Description
Object description
Black and white negatives and 35mm colour transparencies generated or collected by DERA Aberporth weapons research establishment in Wales relating to the development of various British rockets and missiles during 1945 - 1968 at the height of the Cold War. Including:
Negative Ref. Title/Comment
2/1-2/8 Views of Storch Aircraft
Ex-German Fiesler Storch aircraft with UK serial VP546. Aircraft appears to be equipped with a ventrally mounted fuselage device that is shown in close up on the static shots (1-4) and deployed during the flying shots (5-8).
8/1 (2 negs.) Panel display in Zippy (584)
Shots actually show views of a trailer-mounted radar (possibly an SCR584 which was used as an instrumentation radar).
10/1-10/4 RTV1 in flight
Shows a launch from North Battery site (launcher and Tresaith/Llangrannog coastline visible in background).
11/1-11/2 RTV1 rear view
Static views of boosted round on launcher and trolley.
12/1 RTV1 on trolley
Side view of boosted round on trolley.
13/1 Seaslug static firing
Shows a vertically mounted motor only, could be the Seaslug motor.
21/1-21/2 RTV1 flares
Show two different arrangements for the mounting of visual tracking flares on the RTV1 missile.
23/1 Map of LOF
Outline map of coastline in vicinity of Aberporth and showing two lines of fire emanating from the Rangehead, one appears to be perilously close to the coastline!
28/1 584 Trailer
No! actually shows an NGTE RJTV complete with boosts, on handling trolley.
29/1-29/3 Stooge in Flight
An article on this Fairey Aviation company design appeared in Flight on 17 April 1947, photographs are similar.
34/1-34/2 Telemetry Receivers.
38/1 1000 lb head on launcher P1.
39/1 BTV1 on launcher.
Note: 38/1 and 39/1 look very similar, and almost like a 1000 lb bomb with a tandem mounted boost (large) see also 68/1.
40/1-40/3 Trial A8 broken up round
Lots of bits on ground, boost section appears to be similar to that shown in photographs 35, 38 and 39.
41/1-41/3 Break-up mechanism RTV1
Shows the component parts (all individually labelled) used in the above and shown against a 12 inch rule to give indication of scale.
42/1 Side kicker
As for 41, shows component parts, labelled.
45/1 RTV1 on launcher.
47/1 Outline diagram proj 502/STV
Dimensioned drawing TW2101 of Seaslug, complete with boosts.
48/1 Doppler break-up head 5 inch round
Shows component parts, all individually labelled.
49/1-49/4 Blue Sky on launcher
Only 1 and 2 show boosted round on launcher, 3 is boost (on blocks) and 4 is of the dart (on the ground? negative is damaged). Note: It is difficult to confirm that this is indeed a Blue Sky. Missile shown has a tandem boost, whereas Blue Sky had a pair of forward mounted boosts. Also, dart appears to have more fins than the eventual Blue Sky.
50/1 Oxygen tank complete with operator.
50/2 Alcohol tank complete with operator.
59/1 Ramjet outline drawing
Dimensioned drawing TW2196.
60/1 RTV2 outline drawing
Dimensioned drawing TW2187.
63/1 RTV1 launch.
67/1 JTV1 MKII outline drawing
Dimensioned drawing TW2219.
68/1 1000 lb outline drawing
Dimensioned drawing TW2216, this includes the caption Blue Boar. This could show the missile that is referred to in 38/1 and 39/1.
74/1-74/4 Mk VII Radar at OP4
All four negatives are damaged but probably show a No 3 Mk VII tracking radar.
78/1 GO1 Radar
Shows a large radar, with two large circular dishes.
83/2 Boost motor
Shows an RTV1 boost.
86/1-86/10 Bristol Building
4-10 are film, most are damaged, rest are glass. Shows various stages of construction including the approach road (with workmen) and the almost completed building. The Bristol building was so called because it was a prefabricated construction, largely of metal and was supplied by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It became the preparation area for all the major missile contractors with sections being allocated to each manufacturer eg Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft; Bristol Aeroplane Company; English Electric; EMI, and also the RAE Farnborough and the RAF.
90/6 Ramjet
Red Duster development round XTV416 at moment of firing.
92/1 Telemetry head
Shows telemetry transmitter (probably for RTV1) and protective nose cone.
94/1-94/5 Ramjet
Close up of a Ramjet fuselage on trolley (not a Red Duster as 90/6).
98/1-98/5 Radar Van
Shows the Range Estate Section raising radar from ground level to a height of what appears to be 15-20 ft.
100/1-100/2 Red Shoes on launcher
Shows an early, eight-boost model.
104/6 502/STV arrangement III Bld
An unboosted Seaslug development round S20, suspended from the ceiling.
111/1-111/4 Model projectiles
Scale model of Seaslug (variant with 12 boosts) and one of the large launchers used for its early development.
