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The Boulton Paul P.119 was a private venture jet trainer that reached the mock-up stage but got no further.
In 1951 Boulton Paul decided to design a jet trainer that would sit between their own Merlin powered P.108 Balliol and operational jet aircraft. The P.119 was a low winged aircraft, with moderately swept wings, and horizontal control services mounted towards the top of the vertical tail. It had two seats, arranged side by side, both with ejector seats. Blue or amber screens could be installed for night flying training. The NACA air intakes were on the side of the fuselage, just behind the cockpit, and the exhaust pipe was in the tail. It was to be powered by either the Derwent or Nene jet engines. It was calculated that it would have a top speed of 475mph with the Derwent or 555mph with the Nene.
The P.119 was designed to be easy to maintain. The entire rear assembly could be removed to make engine maintenance easier. Those areas most likely to be damaged in training accidents were designed to be easy to replace. Hydraulic controls were replaced with an easier to maintain pneumatic system.
It could carry two 20mm cannon and had provision for rockets or bombs under the wings. The training version was to use the Dewent engine, but with the Nene there was the potential to use the type in the counter-insurgency role.
A carrier training version (P.119N) was also proposed, with folding wings and arrestor gear.
The P.119 was examined by the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, but wasn't ordered into production. Boulton Paul had chosen a poor moment to produce their trainer, as in the same year the Air Ministry decided to eliminate the Balliol from the training programme, and go for an all-jet training system, using the Vampire jet trainer.
Engine: Rolls-Royce Derwent (option for Nene)
Power:
Crew: 2
Span: 38ft 9in
Length: 42ft 5in
Height: 12ft 3in
Empty weight:
Loaded weight: 9,650lb
Maximum take-off weight:
Max speed: 475mph at 22,500ft (Derwent), 555mph (Nene)
Climb Rate: 7min 30sec to 20,000ft, 14min to 30,000ft
Service ceiling: 41,000ft
Endurance: 1hr 45min at 30,000ft at 400mph
Armament:
Bomb load: