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The Beginning
While a considerable
expansion of the UK aircraft industry had begun in the mid to late 1930s, it was
the demands of World War II, in the early 1940s, which led to its huge growth in
capability and size. As the tide of war began to turn in favour of the Allies,
thought was given to the nation’s post-war prosperity and because of its
technically advanced state, the aircraft sector was singled out as a primary
industry for exploitation. However, it was realised that large and expensive
research facilities would be required for such exploitation to succeed and as
this would be in pursuance of national objectives, the provision of such
facilities would have to come from central government sources. Accordingly it
was decided to create an entirely new organisation to provide this necessary
research capability. To be called the “National Experimental Establishment”, it
was initially proposed that it should be sited at Farnborough and embrace the
already-existing Royal Aircraft Establishment.
However for a variety of reasons, it was later decided that the new organisation
would be built on land in North Bedfordshire embracing the war-time airfields of
Thurleigh, Twinwood Farm and Little Staughton. It would also be more
appropriately styled the “National Aeronautical Establishment”.
Indeed, in response to a question in the House of Commons from Sir Richard
Wells, MP for Bedford, on 28 February 1945, Sir Stafford Cripps, the then
Minister of Aircraft Production, replied “In view of the imperative necessity to
provide adequate resources in research and development for our future civil and
military aircraft construction, and of the many new problems that now have to be
faced with the approaching achievement of supersonic speeds, the Government has
decided that it is necessary to embark upon the construction of a new research
and development centre in this country in which all the latest and best wind
tunnels and other apparatus can be installed. After a very complete survey of
the country, it has been decided to place the new research establishment in the
vicinity of Bedford.”
This statement led to the creation of the National Aeronautical Establishment,
subsequently (in 1955) renamed the Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford.
Following some sensible
scaling down of the original rather grandiose proposals, the Establishment was
developed on two sites, one adjacent to Twinwood Farm airfield, to house an
extensive and extremely capable suite of large wind tunnels, and the other,
Thurleigh Airfield, which was rebuilt into one of the most comprehensive
research airfields in the UK, in Europe and indeed, in the World.
Construction of RAE Bedford began in 1947, first with new roads, then the first
wind tunnels on the “Twinwoods” site and finally the airfield at Thurleigh.
Major building work continued to at least 1957.
Wind Tunnels
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The 8ft x 8ft wind tunnel in 1982 |
The wind tunnel provision consisted essentially of four large high-quality research facilities, which would allow the
testing of aircraft configurations and components at speeds from around
eighty miles per hour up to a Mach number of 5, or five times the speed of
sound. These were (in order of completion) the
3x3 supersonic tunnel,
the
13x9 low speed tunnel,
the
8x8 supersonic tunnel, and the
3x4
high supersonic speed tunnel (HSST). The numerals identify the
working section dimensions in feet, width by height. The 8x8 and the 3x4 were
the largest tunnels in their Mach number range in Western Europe. A low speed
tunnel was also provided specifically to study the spinning characteristics of
aircraft, which was a little understood phenomenon at the time. This
Vertical Spinning Tunnel
(VST) and the 13x9 low speed tunnel are still in use, the VST for
skydiving and the 13x9 for the development of racing cars by Red Bull. A number
of small tunnels were also built to provide for aerodynamic studies of a more
fundamental nature.
These tunnels were fully utilised and served for the whole second half of the
twentieth century and virtually every British aircraft project, and many from
overseas, benefited from their advanced aerodynamic capabilities and from the
quality and knowledge of the scientific, engineering and industrial people who
staffed them. The contribution of the National Aeronautical Establishment (later
the “Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford”) to both the Nation’s security and to
its industrial wellbeing was outstanding. Its legacy will continue to be felt
and valued well into the twenty-first century.
Over a period between 1970 and 1972 a group of aerodynamics staff moved from the
National Physical Laboratory (NPL) Teddington to RAE. The group that moved was
largely the High Speed Aerodynamics Group of the NPL Aerodynamics Division.
About 10 people moved to Bedford. The intention was that the high speed tunnels
at Teddington would be dismantled and rebuilt, and the staff would go with them.
In the event, although a lot of money was spent on design-studies for this
purpose, no tunnels were ever rebuilt.
The Airfield
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Bedford Airfield |
The new airfield at
Thurleigh required that the former WWII airfield be substantially re-built, to
provide a new main runway 10500 x 300 ft, together with test facilities for
naval aviation R&D.
