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By: - 8th May 2012 at 17:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Leducs (0.10, 0.16, 0.21 & 0.22) were only superficially like the M.52, ie the cockpit being in the centre of the annular fuselage engine intake, the wings were very different.
The 0.10 (0.16 was a brief conversion) & 0.21 were purely ramjet powered and were air launched from a Languedoc, the 22 was swept winged and powered by turbojet aswel as the ramjet.
The Miles was intended to be powered by the afterburning W.2 turbojet of course.
Three Leduc 0.10/16s, two .21s & one .22 were built and flew during the test programme, by brave pilots I reckon! Interestingly project was first commenced in 1938!
By: - 8th May 2012 at 17:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The 0.10 and 0.22 are both preserved at the Musee de l'Aire, and most impressive they are, too. The 0.10 is mounted onto a section of a Languedoc airliner that served as the "mother ship" to air launch it
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By: dailee1 - 8th May 2012 at 17:39
I have just finished reading "Winkle" Brown's new book on the M52, and what a superb job it is. What I was not aware of was that when cancelled, the prototype was within weeks of flying, and should have validated all the uncertainties of transonic and supersonic flight.
It also reminded me that in the early 50s, the French company Leduc produced two aircraft studies with a similar configuration to the M52 under the designation Leduc 021 and Leduc 022. Was there any cross fertilisation of information between Miles and Leduc, or was it just coincidence that the two aircraft were so alike.
Were the Leduc aircraft ever built and did they ever fly. If they flew, what type of powerunit was used (Ducted fan, turbojet, or rocket).