PEGASUS
1/72-SCALE RAF BOULTON PAUL BALLIOL T.Mk.2 TRAINER Kit No. 2006 INJECTION
MOLDED SHORT RUN
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Additional Information from
Internet Encyclopedia
The Boulton Paul Balliol and Sea
Balliol are monoplane military advanced trainer aircraft built for the Royal
Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) by Boulton Paul
Aircraft. Developed in the late 1940s, the Balliol was designed to replace the
North American Harvard trainer. It used the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The Sea
Balliol was a naval version for deck landing training.
Design and development
The Balliol was developed to
meet Air Ministry Specification T.7/45 for a three-seat advanced trainer
powered by a turboprop engine, competing against the Avro Athena. It was a
conventional low-wing monoplane with a retractable main undercarriage and a
fixed tailwheel. Pilot and instructor sat side by side ahead of the observer.
The first prototype first flew on 30 May 1947, being temporarily powered by an
820 hp (611 kW) Bristol Mercury 30 radial engine. The second prototype, powered
by the intended Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprop, first flew on 17 May 1948,
the world's first single-engined turboprop aircraft to fly.[1] The Air Ministry
had second thoughts about its training requirements, and issued a new
specification, T.14/47, requiring a two-seat trainer, powered by a Rolls-Royce
Merlin piston engine.
The Merlin powered Balliol,
designated Balliol T.2, first flew on 10 July 1948,[1] and after extensive
evaluation, it was chosen over the Athena, with large orders being placed to
replace some of the Harvards in RAF service.[2] The observer's seat of the Mk 1
was removed, the side-by-side seats remaining.
The Sea Balliol T.21 had folding
wings and arrestor hook for deck landings.
By 1951, however, the Air
Ministry changed its mind about its training requirements yet again and decided
to introduce a jet-powered advanced trainer, the de Havilland Vampire T.Mk11.
The RAF naming conventions for
various types preferred that pure trainers, not conversion type trainers,
should have names related to education or places of learning e.g. Airspeed
Oxford, Avro Tutor and Athena, the Percival Prentice and Provost and De
Havilland Dominie. Balliol is an Oxford University College and it alliterated
with 'Boulton Paul'
Operational history
Pre-production Balliols were
delivered to the RAF's Central Flying School in 1950, but with the change in
air-training policy, the Balliol was only delivered to one Flying Training
School, No. 7 at RAF Cottesmore, replacing their Harvards. The Balliol later
served at the RAF College, Cranwell until replaced there by the de Havilland
Vampire T.Mk 11 in 1956.[2] The Balliol also saw limited squadron service from
1953 with No. 288 Squadron RAF based at RAF Middle Wallop. Operations continued
until the squadron was disbanded in September 1957.
The Sea Balliols served with 781
squadron at Lee-on-Solent and 1843 Squadron RNVR at Abbotsinch. The last one
was delivered in December 1954.[3] Some remained active at Abbotsinch until
September 1963.
Two Balliols were used for the
testing of radar absorbing coatings.
The only Balliols exported were
12 Mk.2s to the Royal Ceylon Air Force, 7 from RAF cancelled contracts and five
from RAF stocks, which were replaced by a further five production aircraft.
Variants
P.108 Balliol T.Mk 1
Prototypes, 3 built, powered by
the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprop engine
Balliol T.Mk 2
Two-seat advanced training
aircraft for the RAF; 196 built, (166 built by Boulton Paul, and 30 built by
Blackburn Aircraft).
Sea Balliol T.Mk 21
Two-seat advanced training
aircraft for FAA. A total of 30 built by Boulton Paul.
Operators
Ceylon
Royal Ceylon Air Force
United Kingdom
Aeroplane and Armament
Experimental Establishment
Empire Test Pilot's School
Royal Air Force
No. 288 Squadron RAF at Middle
Wallop
No. 238 Operational Conversion
Unit RAF at RAF Colerne
No. 7 Flying Training School at
RAF Cottesmore
No. 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft
Co-operation Unit at Exeter Airport
Central Flying School
RAF College Cranwell
Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm
702 Naval Air Squadron
750 Naval Air Squadron
781 Naval Air Squadron
1843 Naval Air Squadron (Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve)