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Thunderbird Missile System
Thunderbird Surface to Air Missile System
In 1949 English Electric set up a Guided Weapons Division at Luton. The aim was to develop
a Surface to Air Guided weapon that would accompany the British Army in the field. As the Stage
air defence plan evolved the English Electric SAGW became part of the Stage 1 system to provide
air defence coverage for the Army with a range of 20 miles. This weapon was assigned the colour
code "Red Shoes" by the Ministry of Supply.
The test programme involved a few development vehicles, with the aerodynamics being proved
by the D3 and D4 test vehicles. The main development work was
performed by the LTV, Luton Test Vehicle.
Red Duster was to be a rocket propelled mobile missile guided by pulsed radar, AMES Type 83,
called Yellow River. The initial sustainer was a liquid fuel rocket engine, but the Army did not want
such fuels in the field so a solid rocket motor sustainer was fitted. Various sustainers were applied
including the Albatross, Ratcatcher, Elkhound, Wolfhound and Smokey Joe.
Red Shoes also used a quartet of Gosling boost rocket motors for launch.
On entering service with the Army this became Thunderbird 1.
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Press Release dated 2nd June 1959
Thunderbird Rocket For British Troops
A cadre from 36th Guided Weapons Regiment, were filmed at the Royal Artillery
anti-aircraft school, Manorbier, South Wales, completing basic training with
Thunderbird Missiles - first British designed - produced missile to go into
operational service with the British Army.
Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers have been undergoing the twelve-months
course to be trained as regimental instructors, and as equipment comes off the
production line, each Battery will practice with its own "Thunderbirds".
The whole Regiment of 580 men should be operational in a year.
At the end of this year the 37th Anti- Aircraft Unit, now stationed in Malta,
will return home to start training at Manorbier. The second Guided
Weapons Regiment should be operational by the end of 1960.
The 4,000lb solid-fueled "Thunderbird" - designed for the defence of the
Army in the field against high altitude aircraft - is now finishing acceptance
trials at Woomera, Australia.
Low flying attackers will be greeted with radar controlled - electronically
fired light 40/70 A.A. guns. The Royal Air Force, equipped with
"Bloodhound" missiles, is responsible for home defence.
As the air threat changed and radar development progressed, it was decided to fit Red Shoes
with Continuous Wave Radar. This would confer improved performance in the face of ECM and
much improved low level capability. This was to be Red Shoes with a CW seeker using AMES Type 86
Indigo Corkscrew radar and was renamed Green Flax. At some stage the paperwork was lost and
as a security measure the name was changed to Yellow Temple. This would become Stage 1 1/2 and
was assigned and entered service as Thunderbird 2.
A further name, VR 725, was applied after the Ministry of Supply was dissolved and was applied to
a version using the AMES Type 88 Tactical Control Radar and Type 89 Height finder Radar. These
radars had been developed under the colour code Green Ginger, but were called AD 11 and AD 12
respectively in the British Army Service. This entered service with Thunderbird 2.
Thunderbird 1
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Thunderbird 1
The Thunderbird was produced by the English Electric Co as a mobile SAM. It had 4 Boosters
and 1 sustainer Rocket motor. It was used by the British Army for medium range air defence
from 1959. Thunderbird 1 was in service until 1966. The missile had a range of about 30 miles and
used semi active homing in conjunction with the non coherent pulse radar. It was replaced in 1966
by the Thunderbird 2, which worked with the Ferranti AD10 "Firelight" coherent CW radar (TIR)
for improved low altitude performance, ten of these radars were purchased.
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Thunderbird 1 Firing Troop
In the early 1960's Finland were going to purchase Thunderbird 1 or the Bloodhound System.
Due to the political matters at the time the sale did not go ahead. Finland did receive
Thunderbird Equipment for training purposes. This Equipment is still on display in a Museum.
The original Mk 1 version of Thunderbird was operated by Saudi Arabia, which acquired
37 ex- British Army missiles and launchers in 1967.
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36 Regiment Thunderbird 1's
at the Farnborough Airshow
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HM The Queen's Review of The Royal Artillery at Woolwich
on the 22nd May 1958. 36 Regiment's Thunderbird 1 on Display.
My Thanks to Jack Luxon for this photo.
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 My Thanks to Ken Brown for finding these Pictures of Thunderbird 1.
We believe the Copyright is not now valid, but if it is we apoligise for publishing these photos and will remove if required to do so.
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27.5 KVA Meadows Generator
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Thunderbird 2
The Thunderbird 2 System provided all round protection against reconnaissance and attack
aircraft, flying at speeds of up to Mach 2, and within the height band of 5,000 - 65,000 ft.
In 36 Regiment both Batteries had three Troops. One Troop was equipped with Surveillance
(AMES Type 89 Tactical Control Radar) and S404 (Type 88 height finder radar's) and a
Battery Command Post (BCP). The other two Troops were equipped with a
Tracking (TIR) Radar, Launcher Control Post (LCP) and Missile Launchers.
Each Battery could operate independently. The Royal Signals Squadron and REME
were organised so that they could attach sub-units to each Battery.
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Interior of the Launcher Control Post (LCP)
The LCP is a cabin on a 5-ton trailer which contains the equipment necessary to
prepare, monitor and fire the missiles of the firing troop. It also acts as a junction for
information and orders between the Tactical Control Troop and the TIR and launchers.
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Radar AD No.11 Mk1 (Big Ears) Radar AD No.12 Mk1 (Noddy)
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Thunderbird 2 Firing Battery
My thanks to Richard Vernon for this drawing.
