UB.109T
Encyclopedia
UB.109T was a British
cruise missile project. It was cancelled on 30 September 1954.
An identified operational requirement led to a request for designs for an unmanned bomb capable of delivering a 5,000 lb (2.27 tonne) conventional warhead over 465 miles (700 km) travelling at 600 mph. The specification for production was for plastic construction. Guidance would be by Decca
or LORAN
.
Of three designs submitted, two were chosen for development.
Red Rapier from Vickers-Armstrong Ltd Vickers 825 design powered by three Rolls-Royce Soar
turbojets.
Blue Rapier the Bristol 182 by Bristol Aeroplane Company
, with a single Bristol Siddeley
engine.
A proposal by Boulton Paul, the P.123 was not accepted.
(a single 5000 lb (2,268 kg) bomb, or five 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bombs scattered laterally) was held on the front of the fuselage by explosive bolts. In use, the wing was jettisoned at the target, and the warhead detached once the fuselage had stabilised in a dive and the altitude came below the radar horizon
(20000 ft (6,096 m) at 400 nmi (740.8 km; 460.3 mi) from its launch position). After initial guidance by flux gate compass and vertical reference, guidance was by the 'TRAMP' sysem of pulses transmitted from two ground radar stations, producing target position as the intersection of two range measurements. Guidance accuracy at a 400 nmi (740.8 km; 460.3 mi)-range target was specified as 100 yd (91.4 m) CEP
.
One-third scale models without engines were built and air launched from a Washington bomber (the Boeing B-29 Superfortress
in RAF service) on the Woomera missile range to test the aerodynamics and autopilot operation.
Cruising at Mach 0.83 at 50000 ft (15,240 m), intercepting Red Rapier required surface-to-air missiles. This is in contrast to the wartime V1, which flew at low altitude and could be intercepted by existing fighter aircraft, or shot down by antiaircraft guns.
Full details of the Red Rapier project are given in The 'Secret' World of Vickers Guided Weapons by John E. Forbat and published in 2006 by Tempus (now The History Press).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cruise missile project. It was cancelled on 30 September 1954.
An identified operational requirement led to a request for designs for an unmanned bomb capable of delivering a 5,000 lb (2.27 tonne) conventional warhead over 465 miles (700 km) travelling at 600 mph. The specification for production was for plastic construction. Guidance would be by Decca
Decca Navigator System
The Decca Navigator System was a low frequency hyperbolic navigation system that was first deployed during World War II when the Allied forces needed a system which could be used to achieve accurate landings...
or LORAN
LORAN
LORAN is a terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment to determine the location and speed of the receiver....
.
Of three designs submitted, two were chosen for development.
Red Rapier from Vickers-Armstrong Ltd Vickers 825 design powered by three Rolls-Royce Soar
Rolls-Royce Soar
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:* *...
turbojets.
Blue Rapier the Bristol 182 by Bristol Aeroplane Company
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
, with a single Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
engine.
A proposal by Boulton Paul, the P.123 was not accepted.
History
By cancellation, the Vickers 825 had reached prototype stage. The 825 was 13 metre long with a 10 metre wingspan. The airframe was welded and formed mild steel sections. The fuselage was rolled steel and the wing sheet steel over box spars. The wing served as the fuel tank. The three Soar engines were used, two on the tips of the tailplane, and one on the tip of the fin. The leading edges of the tailplane and fin were sharply swept, but the wing was straight and held to the fuselage by bombslips. The warheadWarhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
(a single 5000 lb (2,268 kg) bomb, or five 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bombs scattered laterally) was held on the front of the fuselage by explosive bolts. In use, the wing was jettisoned at the target, and the warhead detached once the fuselage had stabilised in a dive and the altitude came below the radar horizon
Radar horizon
The radar Horizon is a critical area of performance for aircraft detection systems that is defined by the distance at which the radar beam raise enough above the Earth surface to make detection of a target at low level impossible. It is associated with the low elevation region of performance and...
(20000 ft (6,096 m) at 400 nmi (740.8 km; 460.3 mi) from its launch position). After initial guidance by flux gate compass and vertical reference, guidance was by the 'TRAMP' sysem of pulses transmitted from two ground radar stations, producing target position as the intersection of two range measurements. Guidance accuracy at a 400 nmi (740.8 km; 460.3 mi)-range target was specified as 100 yd (91.4 m) CEP
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
.
One-third scale models without engines were built and air launched from a Washington bomber (the Boeing B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
in RAF service) on the Woomera missile range to test the aerodynamics and autopilot operation.
Cruising at Mach 0.83 at 50000 ft (15,240 m), intercepting Red Rapier required surface-to-air missiles. This is in contrast to the wartime V1, which flew at low altitude and could be intercepted by existing fighter aircraft, or shot down by antiaircraft guns.
Full details of the Red Rapier project are given in The 'Secret' World of Vickers Guided Weapons by John E. Forbat and published in 2006 by Tempus (now The History Press).