Naval Air Department
was the first unit to begin research on the airfield, in 1954, followed by
the Flight Division of Aerodynamics Department, less formally known as
“Aero
Flight”, in 1955. The
Blind Landing
Experimental Unit (BLEU) moved in from Martlesham Heath in
1957.
More information about these units can be found by following the links given
above.
The scientific and
engineering challenges of the period between the mid 1950s and 1972 at RAE
Bedford had by 1972 been resolved satisfactorily. As the fundamental and focused
research of BLEU and that of Aero Flight were completing, the research direction
needed to change. With the broad scientific and engineering capability and
competency of its staff, diversification to address the impact of developing
technologies at the time and the potential operational benefits to MOD and Civil
operations were made. Many enabling technologies were showing considerable
promise in the early 1970s not least of which were the rapid developments in
digital technology. Nevertheless the departmental role continued to address
customer requirements with the emphasis on innovation through application.
In 1974 departmental organisational changes took effect with a new departmental
structure. This structure brought together the staff from BLEU and Aero Flight
and the helicopter group from NAD which were then combined under Flight Systems
Department. This department had several formats, sometimes with its
administrative centre at Farnborough and sometimes at Bedford. Initially, for
example, that part at Bedford was structured under three divisions, namely,
Flight Dynamics (FS1), Operational Systems (FS2) and Common Services (FS6). The
confusing details will not be elaborated further. Whatever the titles, work
areas fell broadly into flight dynamics and flight control, operational systems
and flight management, and flight simulation.
The widely recognised experience and knowledge of the new department staff
allowed the department to address technology diversification with
multi-disciplined teams. This approach also allowed the direct benefit of the
research work to the MOD and Civil operating customers to continue and grow.
This “total systems” approach was the key enabler to the provision of the many
research products of RAE Bedford for the next thirty years.
The major work programmes with their aircraft and other facilities that made
significant contributions to MOD and the Civil Authorities were:
The major work programmes with their aircraft and other facilities that made
significant contributions to MOD and the Civil Authorities were:
1. Tactical Landing Guidance including guidance for helicopters to remote sites
and ships, naval aircraft Carrier Guidance and visual approach and tactical
aids. This work involved the aircraft
HS748 XW750, Wessex XR503.
2. Radio Guidance developments, which included Microwave Landing Systems (MLS)
and the Microwave Aircraft Digital Guidance Equipment (MADGE). This work
involved aircraft Wessex XR503.
3. Terrain Following as applied to the Vulcan and Tornado aircraft fleets. This
work involved aircraft Tornado ZA326.
4. Civil Avionics including Flight Management Systems and Area Navigation. This
work involved the aircraft BAC 1-11 XX105.
5. VTOL developments including VIFF capability, Sea Harrier night and low
visibility recoveries to ships, ski-jump and the VAAC programme. These and the
VAAC programme with its Advanced Flight Control and Handling Qualities involved
aircraft Harrier XW175
and made extensive use of
flight simulation.
6. Helicopter research, including fundamental understanding of rotor aerodynamic
performance and helicopter flight mechanics. This work involved Wessex Mk1
XM300; Scout XP191; the
Lockheed XH51 on loan from NASA;
Puma XW241; and Lynx ZD559.
7. Atmospheric turbulence, downbursts and windshear, and Vortex Wakes. This work
involved the aircraft HS125 XW930.
8. Flight Simulation studies of all classes of aircraft, and of simulation
technologies. Advanced Flight Simulator with its unique Large Motion System and
the Real Time All-Vehicle Simulator.
The Flight Systems Department Research Aircraft (c 1983)
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The new control tower was opened in 1957 |
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In 1976 the Radar
Flight Trials Unit (RFTU) was established on the former NAD site as a
“Lodger Unit” when a fleet of aircraft - Radar Research Squadron - moved from an airfield at Pershore to
Thurleigh.
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RFTU - the Radar Research Squadron in Hangar 4 |
Aircraft Department supported flying operations by providing aircraft
maintenance and specialized installations on aircraft. RAE Bedford was
privileged to have design authority to make changes to aircraft.
Other significant groups supported research work at Bedford, such as Air Traffic
Control, Fire Services, Workshops, MoD Police and Administration.
Thurleigh airfield closed officially at 11:00 GMT on 31st Mar 1994. Research
flying re-located to Boscombe Down. The airfield was sold to St Modwen in 1996.
A scientific enclave was, however, retained under DRA/DERA management, and
finally QinetiQ, until 2008.
Find out more about
the work of RAE Bedford...
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