113/1 502/STV on assembly blocks
Shows boosted Seaslug round S25.
114/1/4/5/6/7 Fuelling on launcher
Show fuelling of a Ramjet round using NGTE equipment.
119/1-119/4 Red Shoes in flight
1 has round on the launcher with people standing around, 2 is at the moment of firing, 3 and 4 have missile in flight but have been doctored.
120/1-120/5 Red Shoes
Shows early model (eight boosts) on launcher.
3-5 are close ups of the rear end with Launcher Officer in attendance.
126/1 RTV1 in flight
Captured just after separation.
128/1 Mayfly Round 1
Shows complete round (strange looking device) on blocks. Mayfly was a boost motor used for early Red Duster (amongst others) but this particular installation consists of more than one boost.
129/1 XTV on launcher
Red Duster development round (XP411 on boost fin), with Launcher Officer. This is probably XTV411 which was fired as BX/P/1 Round 2 on 18/4/52.
130/1-130/4 XTV BX/A/3 Round 2
Red Duster development round (XS301 on boost fin). BX/A/3 Round 2 involved the firing of XTV301 on 24/4/52.
136/1-136/12 Collapsed XTV launcher
Shows Red Duster development round XTV445 on the ground after the collapse of the launcher, 10-12 inclusive are close ups, no indication that they refer to the same incident.
138/1-138/2 Recovery trial boat
Shows an RAF Pinnace type of vessel with the number 77 on the hull.
140/1-140/5 XTV1 on launcher
Show Red Duster development rounds: 1 and 2 show XTV419 and 3 to 5 show XTV445 (see also 136). XTV419 was fired as BX/A/1 Round 8 on 27/6/52. XTV445 was fired as BX/P/1 Round 5 on 14/7/52.
149/1 Arsenal target on launcher
There is a close resemblance to the German V-1 missile, carries label of Arsenal No 49 on the tail fin.
155/1-155/17 FRP(sic) progress
This should read CRP progress. These shots are much later than those shown in the 97 series (a building and crane have now appeared at the 50 ft level).
The dock that will eventually house the CRP itself is shown being constructed, as is part of the ships hull that will become the CRP.
The funicular railway track appears to be complete.
Lots of equipment (mostly construction type) shown but includes parts of the heavy goods trolley that will be used on the railway.
160/1 Balloon at sea showing land
Barrage balloon deployed from the ship with cliff and low-level trials site in background.
167/1-167/7 XTV5
Red Duster development rounds, only 1-3 show an XTV5 (XTV5001), 4-7 are of XTV338 (an XTV3). XTV5001 was fired on 2/2/53 and XTV338 fired on 14/5/53.
169/1 901 Mounting
Large radar aerial. 901 was the beamriding radar used for Seaslug.
177/1-177/2 Warhead
1 shows component parts of a warhead, 2 shows the accompanying nose cone.
182/1-182/2 FRP(sic) progress
Shows views of the builders camp at the 400 ft level (ie top of funicular railway leading to the Low Level trials Site) and includes vehicles used during that era.
186/1-186/6 Ramjet on launcher
Some shots have the missile on a trolley.
191/1-191/5 Admiralty project from sea
Shots of the low level trials site including the funicular railway.
203/1-203/2 RTV2 unboosted.
204/1-204/7 NGTE views
1-6 are as advertised ie shots of NGTEs RJTV with 8 x rear mounted wrap round boosts; 7 is of a BTV.
208/1-208/2 M28 Round 2
Missile is seen on launcher and shows a single boost-type rocket with tail fins and slightly bulbous nose. The M28 series was identified as Demon boost firings for RAE vibration measurements.
219/1 (two negs.) Launcher area
Panoramic shot showing various launchers.
220/1 Radar dish camera
Complements 219, and shows array of radar dishes.
233/3-233/4 Bristol Break-up Experiment
No! shows early (12 boost variant) Seaslug (round MTV/H4) on trolley.
235/1-235/3 WHTV on launcher
A very strange looking device with 8 boosts wrapped around a large central cylinder with nose cone that appears to be separated from the main body. WH is currently used as an abbreviation for Warhead but was it in those days?
244/1-244/3 Instrumentation building Top Camp
Shows 250 Building but with no aerials on the roof.
256/1-256/2 Bristol Break-up
Shows Red Duster development round XTV5622 on the launcher but with broken front end/nose cone which hangs at a crazy angle. The break-up charge on this round had detonated whilst the missile was being prepared, on the launcher, and injured the Launcher Officer in the process.
260, 260/1&2 Q trial
Shows destruction of a Firefly target by what appears to be a warhead missile.
272/1 CRP general view.
275/1-275/3 Radar mounting 150 Building
Shows 584 radar dish.
279/1-279/4 Rocket on launcher
1 and 2 show boost motor only, 3 and 4 show a th scale model Blue Steel, complete with tandem mounted boost.
