Despite the order for prototypes of this design, the Type 414 initiative was not fulfilled. Instead attention switched, yet again, to a new variant which intended to install no fewer than eight 20mm Hispano autocannons. The tail unit was simplified to become a single fin while all other aspects of this aircraft were to remain largely conventional. This model became the "Type 420" and appeared in April of 1940 as Britain was already committed to the war effort. Specification F.15/40 was drawn up to satisfy development of this design and the Rolls-Royce "Griffon" inline engine was selected to power the aircraft.
Yet again things changed for a new design emerged in early 1941 and this example featured a crew of two with power switched to Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engines. The aircraft became company model "Type 432" and its designed continually evolved to eventually become a single-seat, high-performance, high-altitude twin-engine heavy fighter. The eight cannon armament was reduced to six guns and these were concentrated in a ventral mounting. The engines became Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 inlines. To accommodate high-altitude flying over 20,000 feet, a pressurized cabin was to be featured. The Air Ministry was convinced enough to contract for a pair of flyable prototypes for testing.
Work on this aircraft began during 1942 and a first flight was achieved on December 24th of that year. The design was a sleek and rather modern offering with the cockpit held well-forward in the fuselage yet aft of a short nosecone. The fuselage was streamlined and tapered at the empennage which showcased the single rudder fin. The engines were held in streamlined nacelles running the full chord length of the wings which were themselves mid-mounted along the fuselage sides. Each nacelle housed the main landing gear leg with the rear of the aircraft supported by a small tail wheel. Vision out-of-the-cockpit was largely obstructed to the sides - the price to be paid for a twin-engine configuration. Each engine drove a four-blade propeller. All told, the Type 432 was dimensionally large aircraft.
Testing on the Type 432 was lengthy by wartime standards which could see a design emerge from paper to serial production in a few short months if pressed - though this was not the norm. The prototype was used in a series of tests that ranged into 1944 and there proved consistent issues with handling, particularly on approach, and controlling during tight turns. Take-off was known to have supplied its own set of challenges and performance - due to engine limitations - was reduced when flying at anything higher than 25,000 feet.
Many of the performance and handling issues with the Type 432 were never rectified and the aircraft's long gestational period led to ultimate abandonment by the Air Ministry. Just a single flyable prototype was realized in all of the time and work allotted the project and twenty-nine flights were gleaned from this airframe. By this point in the war, the de Havilland Mosquito twin-engine fighter had taken the reigns across a multitude of combat roles for the British air service leaving the Type 432 with no battlefield role to fulfill. Vickers continued committing its plants and workers to large bomber production throughout the war while the forgotten Type 432 marked its last notable venture into the realm of military fighter platform for the storied company.
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