Most nations that are developed enough to have their own aircraft industry have at least one aircraft that enthusiasts feel was a world beater, only to be scrapped thanks to what they feel are short sighted politicians. In the US this might be the B-35/49 flying wing; in Canada it is the CF-105 Arrow and in the UK, it is the TSR.2.

As promising as all these and other designs were, they all had a flaw that kept them out of production. For the flying wings, it was that they were not stable bombing platforms as the wing design tended to yaw. It also didn't help that Jack Northrop was not popular with the generals. For the CF-105 and the TSR.2, it was the ever escalating cost. No matter how good something is, if it is too expensive, it will not find favor with the coin counters. This is often an issue when one is dealing with new technology as rarely do the new systems work as planned from the beginning. Continuing upgrades cost money and there comes a point when those who make the decisions simply put a halt to everything.

So it was for the TSR.2. The combination of a brand new airframe and new systems were sufficient to doom it. I'm sure it would have been an excellent strike aircraft had it managed to get into production, but it did not. Despite two fully functional prototype airframes, only the first one ever took to the skies with the second eventually becoming a museum piece while the other unfinished aircraft were unceremoniously scrapped. Of course, it wasn't a total waste as what was learned was able to find its way into other aircraft, but it did deprive British enthusiasts of what would have been a killer aircraft.

The author has certainly done his homework on this one. The book covers the full full story of the aircraft from inception through development and finally to the end of the line. There are tons of photos, many of which I've never seen previously. In addition to the development story, all of the various systems of the aircraft are covered in some detail. A nice addition is the rather brief story of the unbuilt F-111K, the aircraft that was supposed to replace the TSR.2. In the end the Phantom and Buccaneer were what became the UK's primary interceptor and strike aircraft. It is a great tale and the book is highly readable. I can most easily recommend this one to you.