The aircraft first flew 60 years ago this month.
Before Concorde, there were several other British and French programs in the works that helped with the research and development of such a supersonic program. One project was the Bristol 188, with the plane conducting its first flight on April 14th, 1962.
The supersonic research aircraft was built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. The type's sleek shape with a think cross-section led to it being dubbed the Flaming Pencil within the industry.
The United Kingdom was keen to understand the impact of traveling faster than the speed of sound, especially when it came to the structure of aircraft. After the plane's specification was complete, Bristol was awarded the contract. Archibald Russell, who would later receive a knighthood for his contribution to Concorde, directed the Bristol 188 program, which was launched in 1954.
The Royal Air Force highlights the following about the plane’s design:
“The design was an incredibly long and thin cylinder with a pointed nose; the profile was only slightly broken by the cockpit, the diameter of the fuselage was dictated by the size of the ejector seat. Each wing was broken by an engine bay that was not much smaller than the fuselage in diameter whilst a large fin supported the tail plane on the back.”
Developmental challenges, including the sourcing of the right stainless steel, caused delays to the program, especially since developers had to adapt to the materials that would be used.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
The aircraft finally flew eight years after the program began. However, the April 1962 flight was a simple transfer from Bristol's Filton site to the RAF location in Boscombe Down. Nonetheless, the second unit would soon pass the sound barrier the following April, but none of the planes reached their design speed, with Mach 1.88 at 36,000 ft being highest the speed recorded.
BAE Systems highlights the following about the program’s challenges:
“Although the aircraft was designed for speeds above 1,200 mph, its utility was limited due to its very restricted endurance at these speeds. With typical flight times in the order of 25 minutes, and with the two aircraft combined only completing at total of 70 flights (not all flights were test flights), the project was abandoned in 1964 after last flight on 12th January of that year.”
Much of the data obtained during the dozens of tests would prove to be inconclusive regarding the progress of supersonic planes. However, the project would show its value when it came to the research of materials and construction.
Notably, the Bristol Type 223, which was another early supersonic design, was initially considered to work with stainless steel. However, the 188 showed that this process would be too challenging and costly. Thus, designer Russell took the lessons learned and favored lower-speed alloy production.
Previous aircraft studies such as the 188 helped the UK supersonic transport industry in the right direction. Yet, the 223's specifications were closer to Concorde, and the program helped inspire collaboration with French outfit Sud Aviation, who was working on the Super-Caravelle. Subsequently, an agreement between the UK and France was born in 1962, getting the Concorde project underway.
What are your thoughts about the Bristol 188? What do you make of the overall challenges of the program? Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Deputy Editor - Sumit comes to Simple Flying with more than eight years’ experience as a professional journalist. Having written for The Independent, Evening Standard, and others, his role here allows him to explore his enthusiasm for aviation and travel. Having built strong relationships with Qatar Airways, United Airlines, Aeroflot, and more, Sumit excels in both aviation history and market analysis. Based in London, UK.