Barnes Wallis "Swallow"
Variable-Geometry Supersonic Transport Concept (1955)
Production Run: 2009-2010
About the Design
In the years following World War II, British aviation expert Barnes Wallis -- the brilliant aircraft engineer credited with designing the "Dam Buster" bomb that helped cripple Germany's steel industry in 1943 -- turned his attention to more advanced aircraft designs, including variable wing (swing-wing) aircraft capable of supersonic flight. One of his most famous concepts was the "Swallow," an elegant tail-less plane he hoped would become the mainstay of Britain's commercial aviation industry.
The plane had four engines mounted in pairs toward the tips of the wings, one above and one below the aerofoil. These pivoted along all three axes, serving in place of a rudder, ailerons and elevators. Although test models of the plane actually flew, the British government pulled its funding in the late 1950s, essentially killing this promising project. |
About the Kit
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What You Get