Saunders-Roe (SARO) SR.53 XD145
Royal International Air Tattoo held at RAF Fairford - 19th July 2003

Photograph Tom McGhee - A Co-Webmaster of:  Demobbed Aircraft © 2003
Used with Permission

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Saunders-Roe SR53 XD145 Brief Notes and Links:
The Aircraft is part of the RAF Museum Cosford's Research and Development Collection and was brought to Fairford for the RIAT 2003 as part of the shows 'Century of Flight' Exhibition

Only two SR53s were built and the other XD151 crashed on abortive take-off during the types test programme, killing the pilot.

The SR53 was the only British Mixed Power (Jet and Rocket powered) Aircraft to fly and this makes XD145 historically important, not only as the only surviving example of its type, but as the only example of the Mixed Power Concept!

More information on the SR53 can be found on the following sites:
A neat summary :
RAF Museum Cosford - Saunders-Roe SR53

A much more detailed view:
Rocket Interceptors and the SR53 on the British Rockets and Satellite Launchers Site.

Finally a Chandelle Article in PDF Format on the follow-up to the SR53:
Star Fighter from the Isle of Wight (SR177)