Ah, and this little rascal at Cosford is?

The second (& un-rebuilt) FD2.
Is this the one that actually set the world speed record?

Any one know why the FD2 stayed as a research aircraft rather than moving
on to production status in some form? I know that the UK was seen as an
industry of prototypes, but with something like this you do wonder where
was the commerical instinct.