de Havilland DH 108 Swallow
de Havilland · United Kingdom · first flew 1946 · fighter
The de Havilland DH 108 Swallow was a British experimental tailless swept-wing research aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Vampire-derived forward fuselage with its nose and cockpit |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless swept wing with a single vertical fin
- Vampire-derived forward fuselage with its nose and cockpit
- Torpedo-shaped anti-spin parachute containers on the wingtips on the first aircraft
A tailless swept-wing jet with a Vampire-type nose and a single vertical fin.
Specifications
- The de Havilland DH 108 Swallow has a length of 9.08 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1089 km/h (677 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
John Frost designed it in October 1945, and the first prototype flew on 15 May 1946. It combined the main fuselage section and engine of the Vampire with a swept wing and single fin.
Variants
Three were built: the first with a 43 degree wing, the second a high-speed aircraft with a 45 degree wing and slats, and a third.
Where you'll see it
It was meant to test handling for a tailless Comet airliner, then used for swept-wing research up to supersonic speeds. All three prototypes were lost in fatal crashes.
Related aircraft
- de Havilland Devon
- de Havilland Devon C.2
- de Havilland DH.103 Hornet
- de Havilland Mosquito NF Mk 30
- Avia S-92
- Bell X-1
- Commonwealth CA-15
- Junkers EF 126
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