The tensile failure of unidirectional alumina fibre reinforced aluminium is studied in uniaxial loading along the fibre axis. The tensile strength is measured as a function of matrix yield strength, which is varied by varying the testing temperature, from RT to 600 degrees C. Over the range of matrix yield strength (i.e., of temperature) examined, the fracture mode remains brittle. Batdorf's (J Reinforced Plastics Compos 1982;1:153-164) simple ideal local load-sharing model describes well the observed behaviour, under the condition that it be adapted to account for the actual number of nearest neighbours characteristic of the fibre distribution in the composite. This is shown to be close to three, i.e., at variance with the usually assumed idealized hexagonal or square fibre arrangement patterns. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.