Technical Data
Length:
Height:
Wing Span: 5.6m
Service Ceiling: 9,000ft
Max Speed: 80 mph
Max Weight: 175kg
Seating Capacity: 0
Engines: 25hp two stroke engine
Our Aircraft
The Phoenix Drone arrived at the museum on 26th October 2022. It will need a fair amount of work to put it back together again but hopefully all will be well by spring 2023.
Type History
The Phoenix was a British developed and built reconnaissance drone used by the British Army. Powered by a 25 hp two stroke piston engine, it had an endurance of four hours flying at an average speed of 80 mph. The infrared sensor equipment was housed in the under-fuselage pod.
The Phoenix was launched from a ramp on the back of an Army lorry, during the flight it was controlled from the ground. At the end of its low level sortie it returned to earth by means of a parachute which was fitted so that the Phoenix landed inverted, thereby protecting the reconnaissance pod.
Early prototypes flew in 1986, but development was protracted, eventually leading to an order for 200. The Phoenix finally entered operational service in June 1999. It was successfully used by the Royal Artillery in operations over Kosova (1999) and Iraq (2003). The Phoenix continued in service until March 2008.