Perhaps the strangest turn of events was a link to the planned launch of a blue streak missile in woomera, south australia. Naval institute provides an independent forum for those who seek to advance and strengthen the naval profession. It was to be a liquid fuelled missile tipped with a nuclear warhead with a range of around 1,500 nautical miles 2,4km, sufficient to reach moscow from the united kingdom. Its role was to support the development of the intermediate range ballistic missile irbm blue streak. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading blue streak. Bloodhound missile project gutenberg selfpublishing. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. A history of the development of the blue streak ballistic missile from initial conception to cancellation in 1960. The spadeadam area was remote and largely uninhabited and known as spadeadam waste, until 1955 when the intermediate range ballistic missile test centre was built for the blue streak missile project.
Get free shipping on blue streak by john boyes, from. Blue streak in the early 1950s the united states wished to concentrate its defence resources on the development of a 4,000 mile range intercontinental ballistic missile. Work on the project started in 1955 but the system was cancelled in 1960 in favour of the american air launched ballistic missile skybolt. A vertical empire provides a description of the british rocketry and space programme from the 1950s to 1970s, detailing the medium range ballistic missile blue streak and its conversion to a satellite launcher as part of the european launcher development organisation eldo. Blue streak by john boyes overdrive rakuten overdrive. Rocketry oral history project brohp conferences at charterhouse school, which were. Much of the material in this invaluable book has never been available before, due partly. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Blue streak was cancelled without entering full production. This document details the air ministrys thoughts on the subject as early as 1958. The stalwartclass light frigate is armed with 76 streak missile pods.
In 1955, britain began developing a longrange liquidfuelled missile, the blue streak programme. Only internal pressurisation prevented blue streak missiles from collapsing. The blue streak weapon1 british rockets and satellite. The story of the blue streak rocket is one of both triumph and missed opportunity. The author is a member of the committee of the royal air force historical society and was financial controller of. Although cancelled in 1960 as a weapon, the technology went into providing europe with an unsuccessful indigenous satellite launcher. Designed to deliver nuclear weapons, as part of britains i. Britains medium range ballistic missile traces the path from the political decision to issue the. Streak missiles are a type of guided munition used by the unsc navy for longranged antifighter duties. Britains medium range ballistic missile 9781781557006.
I know i was fascinated by my fathers description of the german v1 cruise missile of world war two. Media in category blue streak missiles the following 12 files are in this category, out of 12 total. In the early 1950s the united states wished to concentrate its defense resources on the development of a 4,000 mile range intercontinental ballistic missile. Blue streak missile wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. His first two books on the thor ballistic missile attracted wide interest. Skybolt would have been carried by the rafs vbombers, but skybolt itself became the subject of reassessment by the incoming kennedy administration. The raf took it over in 1976 and it became europes first electronic warfare tactics range in 1977. Longrange ballistic missile blue streak hansard, 27. A catalogue record for this book is available from the british library. First designed as a ballistic missile, then adapted to launch satellites, blue streak was britains contribution to the space race.
History the development of the blue streak missile began as an attempt to develop a british nuclear missile. The american had sent a mission to the moon, but on landing they suddenly lost contact with the astronauts. It has been announced that blue streak is no longer a military project. One of the places to be newly included on a heritage list is talgarno, the blue streak rocket site in the kimberley. After launch, the missile accelerates to more than mach 4, making it the fastest shortrange surfacetoair missile in the world. First launched in 1964 at the woomera test site in south australia, blue streak performed as planned for eleven successful launches. Blue streak britains medium range ballistic missile. Despite us concerns that british resources were limited the air ministry nonetheless proceeded with the missile, called blue streak, to fulfil the operational requirement which would give britain an independent deterrent which should remain invulnerable until the early 1970s. It had always been intended that blue streak was to be launched from an underground site what is now called a silo, altho the word wasnt in use in british circles at the time. Perhaps it is a fondness for the brightlycolored 1950s plastic kits of then stateoftheart missiles, complete with realistic launch pads. The history of the uk rocket and space programme, 19501971.