Thunderbird 2 were in service with 36 Heavy Air Defence Regiment from 1966-1977.
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Thunderbird 2 Launching at
Ty Croes,Angelsey
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Thunderbird 2 in Flight
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English Electric Thunderbird
Entered Service:
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1959 Thunderbird 1
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Retired from Service:
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Late 1976
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Type:
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Surface to air missile
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Length (m):
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6.35
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Body Diameter (m):
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0.527
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Fin Span (m):
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1.63
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Type of Warheads available:
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Continuous HE rod
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Maximum Range (km):
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75
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Notes:
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A central body with surrounding four booster rockets and a sustainer motor, with short wings and large tail fins Detonation by radio-control or a proximity fuse. An improved version, Thunderbird 2, appeared in the mid-1960s with greater velocity and more advanced controls.
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A few Stills from the Archives of Pathe News
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The example shown is on display at the
Museum of Flight at east Fortune and lacks
the lower forward fin.
Indigo Corkscrew Target Illumination Radar (TIR)
Indigo Corkscrew was the development name of the
AMES Type 86 radar used on the mobile Bloodhound II
and Thunderbird II SAGW systems.
Indigo Corkscrew was later renamed Firelight on export
versions for Sweden and Australia.
CW (Continuous Wave) provided superior performance
to Pulse Radar.
TIRs (Target Illumination Radar) provide the guidance signal for semi-active missiles. The TIR
emits a signal to illuminate the target aircraft. The missile seeker homes in on the radar signal
reflected from the target. The large central dish is the main transmitting antenna. The parabolic dish
on the side is the receiver antenna. The small circular dish between the two large dishes is the
countermeasures assessment antenna. The rectangular box on the opposite side of the main dish is
the in - flight reference antenna for the missile. The Indigo Corkscrew shown here is on display at
the Aerospace Museum at RAF Cosford.
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Old Radar men never die - Their Echoes just fade away
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Control Panel Power Control Unit
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Type 86 / AD Mk10 TIR Radar
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The TIR can travel with the aerial assembly lowered
into the cabin (semi-retracted).
For any movement where there is restricted headroom, the whole aerial assembly
is removed and transported in a cage carried on the towing vehicle.
Thanks to Glynn Holdcroft
for the following Course drawings
Foreign Users
The Thunderbird 1 was purchased by Saudi Arabia, with 37 second hand missiles purchased in 1967.Finland planned to purchase either the Thunderbird or Bloodhound SAM missile in the early 1960's. The sale ultimately did not go ahead, but the country did take delivery of some training systems which are still displayed in a Museum. Negotiations were also held with Libya and Zambia.It is interesting to see who the British Government were prepared to sell the
Thunderbird System too. Here are a couple of Press Release's from the 1960's.
Dated 29th April 1968
Libya places massive Missile order with Britain
Britain has secured her second one hundred million pound arms
contract in the Middle East - This time for a Missile Defence System
for Libya. A similar order is already in hand for Saudi Arabia for the
purchase of Lightning Jet Aircraft and missiles.
Both contracts have been won against fierce competition by the
British Aircraft Corporation whose Guided Weapons Division
announced on Monday that the Libya contract would cover the supply
and installation of a unique and flexible air defence system.
This system will consist of Thunderbird and Rapier Anti-Aircraft
Missile systems controlled by duel purpose Radars which will provide
both early warning and tactical control for missiles and Libyan air
force fighter aircraft. Comprehensive telecommunications are
also included in this multi-million pound contract.
Thunderbird - which is already in service with the British Army
in West Germany - is a solid propellant surface to air weapon.
The major feature of this weapon is that it is completely mobile.
Thunderbird units, complete with power generators and field
workshops, can be transported by air or in ordinary army vehicles.
The Air Defence contract with Libya follows earlier Naval
purchases from Great Britain by this Middle East Kingdom.
Dated 20th February 1969
Britain and Zambia nearer agreement on Missile order
Britain and Zambia are making progress in their negotiations on a
rocket missile air defence system which President Kaunda
wants to order as a deterrent against violations of Zambian airspace.
The system consists of a combination of Thunderbird and Rapier
Anti-Aircraft Missiles controlled by duel purpose Radars.
The commercial discussions between the Zambian Government
and the British Aircraft Corporation, which makes the missiles, followed
talks held in London last July between President Kaunda and the
British Prime Minister Mr Harold Wilson, attended also by
Britain's Defence Secretary Mr Dennis Healey.
The British Aircraft Corporation specialises in "package deals"
which include the provision of teams of skilled technicians and
instructors along with the missile system, to prepare the
anti-aircraft rockets for operational use and maintain them while
nationals of the recipient country are trained to take over the
entire system at a later date.
The current negotiations are being conducted in London and
Lusaka, and a spokesman for the BAC said earlier this week
that they were making good progress and that his firm were optimistic
about the outcome, he would not, however speculate on an actual
date at which a decision might be reached, pointing out that this
rested with the Zambian Government.
Extracts from the
British Aircraft Corporation
Thunderbird 11 & Tactical Missile Brochure's
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My Thanks to Harry Chandler for this Photo. It was taken in July 2008 whilst on holiday in North Germany. He visited Peenemunde Rocket Development Facility and to his surprise saw what can only be assumed as Russian copy of an early Thunderbird. Anyone know of this?I
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Selection of Thunderbird Photos
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Please click the link below to view a selection of Thunderbird pictures.
