Boulton Paul P.120
Boulton Paul · United Kingdom · first flew 1952 · fighter
The Boulton Paul P.120 was a British research aircraft built to investigate the aerodynamics of the delta wing, and was the last Boulton Paul design to fly.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.03 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unclipped delta wing with semi-elliptical wing fences and fixed, rotatable wingtips
- Swept fin with the horizontal tail set high on it
- Single Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet, with a bullet fairing and drogue parachute housing between the rudder and the jetpipe
Look for a small black-painted delta research jet with a swept fin carrying a high-set swept tailplane and a long jetpipe.
Specifications
- The Boulton Paul P.120 has a length of 9.03 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.2 m (33 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was built to Air Ministry specification E.27/49 and was very similar to the earlier P.111, but with a horizontal tail and fixed wingtips. It made its maiden flight on 6 August 1952 flown by "Ben" Gunn from RAF Boscombe Down.
Variants
Only one P.120 was built. Plans to rebuild the P.111 into a second P.120 were not carried out.
Where you'll see it
It was a test aircraft and never entered service. On 28 August 1952 severe flutter tore off the port elevon and Gunn ejected safely, the first ejection from a delta-winged aircraft.
Related aircraft
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