Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

later inert casings similar to the ones that would be used for the live devices; these drops
were monitored by AWRE telemetering teams (Hubbard and Simmons 1985, 49; Wynn
1994, 170-171, 226). One of the specially modified Valiants that trained over Orford
Ness and which saw service in the Grapple trials is preserved at the RAF Museum,
Cosford.
In addition to the work at Orford Ness on Blue Danube ballistics trials, in about 1954
trials also began on the Vickers Armstrong’s guided glide bomb, codenamed Blue Boar,
which was later cancelled (Forbat 2006, 45-64). In the late 1950s there are also accounts
of low level bombing trials by Canberras and Scimitars, both of which were large enough
to carry the smaller Red Beard tactical atomic weapon (Revett 2004, 86).
Figure 6: The jetty area in May 1952, at the centre is the long rectangular radar building with SCR
584 radar trailers to either end and a third trailer to the left. RAF58/877 5164 21 May 1952
English Heritage (NMR) RAF Photography
To assist the ballistics trials the RAE established a small radar station (Figure 6), whose
main functions were to guide the aircraft on to the correct course, to instruct the
pilot when to drop the weapon and then to monitor its flight. This station was sited
close to the landing stage, its permanent structures included a single rectangular main
building, comprising two plotting rooms and a workshop, a detached radar office and
store, and a valve store. It operated in conjunction with personnel in the 1930s Bomb
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