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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 1474.PDF
FLIGHT, 22 May 1959 713 Missiles and Spaceflight . . . THORSFORTHER.A.F. Further Details of Bomber Command's First Missile IN Norse mythology Thor is a mighty, but benevolent, god.He rides in a goat-hauled chariot which, in its passing, makesthe noise of thunder; and he is addicted to dealing his enemies frightful blows with a blunt instrument—a magic hammer named Mijonar. The Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile is also capable of delivering frightful blows with a blunt instrument, but in the missile's case this takes the form of an obtuse nosecone housing a thermonuclear warhead with a yield equivalent to some million tons of T.N.T. Without digressing into an assessment of the Norse and nuclear methods of waging war, it is possible to add much to the consider- able information pertaining to Weapon System 315 A—of which the Thor IRBM is the vehicle portion—which was contained in our issue of December 5 last. Therein was outlined the broad history of this weapon system, together with descriptions of its more important component parts and a narrative account of an operational firing. Also included was a large drawing of a Thor emplacement and several illustrations depicting one of the first such installations to be constructed in East Anglia for No. 77 Missile Squadron of R.A.F. Bomber Command, the first unit in the West to be deployed operationally with a strategic ballistic missile. The contract which set the Thor programme in motion was signed by the Ballistic Missile Division of Air Research and Development Command and by Douglas on December 27, 1955. Production tooling was used from the beginning, and the first Thor was delivered from Santa Monica in October 1956. Thor design and development was directed by E. P. Wheaton, vice- president (engineering), missiles and space systems, and produc- tion and deployment was the responsibility of L. A. Carter, vice-president and general manager, Santa Monica division. Among other missile specialists involved are J. L. Bromberg, weapon system manager; H. M. Thomas, chief project engineer, and R. L. Johnson, chief engineer. All firings except one have been at the Air Force Missile Test Center's Atlantic Missile Range, and were basically research and development flight tests. The first XSM-75 Thor was launched on January 25, 1957, 13 months from the time the missile was approved on the drawing boards and the production order issued. This test gave little indication of the ultimate success of the programme; the missile rose six inches, then exploded. Three more tests were attempted in April, May and August of 1957 and they were unsuccessful in varying degrees. In defence of these early failures, it is significant that the initial tests were not intended to demonstrate the effective- ness of the final weapon but to verify the original scientific and engineering assumptions around which the operational vehicle would be built. Engine performance, control system operation and range capability had to be studied. The early tests, though unsuccessful in attaining full programmed flight, contributed substantially to knowledge in diese areas. Certain modifications resulting from experience gained during the initial efforts were responsible for the first successful firings. An improved XSM-75, without guidance system, rose from its launch pad on September 20, 1957, and flew the programmed distance for that test. The following month the range was increased to 2,850 miles in another successful test in which the missile was intentionally fired for maximum airframe stress, acceleration forces and distance. Some items of equipment were removed to lighten this particular missile. The first Thor with guidance was launched in December 1957. The missile flew its prescribed course and impact in the Atlantic was very close to target. Nosecone separation tests began in February 1958. In June a nosecone data capsule was recovered after a flight of more than 1,300 miles. One other data capsule also was recovered for analysis after a flight of more than 1,100 miles. The first successful Thor-Able was launched on July 9, 1958 (a previous attempt had failed). The purpose was to test re-entry of an advanced nosecone into the atmosphere at ICBM range. The missile travelled 6,000 miles and the re-entry was successfully achieved, as determined by telemetry data. The third of the Able tests was conducted successfully later in July, again with nosecone separation and re-entry. By August 1958 successful firings set the state for the Air Force's space probes, with Thor providing the first stage, or booster, for these historic experiments. In the first, attempted on August 17, 1958, the missile exploded after 77 seconds. In the second space shot on October 11, Thor projected the Pioneer I instrumented package higher than any other man-made object at that time—more than 70,000 miles above the earth's surface. In the third space probe on November 7, the booster performed as programmed but the third stage did not ignite. On December 16, a Thor was fired for the first time from Vandenberg A.F.B., Cal, the Air Force's first operational ballistic missile base. The test was successful. A few minutes later on the same day another Thor was launched at the Atlantic Missile Range on an equally successful flight. Tests continued into 1959, with the first of the Thor-Able II firings by the Missile Test Center on January 22. On this flight the Thor booster operated normally but the second stage failed to ignite. The latest firings have been outlined in recent issues. We recently had the opportunity of inspecting Thor production in the Santa Monica plant. Main impressions following this tour were the simplicity of the production line, coupled with the comprehensiveness of the system as a whole. While elaborate facilities and techniques were not required in the construction of the airframe (conventional aircraft-type construction is used in the guidance and centre sections), the complex ground-support trailers form an equally important pan of the system. The aircraft manufacturer therefore handles these trailers in his plant as well as the "birds" themselves. The Long Beach and El Segundo plants of the Douglas company (in addition to a multitude of sub-con- tractors) are also involved in producing the Thor system, with final assembly of the missile and check-out of trailers carried out at Santa Monica. As well as these West Coast production facilities, a static test- firing site at Sacramento, Cal, is operated by Douglas. This faci- lity was financed by the company and the U.S.A-F. at a cost of $7m. One hundred captive firings of the missile had been made at the time of our visit, we were told, in addition to the 39 live firings (this total is now 41), many of which had been instrumented. Another aspect of Thor operation in which the Douglas com- pany is directly concerned is the technical training of crews. An instructional school was set up at the company's plant at Tucson, Arizona, in March 1958, and provides training under contract to U.S.A.F. Air Training Command. Here, Thor students receive training in individual skills before continuing to Vandenberg A.F.B. (where they join guidance and propulsion specialists similarly trained at AC Spark Plug, Milwaukee, and Rocketdyne, Santa Susana, respectively) for final training as squadron crews. Fifteen separate courses are provided at Tucson, ranging from two to ten weeks' duration, and approxi- mately eight weeks are spent at Vandenberg. The majority of Thor
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