280/1-280/2 Rocket on ramp
The th scale Blue Steel (boosted).
290/1-290/2 Bristol launcher
Close up of zero length launcher, No 3, used for Red Duster development.
292/1-292/5 Bristol test
1-3 are close up shots of North Battery, 4 -5 are of trial BX/188/1 and show a representative of the wing and engine shape of the Bristol 188 all-steel research aircraft mounted around a large boost motor.
300/1 Air Control table
No! Radar CRT displays in Air Control, trials situation board in the background.
It is surmised that most, if not all of 310-345 below were associated with the visit of the Air Council.
310/1-310/2 AVRO Display, Bristol Building
Blue Steel including th scale models (ground launched) with both boosted and unboosted examples shown and also 2/5th scale air launched models.
311 Air Council Aeroplanes on Airfield
Line up of at least eight communications aircraft (Devons and Ansons).
319-324 Visit of Air Council
Individual members being greeted by Range Superintendent (H A Popham).
331 High Speed Camera.
332 RAE/GWTW Range
Shows outline of coastline with OPs marked and instrumentation identified.
339 Doppler transmitter and receiver
Montage of two shots.
340 MTS radar dish and lamp set
Montage of two shots.
342 (2nd) & 343 RAE Aberporth Sea Range
Similar, possibly identical shot to 219/220.
350 AW/PS4 leaving launcher
Seaslug development round PS4.
353 CTV5, PR3/2231 leaving launcher
Excellent shot differs from all the other CTV5 photographs in that it has four boosts in tandem configuration. The CTV5 series were used by RAE Farnborough to investigate the characteristics of different shapes of nose cone in support of the strategic deterrent programme (see later). The trial number prefix PR3 may indicate that this was a CTV3 not a CTV5, it can not be confirmed that this vehicle was part of the aforementioned programme.
355 NGTE Ramjet on Launcher
The above description also appears on the negative itself and it also noted as press release print no 39 (Ramjet).
356-358 NG26
All three show an NGTE RJTV being fired at a high QE.
356 has missile on launcher, 357 has missile leaving the launcher and in 358 only the launcher and smoke trail are visible, the missile nowhere to be seen.
378-381 AWA/H/95
Seaslug development round H95 firing (an early model, boosts do not overlap missile nose cone).
382 BX5549 leaving launcher
Red Duster development round XTV5549.
389 BX5551 -
Firing of Red Duster development round XTV5551 dramatic photo with nose of missile disappearing into the gloom.
485 Top Camp area from Radar building
Panoramic view of instrumentation, showing a number of radars/trackers.
486 Boost store
Shows number of different boost motors.
529-530 SSV(SATAN)
Complete SSV5265 round on trolley.
545-546 Taj Mahal
The firing point for the main (Eastern) launcher area.
574 Bristol BX1005 on launcher
No! Shot shows an English Electric Red Shoes development round.
601-602 BX5063 on launcher and warhead
Shows Red Duster development round XTV5063, significance of these shots are that they show the missile to be equipped with extended length boost motors (approximately twice the length of the standard ones). The reference to warhead on 602 is not understood, the shot is a close up of a forward boost and missile nose cone.
632-634 Bristol BX1002 on trolleys and launcher
Show Red Duster development round XRD1002H in unboosted, boosted and at firing QE respectively.
641-646 Fuel bowsers
Various missile fuelling bowsers for kerosene, alcohol, liquid oxygen and HTP.
660 Targets sphere
of the type suspended under the barrage balloon.
666 Workshop models with group
Shows scale models of radar trailer and boresight tower with five members of Engineering Group (presumably the modellers)
705 Balloon sphere at Bettws
As for 660 but shown at the inland balloon site Bettws Ifan.
710-712 Officers houses at Parcllyn
Hillfield Road houses for RAF and RN officers seconded to RAE.
721-725 AVRO
Scale model of Blue Steel, 721 and 725 show boosted round on the launcher.
736-737 AVRO on stand
th scale model of Blue Steel.
741-743 Steel OP
Shows the cupola that became the standard shelter for both kines and high speed cameras at various OPs, includes a kinetheodolite in situ.
754 (2nd) and 755 Mr Popham's presentation by Dr Richards
The formal Establishment presentation to the Superintendent on his departure, undertaken by his deputy.
764-765 Bristol BX1033 Vortex Unit
Close up of the unit as installed on Red Duster development round XRD1033.
772-775 High Speed Camera mounting.
777-778 AWA Hot and Cold launchers (respectively) with rounds
Shows both types of launcher used during the development trials of Seaslug Rangehead installation.
781 Telemetry Receiver.
782 Central Timing Unit.
783 Doppler Counter.
784 Doppler Receiver.
It is surmised that all the photographs in the batch 790-843 at least are associated with the Press visit referred to from 845 onwards. It is believed that they were used in various displays around the Establishment on the visit day. Many have descriptive labels. Photographs denoted with an asterisk all depict an RTV2 missile or work associated with it.
