Boulton Paul P.120
The Boulton Paul P.120 was a research aircraft designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Boulton Paul. It was the last aircraft design by the company to be flown.
| P.120 | |
|---|---|
| Boulton Paul P.120 VT 951 in its "black" paint scheme | |
| Role | Research aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Boulton Paul |
| First flight | 6 August 1952 |
| Retired | 1952 |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Boulton Paul P.111 |
The P.120 was developed to investigate the aerodynamic properties of the delta wing configuration. Performing its maiden flight on 6 August 1952, the sole aircraft conducted a series of test flights from RAF Boscombe Down. The P.120 was very similar to the earlier Boulton Paul P.111, a tailless experimental aircraft, but principally differed by having a horizontal tailplane as well as its fixed wingtips. The sole aircraft was lost in a non-fatal incident after encountering severe flutter; the test pilot, "Ben" Gunn, safely evacuated the plane by way of its ejection seat; the first ejection from a delta wing aircraft. While plans were made to rebuild the P.111 into a second P.120, these were not actioned and as a result no further activity with the type occurred.