The British Aircraft Corporation Tactical Strike/Reconnaissance 2 (TSR-2) was an ill-fated Cold War strike aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the early 1960s. The TSR-2 was designed to penetrate a well-defended forward battle area at low altitudes and very high speeds, and then attack high-value targets in the rear with close-in bomb runs and precision drops. The TSR-2 included a number of advanced features that made it the highest performing aircraft in this role, yet the programme was controversially cancelled in favor of the General Dynamics F-111, a procurement that itself was later cancelled.

The envisioned "standard mission" for the TSR-2 was to carry a 2,000 lb (900 kg) weapon internally for a combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles (nm) (1,850 km). Of that mission 100 nm (185 km) was to be flown at higher altitudes at Mach 1.7 and the 200 nm (370 km) into and out of the target area was to be flown as low as 200 feet (60 m) at Mach 0.95. The rest of the mission was to be flown at Mach 0.92. If the entire mission were to be flown at the low 200-ft altitude, the mission radius was reduced to 700 nm (1,300 km). Heavier weapons loads could be carried with further reductions in range.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale notional look at a RAF British Aerospace Corporation TSR-2 strike aircraft that was supposedly attached to No.40 Squadron. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 6-1/4-inches
Length: 14-3/4-inches

Release Date: July 2024

Historical Account: "To Drive the Enemy from the Sky" - The Squadron returned to Egypt in October 1945, and converted to Avro Lancasters in January 1946, before disbanding on April 1st, 1947.

In 1947, the RAF found that its squadrons of Avro York transport aircraft were too large, and as a result a series of smaller units were formed, with 40 Squadron reforming with Yorks at RAF Abingdon on December 1st that year. From June 1948, the Soviet Union blockaded surface transport routes to Berlin, and as a response, the Western Allies launched the Berlin Airlift to resupply the city. The Yorks of 40 Squadron were deployed to RAF Wunstorf in West Germany as a result, with its aircraft and aircrew being operated as part of a pool of RAF Yorks taking part in the airlift. The Yorks were normally used to carry flour or coal. The Soviets lifted the blockade in May 1949, with 40 Squadron withdrawn from the airlift in July 1949, operating from RAF Bassingbourn from its return to Britain until it was disbanded on March 15th, 1950.

On October 28th, 1953, the squadron reformed as a light bomber squadron equipped with the English Electric Canberra B.2s, one of five Canberra squadrons based at RAF Coningsby as part of the Main Force of Bomber Command. In 1954, the Coningsby Wing was broken up to allow the airfield to be redeveloped to accommodate V-bombers., and as a result, 40 Squadron moved to RAF Wittering in February 1954. The squadron moved to RAF Upwood in November 1956, but on December 15th that year, the squadron merged with 50 Squadron, with the resulting unit being designated 50/40 Squadron on February 1st, 1957, this marking the effective disbanding of 40 Squadron for the last time. No. 40 Squadron was later planned to be reformed as the first operational BAC TSR.2 squadron, and after the cancellation of the TSR.2, may have also been proposed to reform with the General Dynamics F-111K, before the RAF's purchase of that type was also cancelled.