Fairey Delta 2

Fairey Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1954 · fighter

The Fairey Delta 2 (FD2) was a British supersonic research aircraft that set a world air speed record of 1,132 mph (1,822 km/h) on 10 March 1956, becoming the first aircraft to exceed 1,000 mph. Its drooping nose for take-off and landing visibility directly influenced the Concorde.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, delta
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.74 m fuselage
T — Tail	No tailplane

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Spot it by:

British delta-wing research aircraft that broke world speed record in 1956
Droop-nose cockpit section for pilot visibility on approach
Tailless pure delta planform

Sleek tailless delta with a very thin wing, prominent drooping nose section, single Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet, and no horizontal tail surfaces.

Specifications

The Fairey Delta 2 has a length of 15.74 m (52 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.18 m (27 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2092 km/h (1300 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed under Ministry of Supply contract to investigate delta-wing supersonic flight, the FD2 first flew in 1954 and soon demonstrated outstanding performance. The speed record flight piloted by Peter Twiss shattered the existing record by over 300 mph. One of the two FD2s was modified with an ogival wing and renamed BAC 221 to provide Concorde data.

Variants

Two aircraft built: WG774 and WG777. WG777 was rebuilt as the BAC 221 with an ogee wing.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the Royal Aircraft Establishment as a research tool; never entered operational service with the RAF.

Related aircraft

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