Short Sperrin

Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1951 · bomber

The Short Sperrin was a British jet bomber built as a low-risk insurance design in case the advanced V-bombers (Valiant, Victor, Vulcan) failed to meet expectations. It used relatively conventional aerodynamics to guarantee a viable nuclear delivery platform.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	4 × turbojet, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	31.17 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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British 1950s jet bomber backup design for V-bomber programme
Four turbojets in wing roots, two stacked per side
Unswept wing compared to Valiant/Victor/Vulcan

Distinguished from the V-bombers by its straight, relatively unswept wing and conventional tail, with four jet engines buried two-per-side in the wing roots.

Specifications

The Short Sperrin has a length of 31.17 m (102 ft).
It has a wingspan of 33.22 m (109 ft).
Its maximum speed is 908 km/h (564 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

Ordered in 1951 as a fallback to the more radical V-bomber designs, the Sperrin first flew that same year. Only two prototypes were built and the type never entered production, as the Vickers Valiant proved successful enough to make the Sperrin unnecessary. The aircraft was used for research and weapons trials, including early British nuclear bomb testing equipment trials.

Variants

Only two prototypes were constructed; no production variants were planned or built.

Where you'll see it

Used for research and development work in the UK; played a supporting role in British nuclear weapons programme testing but never entered RAF squadron service.

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