Boulton Paul Jaguar Mk I

Specification F.6/42 called for a fighter with a high rate of climb (4,500ft/ min to 20,000ft), good acceleration and good manoeuvrability. Boulton Paul submitted two designs: the P-99 and P-100      

The P.99 was a twin boom fighter, powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon that powered contra rotating pusher propellers. The pilot's cockpit was in the nose, and was covered with a bubble cockpit. In case of emergencies the pilot was to escape downwards, using a system that involved jettisoning part of the lower front fuselage. The armament would have been carried in the nose. The low mounted wings had an equal span central section, and tapering outer panels. The twin booms went back from the wings, so were below the level of the fuselage. The horizontal tail surface connected the booms, and there was a single vertical tail in the centre. The undercarriage was of the conventional tail wheel type, with the retractable main wheels at the front of the booms and the tail wheel below the vertical tail. Competing designs were the Folland Fo.117, Hawker P.1018, P.1019 & P.1020, Airspeed AS.56 and Miles M.42. At the end of 1942 the two Boulton Paul designs were selected for development and two prototypes were ordered of each of them.      

The first prototype P-99, now called Jaguar flew in January 1944 and showed a very good performance. After some trouble free trials 400 Jaguar Mk I aircraft were ordered for the RAF. The first production aircraft was delivered to the RAF in August 1944. The Jaguar served as a heavy fighter and ground attack aircraft in France and later on also in the Pacific. In all 1250 Jaguars were built and the type remained in use until 1952.