The Skeeter was evaluated under an initial Minstry of Supply specification, A13/49 over an extended period, which unfortunately did not include the full engagement of Army pilots with the Saunders-Roe development team. This lesson was learnt for future procurements.
Two Skeeter Mk.3 were evaluated for the Army and rejected, re-engined with the more powerful Blackburn Bombardier to become MK.3Bs and rejected again. A Skeeter Mk.4 was rejected by the Royal Navy over a similar period.
In Mar 1954, the only Skeeter Mk.5 was also briefly evaluated but its reception was only lukewarm but the Skeeter Mk.6 (3 examples) trials between Mar 1954 and Jan 1956 - and in addition, the by now re-engined Mk.5 with the 200hp Gipsy Major 201 had demonstrated enough progress to permit orders for the Mk.6A (to become the AOP.10) and the Mk.7 (to become the AOP.12) to be placed for the Army Air Corps.
List of Aircraft |
C/N | Mod | Built | ID In this Org | In other Org | ||
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