790 Air Control position in Ops Room.
791 Balloon at sea.
793 Langham Thomson Brown Camera.
794 Trajectory from kinetheodolites.
795 Air radar station.
796 Air Control.
797 Red Shoes/Red Dean
Montage of two firings.
798 Range map.
809 High Speed Camera.
818-820 Ops Room, Air Control.
826 - 827 Ops Room, Ground and Air Control.
829-830 CRP
Complete installation including the dock.
835 100 inch tracking camera.
841* Fuelling.
842* Kerosene fuelling.
843* Liquid oxygen fuelling.
880 AWA Hot round leaving launcher
Seaslug development round.
881-885 Target sphere at Bettws Balloon Site
Includes shots of handling team and winch vehicle.
887-891 HS300 Camera
Including close up shots of mechanism.
895-896 English Electric Hex Plates
Shows hexagonal plates used by English Electric to protect ground from Red Shoes blast/flame at launch.
899-900 OPD Camera.
924-929 AWA method of loading
Sequence showing transfer of a Seaslug from trolley to launcher (on the main apron).
955 OPB High Speed Camera.
965-976 AW/PS24
Sequence showing Seaslug development round PS24 crossing the sun with boost separation seen in silhouette some shots are quite spectacular.
982-985 AWA launcher for accident report
Shows one of the main Rangehead Site development launchers used during the Seaslug development programme with missile PC7 loaded.
1006 Launch for Brochure
Shows a Red Shoes development round in boosted flight.
1020-1022 Bristol Break-up Experiment
Sequence showing cylindrical section before and after static detonation.
1023-1030 AWA launcher
Various views of one of the launchers used on the main Rangehead apron for Seaslug development firings.
1037-1045 EE Blast Plates before firing EEWC006
Sequence showing hexagonal plates (see 895/896) placed around Red Shoes launcher, 1038 and 1039 include good shots of the Red Shoes development round W1/C/006.
1046-1054 EE Blast Plates after firing EEWC006 - this missile was fired on 24 January 1957.
1057-1060 BX3001
Shows Red Duster development round XRD3001 on trolleys and launcher. This believed to be the first firing of the improved missile leading to Bloodhound Mk2. XRD3001 was fired on 12 May 1957.
1087-1089 Bristol Model Round
A strange looking missile, which appears to be two boosts mounted one on top of the other with connecting metal work. This vehicle is very similar to that depicted in an extant Bristol Aeroplane Company dimensioned drawing of an XTV8 model. There is however no indication of what purpose the XTV8 was to serve. The drawing shows that the full-sized vehicle would be 158" (13 ft 2 inches) long and that each boost would have a diameter of 9 inches which appears to fit in with the vehicle shown in these photographs.
1126 Establishment main gate.
1137-1138 Green Light arming stand
This should read aiming stand (truck mounted optical sight used for target tracking/missile aiming for the missile that became Seacat).
1189-1191 Explosives workers' protective clothing
Including models!
1209-1212 BX 900 on launcher, elevated
Shows round marked as BET9 on fuselage, and on a "Bristol" Bloodhound-type launcher. Round has many similarities to Red Duster/Bloodhound but is bigger all round longer (with very narrow probe in place of conventional nose cone) and larger diameter ramjets and boosts. "This is believed to be associated with the Bloodhound development that was subsequently cancelled RO166?".
1213-1216 G90 Camera
Mounted on tripod and complete with human operator (1216).
1221 CRP triple launcher
Shows the Seaslug triple launcher on the CRP with a man in the foreground to give idea of scale.
1231 B18808 on launcher
Bristol type 188 Round 8 on the launcher see 292.
1262-1264 MOS Ambulance.
1282 Aviation gasoline road tanker.
1314 Vinten brochure no 6
Shows high speed camera.
1318-1321 Damaged balloon sphere (SE708GA)
Shows damage to target sphere, following intercept by GPV round 708. This missile was fired on 29/8/57.
1346 Break-up display console Ops room.
1363-1365 Skylark launcher 8/11/57
Shows construction of this enormous structure on 'A' Site.
1374 AWA WCZO111 (K24) leaving launcher
Seaslug development round emerging from its launcher.
Following batches all show the daily progress in the construction of the Skylark launcher at 'A' Site, in the dates shown the structure appears to be complete by 1389/1398 which also has people in immediate vicinity which adds to the impression of scale.
1378-1380 11/11/57.
1381-1382 12/11/57.
1385-1386 13/11/57.
1387-1388 15/11/57.
1389-1398 16/11/57.
1400-1414
Visit of HRH Duke of Edinburgh to Aberporth, various parts of the Site, including the Skylark launcher, DUKW, Rangehead Seaslug launcher, CRP and Data Centre.
