The fighter aircraft of tomorrow: The Hawker vertical take-off and landing P-1127 - The design and methods of flying

An aircraft that astounded the world of aviation at this year's Air Show at Farnborough was the Hawker P1127, an aircraft with the speed and manoeuvrability of a fighter yet capable of taking off and landing vertically. It is, in fact claimed that it can do this from almost any type of ground, from sandy desert to a sodden ploughed field. It is not generally known that the idea for this kind of thrust came from a French engineer named Michel Wibault who submitted his plans to Bristol Siddeley Engines in 1957. A jet engine drove four centrifugal blowers and by rotating casings it was possible to direct the compressed air and therefore the thrust, in any direction between the horizontal and the vertical. Unfortunately the scheme was too weighty for modern fighters, but form it has sprung the Hawker vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aeroplane provided with a Bristol Siddeley Pegasus engine which has four moveable nozzles, two on the port and two on the starboard side of the fuselage. to control the balancing of the aircraft the P1127 is provided with high pressure air jets placed at the nose and tail for pitch control, and at the wing tips to control roll, and with two extra horizontal jets at the tail to do the work normally done by the rudder. these controls are connected to the gear operating the normal controls but only come into operation when the aircraft lifting system is in operation. As the aircraft rises in the vertical take-off position it rapidly gains forward speed and gets into aerodynamic flight (supported by the wings) so the transition takes place smoothly, from vertical take off to the flying position. the aircraft can also make a short take-off and landing (STOL). There is another system for vertical take-off and landing in which a number of engines (four to eight) are used for the lift, and another one or two for the forward speed. Some experts say it is dangerous to rely on one engine, as in the P1127, and others argue that if a number of the vertical engines fail to "light up" at the end of a flight there is an equal chance of a crash. There has still been no indication from the NATO countries as to which they prefer, some favour the new and still secret Hawker P1154, which is said to be twice as heavy and twice as fast as the P1127. Others favour the French Mirage 111-V, the Dassault Sud Balzac V001, and the Italian Fiat G95/6. Both the latter have several vertical motors with separate propulsion jets.