In May of 1949, TS363 was lost when turbulence generated uncontrollable oscillation that forced its pilot to safely eject, The aircraft, however, was a total loss when it crashed. The incident also marked the first life-saving use of a Martin-Baker ejection seat in the UK.
TS368 became the second - and last - aircraft of the series. This airframe was of a different design goal as it was developed specifically for research into low-speed handling and control. To restrict the speeds required, mechanics installed lower-rated Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet engines. First flight of TS368 was then recorded on September 1st, 1948.
TS368 retained the same design lines as the TS363 though some subtle changes were added to help counter the deadly oscillation effects. Speeds were not only restricted by the choice of engine but also in practice out of sheer safety. Testing continued into 1953 to which then the program was eventually given up. The surviving airframe was then used as a target in weapons testing and lost to history. Such ended the Armstrong Whitworth AW.52 program.
As completed, the aircraft featured a length of 37.3 feet, a wingspan of 90 feet, and a height of 14.4 feet. Empty weight was listed at 19,660lbs with a loaded weight near 34,150lbs. Maximum speed was reported at 500 miles per hour with a range out to 1,500 miles and service ceiling of 36,000 feet. Rate-of-climb was measured at 4,800 feet per minute.
The AW.52 was not considered for military service and therefore never trialed with weapons. It contemporaries were the famous German Horten Ho 229 jet-powered fighter-bomber of 1944, the Northrop XP-79 rocket-powered fighter of 1945, and the Northrop YB-49 prototype of 1947.
It was not until the development of key technologies that a military flying wing was finally realized in the Northrop B-2 "Spirit" stealth bomber of 1997 - the culmination of Jack Northrop's work in flying wings that spanned decades.
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