1444 MTS plotting table in Ops room
Significance of MTS in this context is not understood, this shot is typical of the horizontal plotting tables used at the time.
1448 Doppler spike aerial
As fitted to missile.
1502 Inside Proof Boost Building
Shows variety of boost motors.
1521-1523 Searchlight unit
Trailer mounted.
1530-1533 WBGL126 on ground 6/3/58
Seaslug development round PS126 after land impact in green field area between top and bottom camps. This missile was fired, and the incident occurred, on 6/3/58.
1537-1540 Break-up display used for WBGL126 see above.
1584-1585 Emergency telephones.
1587-1592 80 Inch cupola at Workshops
Shows cupola with high speed camera (presumably the 80 inch lens version) within the Workshops building.
1595 RAE Aberporth crest.
1597 Met Office searchlight
Trailer mounted unit.
1621-1625 EEWB026 parts at crash scene
Mangled pieces of Red Shoes development round W1/B/026. This round impacted some 10 miles from the establishment in the town of New Quay on 30/4/58, the proximity to habitation is clear from the photographs.
1656-1657 Skylark monitoring room.
1658 Skylark nose/payload.
1663 & 1665 SB&H launcher cover
Shows weather protection cover for GPV launcher.
1816-1819 Pod cameras
1852-1855 OP29
Shows radar and searchlight
1885 Kine manned action pic
Picture shows two man (side telescope) operation which was not the method used on the RAE Ranges.
1886 & 1887 Old and new filling station
For Met balloons.
1888-1890 Foxhound before (1888) and after (1889/90) blowing up
Appears to be test of the destruction system. Foxhound was the motor used for Seaslug Mk1 but these shots appear to show a complete test vehicle in its own right a very strange shape built around the motor.
1891 - 1900 Pod cameras (new).
1906-1910 Yellow Temple test pieces before (1906) and after (1907/1910) break-up
Static detonation. Yellow Temple was one of the code names used during the development of Thunderbird Mk2.
1911-1913 Vickers Armstrong Swallow model
The Barnes Wallis-designed swing wing "aircraft". At least five such models were fired (on the back of a boost rocket) at Aberporth during the 1958 to 1959 period.
1914-1915 HS300 Vinten camera.
1930 Camera hut.
1948-1951 Red Brick trailer
Radar used for Bloodhound and Thunderbird.
1983-1985 Warning balls on TAJ and launcher
All three show warning signs/signals hoisted when Range was active.
2028-2029 Aberporth base area and Range maps
Shows details of buildings and OPs respectively.
2041-2055 Visit of First Sea Lord
Including visits to AWA Seaslug launcher on main Rangehead apron, the CRP, and witnessing a missile firing.
2066-2068 VA Dart in Bristol building
Swallow model as 1911.
2214 Large size potato
The monster vegetable (11 inches long) photographed against a 12 inch rule!
2223-2228 First Aid
Views of Surgery including staff (2226).
2266-2268 Naval complement.
2303-2305 Seacat on launcher.
2318-2319 PAD on launcher
RAE Farnborough Aerodynamics Department SSV looks like a two-stage version of Jaguar (see 2611 etc).
2387-2388 Western site launcher area (now A, B and C sites).
2390 Pod camera equipment
Complete pod.
Between March 1960 and September 1961 OPs 18 and 32 were developed to accept the S300 surveillance radar and FPS-16 tracking radars respectively. Progress shots (between 2443 and 3104) were taken at roughly monthly intervals and are noted below as Progress OP18 and Progress FPS-16 respectively, with dates, when available.
2443-2444 Progress OP18.
2554-2560 Bloodhound break-up container
Before and after firing 28/6/60.
2561-2563 Progress FPS-16 29/6/60.
2574-2575 Progress OP18 18/7/60.
2576 Progress FPS-16 18/7/60.
2583 CRP personnel 21/7/60
Should read Naval personnel, as whole RNTU complement is shown.
2608 OP24
Shows surveillance radar in situ.
2611-2614 SSV
Trial 05206 shows RAE Farnborough Aerodynamics Department SSV Round 5462 labelled Jaguar G1 three-stage vehicle.
2732 Seacat on launcher.
2733 Seacat aiming stand.
2828-2831 Progress OP18 24/2/61.
2832-2834 Progress FPS-16 24/2/61.
2964-2965 Parachute recovery
Shows a parachute plus payload, presumably after recovery no indication of the missile involved.
3053 General view top camp.
3061-3067 Buildings WD area top camp
Shows the wartime buildings inherited from the old War Department (Army) camp.
3100 Aberporth Range base area
A map showing the lands within the fence.
3103-3104 Progress FPS-16.
3121-3122 Bloodhound on launcher
RAF missile at C Site.
