Date:	Thursday 28 August 1952
Time:	day
Type:	Boulton Paul P.120
Owner/operator:	Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd
Registration:	VT951
MSN:	P.120/01
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Cholderton, 4 miles East of Amesbury, Wiltshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Boscombe Down, Wiltshire (EGDM)
Destination airport:	Boscombe Down, Wiltshire (EGDM)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Boulton Paul P.120 was a British research aircraft produced to investigate delta wing aerodynamics in the early 1950s. It was very similar to the tailless Boulton Paul P.111 apart from having a horizontal tailplane.

The P.120 followed the earlier Boulton Paul P.111 delta-wing experimental aircraft. It was produced for the Air Ministry to specification E.27/49 and differed from the P.111 in having a swept fin and rudder with horizontal tail surfaces high on the fin to improve longitudinal and directional stability. It had essentially the same wing as the P.111 in the latter's greatest span configuration, an unclipped delta; the wing tips of the P.120 were not removable or replaceable, but they could be rotated differentially or together for lateral or longitudinal trim. Just inboard of these tips the P.120 gained a pair of wing fences. The fuselages of the two aircraft were also identical, except towards the rear.

Test flying took place at Boscombe Down. Although there had been a problem on its first test flight on 6 August 1952 by test pilot "Ben" Gunn, when the tailplane incidence required for takeoff in the available distance was misjudged, the P.120 exhibited pleasant flying characteristics over 11 hours of flight time. Shortly before the Farnborough Air Show of September 1952, the previously unpainted P.120 received a gloss black (with yellow trim) finish and immediately gained the nickname "Black Widowmaker." On 28 August, Gunn encountered severe flutter, which led to the loss of the whole port elevon. Unable to keep the aircraft flying and despite the dramatic nickname he ejected safely, making the first ejection from a delta winged aircraft, though the P.120 was lost. The aircraft came down near Cholderton, 4 miles East of Amesbury, Wiltshire

Although plans were made to convert the earlier P.111 to the P.120 configuration, a decision was made to suspend further development, making the P.120 the last Boulton Paul designed-aircraft to fly.

Note that the P.120 was originally ordered as "VT769"; the serial was changed to VT951 during production. The official Air Ministry file held at the National Archives, Kew, refers to the aircraft as "VT915" [sic] and as the "Boulton Paul E27/46". That, in fact, refers to the Air Ministry Specification which led to the earlier Boulton Paul P.111

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulton_Paul_P.120
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VT
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File BT 233/111: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C424232
4. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/32/S2593: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578439
5. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205040479
6. P.120 unpainted: https://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/9006.htm
7. http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_boulton_paul_P120.html
8. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1324628
9. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/12/9/1167022/-The-forgotten-delta-Boulton-Paul-P-111A-VT935
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholderton

Boulton Paul P.120 VT 951 in its "black" paint scheme (Official Air Ministry photograph, circa 21 August 1952) Earlier photo of Boulton Paul P.120 before being painted overall black 6 August 1952

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-Dec-2019 21:48	Dr. John Smith	Added
07-Dec-2020 23:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code]