Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2
Hawker Siddeley · United Kingdom · first flew 1967 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 was the RAF's primary maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft for over four decades, derived from the de Havilland Comet airliner but extensively modified with a new unpressurised weapons bay and sensor suite. The MR2 designation reflected a major mid-life avionics upgrade.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Four-engined maritime patrol aircraft with distinctive double-bubble fuselage cross-section |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-engined maritime patrol aircraft with distinctive double-bubble fuselage cross-section
- Long unpressurised weapons bay beneath the cabin floor
- Magnetic anomaly detector boom extending from tail
The figure-eight or double-bubble fuselage cross-section derived from the Comet, the four paired engine pairs in the wing roots (no pylons), the MAD tail boom, and the long ventral weapons canoe are unmistakable.
Specifications
- The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 has a length of 38.63 m (127 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 35 m (115 ft).
- Typical crew: 12.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Nimrod prototype first flew in May 1967 and the MR1 entered RAF service in 1969. The MR2 upgrade programme, completed through the 1970s and 1980s, replaced all avionics with digital systems and improved sonobuoy processing. Nimrod MR2s played a crucial role in the 1982 Falklands War, flying record-breaking maritime surveillance sorties with in-flight refuelling.
Variants
The Nimrod MR1 was the initial production variant; the MR2 was the comprehensively upgraded version; the R1 was an electronic intelligence gatherer; the ill-fated MRA4 was a substantially redesigned successor that was cancelled in 2010.
Where you'll see it
RAF Nimrod MR2s served until 2010 when the fleet was controversially retired without a replacement, leaving Britain without fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft until the arrival of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon in 2020.
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