3162-3163 HS Vinten-
Vinten High Speed camera
3187 Sea targets various.
3208 WREBUS aerial.
3229 Viewer cliff edge
Visual Break-Up Station, complete with operator.
3233 & 3234 S300 radar at OP18.
3238/1&2 Yellow River radar dish
Shows complete radar.
3239-3243 OP28
Shows the four high speed camera/kine sites at this OP.
3264 & 3265 5 inch Sighter assembled
Only 3264 is as advertised, 3265 shows component parts. Shows the standard "Sighter" rocket used at Aberporth for various tasks including the establishment of cloud height/visibility; instrumentation calibration and operator training.
3266 BAC model missile
Shows a full sized rocket (a Skylark). The model reference may indicate that it is a dummy round.
3281 & 3282 Trial 27436
Blue Water development round F24 on lorry transporter/launcher. F24 was the second guided round in the programme and was fired on 7 June 1962. In the event, it was also the last firing, the project was cancelled on 10 August 1962.
3313 SSV
Close up of an RAE Aerodynamics Department dart. Appears to be a Concorde wing shape.
3321 & 3322A Sighter launchers
Different launchers shown on Eastern and Western launch areas respectively.
3322B & 3323 CRP launcher
Shows the later (definitive) twin Seaslug launcher (3322 has two missiles loaded).
3373 & 3374 Fired Malkara
Close up of rear ends of a number of Malcara motors (17 in all, each individually numbered). Photo was not taken at Aberporth, 3374 includes crates marked "Tripoli", these are probably associated with the Libyan trials described in films Red 58 to 61 inclusive (held by IWM).
3398-3399 Air Control position with personnel.
3448 & 3449 AWA missile boosts
Gosling IV boost with "baffles", 3449 shows boosts fitted to Seaslug 2 development round S2C5 (this round was actually fired on 27/3/63).
3451-3455 Dunlop raft.
3481 & 3482 Missile suspended from crane
Bloodhound suspended in front of Yellow River radar.
3539 Skylark launcher
Distance shot which includes an elevated Bloodhound in the picture.
3564 RAE Llanbedr
Plan of airfield.
3626 & 3627 Ground Control
With Ground Controller in position.
3632-3633 CRP Naval personnel
Shows complete Naval complement, on the low level trials site.
3636 Launcher area
Eastern launcher area, including the Taj Mahal.
3637 & 3638 Break-up Control Unit
3637 is plotting table as used by IFSO, 3638 is a visual break-up operator position.
3650-3655 Sea target at Pembroke Dock
60 ft x 24 ft barge with radar reflector, on slipway.
3701 AWA boost plate
E554 "Retriever" rocket motor.
3702-3705 Yellow River radar.
3858-3862 Wave measuring equipment.
3879-3883 Met rocket recovery
Not quite, shows the boost carriage unit with expended Chick boost motor.
3912-3913 Kontiki sea target.
3918-3919 Hawker Siddeley Seadart
Actually shows first development launcher used for Seadart development firings and installed on main (Eastern) launcher area.
3935-3938 First RN Seaslug being unloaded
Shows Seaslug 2 S2D1 being unloaded. Some poetic licence has been taken in the title, shots show the first Seaslug Mk2 (fully boosted) evaluation round which would be fired by the Navy (RNTU) from the CRP and not by industry (AWA/HSD). The actual missile was fired on 23/11/64.
4008-4010 DeBrie camera.
NOTE: A number of the photographs between 4014 and 4068 are of various bits of a Scimitar aircraft and others, between 4197 and 4405, are somewhat cryptically labelled "before and after firing" with no other reference, some of these also include some of the Scimitar bits. Examination of Range records shows that all of these are connected with blast measurements in pursuance of the intention to install Seadart on the Invincible-class aircraft carriers. Blast measuring equipment and the aforementioned Scimitar bits were exposed to three Rangehead Seadart firings between August 1965 and March 1966, as noted against the relevant neg numbers.
4014 Scimitar tail.
4016-4020 Seacat launcher.
4023 & 4024 Scimitar fuselage.
4036 Tail wing of RN aircraft
Scimitar tail (aircraft S/No XD242).
4042-4043 Target afloat
"Pyramid" target being towed out to sea.
4060 Before firing
Scimitar again.
4061-4068 Blast effect on the Scimitar.
4087 Break-up safety limits
Visual break-up position, with operator.
4094 & 4095 Wave measuring height equipment.
4106 BAC launcher
Early (first?) ET316 fixed launcher, with ET316 loaded.
4148 Damaged CRP launcher
Damage not obvious but photograph is a good shot, from above, of the CRP in the dry dock.
4154 Damaged CRP launcher
As for 4148 but a good shot from the front of the Seaslug twin launcher with a missile in the right barrel.
4189 Sea target
Superstructure only, of "Toblerone-shaped" slatted target used for Martel TV development.
