| Taon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Single-seat strike fighter |
| Manufacturer | Breguet |
| First flight | 1957 |
| Number built | 2 |
The Breguet 1001 Taon was a 1950s French prototype jet strike fighter aircraft built by Breguet.
Design and development[]
In 1953 European aircraft manufacturers were invited by NATO to submit aircraft for evaluation for the "LWSF" (Light Weight Strike Fighter) role. The Taon (en: Gadfly, but also an anagram of NATO or the French version OTAN) was designed to meet the requirement. The Taon was a small mid-wing monoplane with swept wings and tail surfaces and retractable tricycle undercarriage. The aircraft was powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.3 turbojet. The company was contracted to build three prototypes, the first aircraft flying on the 26 July 1957. The second aircraft incorporated improvements and had a slightly longer fuselage. Development was discontinued and only two aircraft were built.
Operational service[]
The Taon was evaluated without success, along with other designs which included the Aeritalia G.91, Northrop N-156, Dassault Étendard VI, Sud-Est Baroudeur and Aerfer Ariete. The NATO nations did not order a common aircraft and the French government preferred to pursue development of the Étendard.
The aircraft did set an international speed record for a 1,000 km (620 mi) closed circuit, it achieved a speed of 1,046.65 km/h (650.36 mph) at 7,620 m (25,000 ft) on 25 April 1958. On 23 July, the record was broken again with a speed of 1,075 km/h (667.98 mph).
Variants[]
- Br 1001
- Prototype powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.3 engine, two built.
- Br 1002
- Proposed missile-carrying interceptor, not built.
- Br 1004
- Proposed production version powered by a Bristol Orpheus BOr.12 engine, not built.
Specifications (Br 1001 Taon)[]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 11.68 m (38 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)
- Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 14.7 m2 (158 sq ft)
- Gross weight: 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Siddeley Orpheus B.Or.3 turbojet, 21.6 kN (4,850 lbf) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,194 km/h (742 mph; 645 kn)
Armament
- Guns: (proposed) four 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Colt-Browing machine-guns
See also[]
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References[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Breguet aircraft. |
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
The original article can be found at Breguet Taon and the edit history here.