Fairey Delta 2

Fairey Delta 2
Country	UK
Role	High-speed research aircraft
First fly	6 October 1954
Built	2

The Fairey Delta 2 or FD2 (internal designation Type V within Fairey) was a British supersonic research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company in response to a specification from the Ministry of Supply for a specialised aircraft for conducting investigations into flight and control at transonic and supersonic speeds. Key features of the type include the adoption of a delta wing and a droop-nose. On 6 October 1954, the Delta 2 conducted its maiden flight, flown by Fairey test pilot Peter Twiss; a total of two aircraft would be produced. The Delta 2 was the final aircraft to be produced by Fairey as an independent manufacture.

Source: Fairey Delta 2 on Wikipedia

BAC 221 Walk Around
Photographer	Howard Mason
Localisation	Fleet Air Arm Museum
Photos	61

BAC 221 01

BAC 221 02

BAC 221 03

BAC 221 04

BAC 221 05

BAC 221 07

BAC 221 06

BAC 221 09

BAC 221 08

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Wait, Searching Fairey Delta 2 for you…

Fairey Delta FD2 Walk Around
Photographer	Meindert de Vreeze
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	25

General Characteristics and Role

The BAC 221 was a highly specialized British research aircraft developed to support the Concorde supersonic transport program. It was not a “new” airframe from scratch, but rather a total reconstruction of the record-breaking Fairey Delta 2 (WG774). The primary objective of the BAC 221 was to investigate the aerodynamic behavior of the ogival (ogee) slender delta wing at high speeds. This specific wing shape was critical for Concorde’s success, balancing high-speed efficiency with manageable low-speed handling. The aircraft featured a significantly lengthened fuselage and a much taller landing gear to accommodate the high angles of attack required during landing.

Property	Typical Value (BAC 221)
Type	Experimental Supersonic Research Aircraft
National Origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)
First Flight (Rebuilt)	May 1, 1964
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Length	17.56 m (57 ft 7 in)
Wingspan	7.62 m (25 ft 0 in)
Maximum Speed	Mach 1.65 (Approx. 1,700 km/h)

Powerplant and Wing Design

Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Avon RA.28R afterburning turbojet.
Engine Thrust: 10,000 lbf dry / 14,000 lbf with reheat.
Ogival Wing: The centerpiece of the modification, this “ogee” wing replaced the straight-tapered delta of the FD2 to mimic the planned planform for Concorde.
Landing Gear: To handle the nose-high landing attitude of the slender delta, a completely new, taller undercarriage was fitted, utilizing components from the English Electric Lightning.
Droop Nose: Retained and refined from the Fairey Delta 2, the entire cockpit and nose section could be tilted downwards to allow the pilot to see the runway during approach.
Instrumentation: Equipped with extensive flight-test sensors and a camera mounted in a fin-tip fairing to record airflow patterns over the wing using wool tufts.

Service History and Preservation

RAE Bedford: Following its maiden flight, the aircraft was delivered to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Bedford, where it conducted nearly a decade of high-speed trials.
Flight Research: While the Handley Page HP.115 tested the low-speed characteristics of the delta wing, the BAC 221 provided the vital supersonic data needed to finalize the Concorde’s flight control systems.
Retirement: The aircraft was retired in 1973 after the Concorde prototypes had already begun their own successful test flights.
Current Status: Today, the BAC 221 is preserved and on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, Somerset. It is positioned directly alongside the British Concorde prototype (G-BSST), allowing visitors to see the direct evolution of the wing design.