Britains medium range ballistic missile fonthill media. In 1955, the open and largely uninhabited moorland to the north of gilsland, cumbria, was. British mission to the moon using blue streak rocket. The blue streak missile was a british medium range ballistic missile projected that was intended to maintain an independent british nuclear deterrent, replacing the v bomber fleet which would become obsolete by 1965. Avro was made an associate contractor to manage the skybolt program for the united kingdom and four different schemes were submitted to find a platform for the missile. In 1959, a year before the cancellation of the blue streak as a missile, the government requested that the rae and saundersroe design a carrier rocket based on blue streak and black knight. A history of a cold war missile programme, 2000 flight in blue streak helps titan, vol. The development of the blue streak missile began as an attempt to develop a british nuclear missile. Britains blue streak, developed in the second half of the 1950s was potentially thors successor had the project not been cancelled but nonetheless is an obvious followon volume. As a stopgap measure, us defense chiefs hoped to assist britain with the development of its own. As a stopgap measure, us defence chiefs hoped to assist britain with the development of its own intermediate range missile. The project was intended to maintain an independent british nuclear deterrent, replacing the v bomber fleet which would become obsolete by 1965. It is also known as starstreak hvm high velocity missile.
Books like rings of supersonic steel and blazing skies are very interesting reading for me. The journal of british rocketry and nuclear history in the spadeadam blue streak underground launcher facility u1, 2006 other. From the abc kimberley archives, heres an insight into why a. Woomera blue streak incident the unexplained vault. In the early 1950s, the united states wished to concentrate its efforts on the development of a 4,000milerange intercontinental ballistic missile. Blue streak was a british designed medium range nuclear missile. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Blue streak rocket program heritage listed abc kimberley.
Meanwhile, america signed british support to help develop an air launched ballistic missile, skybolt. As a stopgap measure, us defence chiefs hoped to assist britain with the development of. History in 1955, the open and largely uninhabited moorland to the north of gilsland, cumbria, was selected as the site for the spadeadam rocket establishment. As a stopgap measure, us military chiefs hoped to assist britain with the development of its own intermediaterange missile. Starstreak is a british short range manportable airdefence system manpads manufactured by thales air defence formerly shorts missile systems, in belfast. Just days after mr templeton had taken his photograph, that missile test. In 1955, the open and largely uninhabited moorland to the north of gilsland, cumbria, was selected as the site for the spadeadam rocket establishment. A rescue mission is sent up from woomera using a juryrigged blue streak rocket with the schoolboy and a veteran astronaut who i think was called jock. The focus of all this activity and investment was perhaps the most economical and powerful space missile of its time the black knight forerunner of britains very own icbm blue streak rocket. Despite us concerns that british resources were limited the air ministry nonetheless proceeded with the missile, called blue streak, to fulfil the operational requirement which would give britain an independent deterrent which should remain. The united states and the united kingdom in partnership% isbn. Following the agreement, the blue streak program was formally canceled in april 1960 and in may 1960 an agreement for an initial order of 100 skybolts was concluded.
It also became very obvious that these silos were going to be horrendously expensive. Designed to be based underground, blue streak presented a technological challenge and when a more advanced american missile called skybolt was offered to britain, blue streak was cancelled. Actually no, as john boyles relates, the blue streak survived just a bit longer as it found a civilian role as the booster for the european launcher development organization eldo. The silos are described in the book on cold war archaeology by. Duration 14min 50sec release date 1964 sponsor central office of information for foreign office and commonwealth relations office text version of this film in 1955, britain began developing a longrange liquidfuelled missile, the blue streak programme. Britains medium range ballistic missile traces the path from the political decision to issue the contracts through the early development and testing both in the uk and in australia. Search the history of over 418 billion web pages on the internet.
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