The response of three titanium alloys, Ti 6,4, Ti 550 and Ti 6,2,4,6, cornmonly used in aerospace applications. has been investigated at rates of strain between 10(-4) and 10(3) s(-1) in uniaxial tensile and compressive loading in ambient environment. This work identifies and discusses features of their behaviour that must be captured within material models developed for use in predictive modelling of response to in-service loading. That is, an increase in yield strength with increasing strain rate, a difference in yield strength between tensile and compressive loading regimes and, most importantly, the evolution of damage resulting in failure due to growth of voids in both tension and compression.