Further to the above note re SEADART blast measurements on Scimitar bits and pieces; the three firings (Development Rounds JH1, JH2 and JH3) were undertaken between 27 August 1965 and 3 March 1966 and are covered by negative numbers between 4197 and 4405.
4197-42004202-4203 Before firing Includes Seadart launcher with development missile JH1 loaded and with blast equipment and bits of Scimitar. JH1 was fired on 27/8/65.
4208-4210 Break-up unit Not quite, shows visual break-up operators "pistol" break-up switch, including the "dead man" handle.
4211-4217 Seadart after firing Similar shots to the "before" described at 4197 etc.
4220 Sea target Pembroke Dock Superstructure described at 4189 mounted on a 60 ft x 24 ft barge, on the slip, at Pembroke Dock.
4290 Repaired damaged launcher Good shot of 5 inch Sighter launcher.
4302-43044306-4307 ET316 break-up trailer Last word in title should be "trainer". Shows the Engineering Group-designed "simulator" (dexion, fishing rod and table tennis ball!) to select and train break-up operators for the forward ET316 (Rapier) break-up position.
4317-4320 Break-up shelter and break-up launcher! Armoured/sand bagged shelter immediately behind ET316/Rapier launcher. 4320 shows launcher with Rapier in the background.
4341-4343 Schoolboy rocket 4341 and 4343 show rocket on RAE launcher, 4342 shows rocket in component form.
4361 Close up shots of binoculars FPS-16 optical acquisition position, including binoculars.
4363-4364 Van at 84 building Shows conversion of van/trailer to mobile high speed camera role, with high speed camera installed.
4366-4368 Bloodhound launch site Shows installation at 'C' Site after conversion to accommodate a four Bloodhound "flight", with two launchers in view, one loaded.
4385 Data tape recorder With operator.
4386-4388 Apprentices In various locations Radar/Data/Drawing Office.
4427-4428 Sea target Shows the Seadart active target in the Aberporth Workshops, 4427 includes a craftsman to give an idea of scale. This target, was designed to be mounted on an 11 ft buoy, was about 15 ft high and looked very ungainly and top heavy compared to those designed and built for later projects.
4445-4449 Mett (!) rocket Shows the mobile Met rocket launch tube mounted on a 5 ton Bedford truck in both loading and firing (vertical) positions. The rocket itself is shown being loaded on some shots but it is not clear whether it is a Skua or Petrel. Records show that a Skua was fired on 3rd June 1966 and its a fair bet that these photographs refer to a Skua.
4461-4463 Sea target The large Seadart active target, mounted on an 11 ft buoy, at sea.
4464-4465 CRP from the sea Not quite, shows the whole of the low level trials site at Cribach, including the new Seadart installation.
4473 Bloodhound launcher Standard of Bloodhound launcher used in RAF service for the Mk1 missile.
4481 Sea target Machine Shop Shows the truncated Seadart active target with protective radome removed and exposing the active bits.
4489 Before firing A missile on the Rangehead Seadart launcher but it is not a Seadart per se. The boost appears to be a Chow (the Seadart boost) but the missile is a large diameter Sighter-type with pointed nose (no Ramjet orifice) and no fins. Records show that missile JA6 in the Seadart programme was fired on 21st July 1966 and that it was referred to as a boost blast missile.
4592-4594 Sea target camera Shows GW2 cameras in weather/waterproofed housing adapted as standard for this installation.
4610 Radar van AEI mobile radar unit (surveillance radar) mounted on an articulated lorry.
4697/1 Smoke buoy Actually shows the smoke generator, rather than a buoy.
4707/1-114708/1-12 & 4711/1 Sea target Ecko (!) Includes a complete Martel TV target ie 60 x 24 ft barge with the 22 ft high toblerone shaped superstructure. Also includes shots of detailed bits of equipment and of personnel working on the target.
4724/1-17 Sea target on MFV (Pembroke Dock) Shows a Seadart active target (a truncated version, about half the height of the one decribed at 4427) mounted on the MFV7 vessel which is alongside at Pembroke Dock.
4725/3-124726/1-124727/1-12 Photograph of cliffs, CRP Something of a mixed bag. Most of the shots show individual personnel on the Range vessel!. Some do indeed show the Cribach headland and the low level trials site is included. Others, show equipment on board either the vessel or a target that has been brought alongside.
4734/1-36 Smoke buoy at target Echo 1 is a very good shot of smoke buoy belching large quantities of smoke.2-19 shows smoke canister being loaded onto an 11 ft buoy at sea.20-21 Martel TV target as described at 4707 et al.22-24 bare 11 ft buoy.25-27 as for 2-19 above.28-30 close up of target superstructure.31-36 as for 2-19 final shot is close up of the vessels Helmsman at the ships wheel.
