04/30/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Evolved to meet the requirements of a specification for a single-seat lightweight strike fighter issued by NATO, the Br 1001 Taon (Horsefly) - the name being an anagram of NATO - was designed around a 4,850 lb (2,200 kg) st Bristol Orpheus BOr 3 turbojet and carried an armament of four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Colt-Browning machine guns. The first of two prototypes was flown on July 25, 1957.

On April 25, 1958, after the application of fuel-housing aerodynamic bulges at the wing roots to improve area rule distribution (being only partially area ruled in its initial form), the Taon established an international 621.37 mls (1,000 km) closed-circuit speed record of 650.36 mph (1,046,65 krnh) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m). This was equivalent to a continuous Mach 0.948. This record was raised once more by the Taon on July 23, 1957 to 667.9 mph (1,075 kmh).

The second prototype, flown on January 18, 1958, featured an 1 ft 5.25 in (43,80 cm) increase in fuselage length and minor aerodynamic changes. The Br 1003 was the projected production version of the Taon with a fully area-ruled fuselage, a 6,810 lb (3,089 kg) st Orpheus BOr 12 boosted to 8,170 lb (3,706 kg) st with afterburning and a wing based broadly on that of the
Br 1100."

The following data relate to the second prototype.

Span: 22 ft 3.75 in (6.80 m)
Length: 41 ft 1.875 in (12.52 m)
Height: 12 ft 1.75 in (3.70 m)
Wing area: 156.08 sq.ft (14.50 sq.m)
Empty weight: 7,550 lb (3,425 kg)
Loaded weight: 12,275 lb (5,560 kg)
Max speed: 742 mph (1,194 kmh) at sea level
Max speed: 671 mph (1,080 kmh) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)