4755/1-23 Untitled Similar to 4734 above includes the smoke buoys, Martel TV target and personnel. The sequence has more close-up/detailed shots of some of the installed equipment.
4768 Research vehicle A very weird looking missile, there is one photograph only, which is an oblique side view taken from the rear. Front end is best described as replacement of a conventional nose cone with one that has been cut down the middle and opened out to resemble a birds open beak. Photograph was taken on 4 July 1967. An RAE Farnborough (Aerodynamics Department) SSV dubbed Lynx 6 first appeared on the trials programme on 5 July and was fired on 11 July this is probably the vehicle in the photograph.
4799-4808 Untitled Shows an FPS-16 being removed from its operating position/pedestal and major bits being worked on in the establishments main workshops with lots of people in attendance.
4828-4831 Untitled Continues the FPS-16 sequence detailed above but includes shots of OP32 with only one radar in position and radar dish on the ground etc.
4832-4833 Untitled Shows the RAF vehicle used for handling Bloodhound. Best described as a side-loading forklift truck, believed to be a unique RAF inventory item.
4840 (9 negs.)4841/1-124842/1-12 AS20 targets and AS20 targets towed out to position A mixture, some show complete target (less sails) others concentrate on detail of the construction and of the mooring details. Many include people in the shots.
4854 (6 negs.) Probe for wave height A wave height measuring pole installed in a rubber inflatable collar.
4879/1-8 Aerial supports for telemetry tracking Shows standard of telemetry reception aerials in use at this time.
4881 Adjacent Seadart on launcher Good shot of two Seadarts on the Seadart launcher installed on the low level trials site.
4896 (14 negs.) Hector Gull with Seadart enhanced target and other views of Hector Gull etc As advertised, plus! Includes detailed shots of the Range vessel Hector Gulls stern loading mechanism, the Seadart active target (as described at 4427/8) mounted on an 11 ft buoy and an unidentified RMAS mooring vessel alongside the ship target F50 (HMS Venus). A Seadart development missile was fired against HMS Venus on 15 December 1967.
4897 Damaged Sea target Lema (!) No! shows decommissioned frigate F390 (HMS Loch Fada) alongside at Pembroke Dock. HMS Loch Fada was modified at Pembroke Dock by Aberporth personnel to be the launch platform for Sinner.
4898/4899 Damaged Sea target Lema (!) again Close up shots of internal damage, could be of HMS Venus, following the Seadart trial described at 4896. It will be noted that 4897-4899 all have the same title, it is suspected that 4897 was taken whilst photographer was on route to undertake the damage photographs described at 4898 and 4899.
4906 Seadart launcher Similar to 4881, shows the low level trials site Seadart launcher with two Seadarts loaded.
4907-4908 Untitled Shows a manual tracker in workshops, with Canon TV lens installed.
4922 Two Spinner (!) models copy neg Shows models of the boosted Sinner test vehicle. Sinner was the RAE Farnborough-led technology demonstrator for vertical launch/turnover to conventional flight for a ship launched weapon. Trials were undertaken from Loch Fada, moored in Luce Bay/West Freugh during 1968 and1969.
4923 Met Ship - copy neg of aerial shot of the ship Weather Advisor.
4928/2-12 Damaged sea target Venus Shows the target ship F50 (ex HMS Venus) with bows shot off. Records show that a Seaslug 2 missile fired from HMS Glamorgan on 16 February 1968 achieved a direct hit on Venus.
4941 Untitled (the master list notes this as photograph of BL755 project) Actually shows component parts of the ARPCE lights being manufactured in the Aberporth workshops. The Automatic Release Point Control Equipment lights represented the ground part of the system used at West Freugh to ensure that the BL755 weapon was released such that the bomblet ejection sequence was captured by static cameras.
4954 (2 negs.) German binoculars and leaflet As advertised (leaflet is in German).
4958/1-8 Missiles on launcher X5468/X4607 A mixture 1-4 shows missile Shark 3 on launcher 5-6 group photograph firing team?7-8 shows missile Ranger 31 on launcher Both are SSVs from RAE Farnboroughs Aerodynamics Department.
4969 (12 negs.) Damaged sea target Echo A mixture, in addition to detailed close ups of the damage (to superstructure) also includes a good overall series of shots of one of the Martel TV targets. Martel TV development missile 111 was fired on 1 May 1968.
4977 Copy neg RC660 TR set Shows GEC walkie-talkie model as above, and typical of its time.
4981/1-8 Work on sea target at Milford Haven involving crane Not quite. Shows work being undertaken by joint Pembroke Dock/Aberporth crew to convert F390 (Loch Fada) to be a missile firing platform (Sinner at West Freugh).
4997/7-10 FFR1 6 inch rocket Close up of tracking flare installation on the FFR1 rocket. FFR1 was an RARDE project to develop a 6 inch artillery rocket project fell by the wayside (MLRS was presumably favoured).