Knowledge (XXG)

Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment

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RAF Bomber Command; the Blind Approach Training and Development Unit was formed there that September. However aircraft operating facilities at the time were a grass field, a small area of hardstanding, five pre-1930s hangars and a single new one, and some other permanent structures. Wartime construction was temporary and underfunded; a concrete runway – considered essential to operate the larger aircraft under test – was not completed until early 1945.
850: 181:. In terms of amenities, the establishment was equipped with some impressive test facilities such as a wind tunnel (supporting speeds up to 400 mph (640 km/h)), a large environmental hangar (creating temperatures between −40 °C to +50 °C and humidities up to 100%) and a weighbridge that can weigh and determine the centre of gravity of aircraft up to 135 tons. 126:
During the course of the war the A&AEE had to expand its facilities as it took on other roles. Its work including testing armaments, performance and acceptance trials for all new service aircraft and testing of "rogue" handling aircraft. It also developed improvements in aircraft equipment such
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About fifty aircraft and the military and civilian personnel had arrived at Boscombe down by mid-September 1939. The Establishment was declared "open" on 20 September though it lacked access to ranges to test weapons. The site had been established as a regional control centre ("Flying Control") for
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The A&AEE has witnessed many significant developments in the British aviation industry, including trials of many aircraft flown by the British armed forces since the Second World War, such as the first flights of the English Electric P 1, forerunner of the
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Three pre-war flights plus another raised during the war. Reorganised as A to D squadrons in 1944.
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In 1946, in common with most other military research establishments, the A&AEE came under the
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Three flights. Reorganised as flights in squadrons A and B and a Special Duties flight in 1944.
738: 538: 208:(Dstl) which remains within the civil service, and the rest going to form part of the company 112: 42: 712: 682: 557: 423: 116: 108: 46: 702: 476: 361: 101: 717: 39: 868: 618: 354: 339: 325: 50: 608: 334: 837: 743: 613: 93: 603: 492: 228:. The establishment also hosted attached units and for a period (1943–45) the 78: 85:
was officially opened, as an experimental airfield. The unit was renamed the
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as demisting equipment for windshields and exhaust flame suppression.
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the site continued to be used and was, once again, renamed as the
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During January 1988, A & B Squadrons joined to create the
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in 1967, Ministry of Aviation Supply in 1970, and then to the
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The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939–1945
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for testing aircraft and armaments, and a small number of
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Military research establishments of the United Kingdom
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to which the staff at Boscombe Down were transferred.
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Military units and formations disestablished in 1992
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which had three flights, D Squadron was renamed the
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Responsibility for the site passed from the 186:Aircraft and Armament Evaluation Establishment 565: 220:The A&AEE's wartime organisation was two 164:of the A&AEE at RAF Boscombe Down in 1990 8: 27:British military aviation research facility 593: 572: 558: 550: 136:Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment 77:, Wiltshire to a site on the heathland at 374:Telecommunications Research Establishment 206:Defence Science and Technology Laboratory 200:(DTEO) in 1993, and subsequently to the 198:Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation 415: 357:– he had been a pre-war A&AEE pilot 184:In 1992, the A&AEE was renamed the 768:Defence Evaluation and Research Agency 202:Defence Evaluation and Research Agency 507: 49:, Suffolk, the unit moved in 1939 to 7: 188:when experimental work moved to the 275:BATDU/WIDU/109 Squadron (1939–1942) 81:, Suffolk, and on 16 January 1917 45:from 1918 to 1992. Established at 25: 399:Boscombe Down Aviation Collection 269:Intensive Flying Development Unit 905:Research institutes in Wiltshire 849: 848: 177:. The site was shared with the 498:. Retrieved: November 28, 2015. 900:Research institutes in Suffolk 38:) was a research facility for 1: 895:Military history of Wiltshire 527:Royal Air Force Yearbook 1989 394:Central Fighter Establishment 389:Seaplane Experimental Station 235:Performance Testing Squadron 379:Royal Aircraft Establishment 87:Aeroplane Experimental Unit, 67:Experimental Aircraft Flight 890:Military history of Suffolk 496:An Apprentice's Perspective 179:School of Aviation Medicine 921: 243:Armament Testing Squadron 134:. In 1950 it absorbed the 846: 657:Defence Technology Centre 384:Royal Radar Establishment 314:Rotary Wing Test Squadron 230:Empire Test Pilots School 194:MoD Procurement Executive 83:Martlesham Heath Airfield 310:Fixed Wing Test Squadron 773:Defence Research Agency 304:Bomber Development Unit 256:C (Special Duty Flight) 190:Defence Research Agency 107:At the outbreak of the 444:. 2007. Archived from 165: 144:Ministry of Technology 158:De Havilland Comet 4C 156: 73:was transferred from 71:Central Flying School 294:No. 249 Squadron RAF 279:Lodger and attached 266:High Altitude Flight 140:Ministry of Aviation 688:Foster-Miller TALON 491:Callaghan, Victor. 320:Commanding officers 289:No. 56 Squadron RAF 284:No. 58 Squadron RAF 272:Gun Proofing Flight 148:Ministry of Defence 92:. After the end of 732:Places and vessels 525:March, P. (1989). 253:B (Bombing) Flight 250:A (Gunnery) Flight 166: 132:Ministry of Supply 90:Royal Flying Corps 862: 861: 739:MoD Boscombe Down 648:Shareholdings and 643: 642: 543:978-1-9021-0914-5 480:National Archives 467:Mason 2010, p. 7. 458:Mason 2010, p. 6. 349:D D'Arcy A. Greig 113:RAF Boscombe Down 43:military aviation 16:(Redirected from 912: 852: 851: 816: 809: 802: 795: 788: 781: 713:QinetiQ Mercator 594: 574: 567: 560: 551: 530: 511: 505: 499: 493:"Boscombe Down." 489: 483: 474: 468: 465: 459: 456: 450: 449: 434: 428: 427: 420: 298:Handling Flight 117:No. 23 Group RAF 109:Second World War 47:Martlesham Heath 21: 920: 919: 915: 914: 913: 911: 910: 909: 865: 864: 863: 858: 842: 821: 812: 805: 798: 791: 784: 777: 756: 727: 703:QinetiQ Banshee 671: 649: 639: 623: 589: 583: 578: 548: 524: 520: 515: 514: 506: 502: 490: 486: 475: 471: 466: 462: 457: 453: 436: 435: 431: 422: 421: 417: 412: 407: 370: 322: 218: 102:Royal Air Force 63: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 918: 916: 908: 907: 902: 897: 892: 887: 882: 877: 867: 866: 860: 859: 847: 844: 843: 841: 840: 835: 829: 827: 823: 822: 820: 819: 818: 817: 810: 803: 796: 789: 782: 770: 764: 762: 758: 757: 755: 754: 746: 741: 735: 733: 729: 728: 726: 725: 720: 718:QinetiQ Zephyr 715: 710: 705: 700: 695: 690: 685: 679: 677: 673: 672: 670: 669: 664: 659: 653: 651: 645: 644: 641: 640: 638: 637: 631: 629: 625: 624: 622: 621: 616: 611: 606: 600: 598: 591: 585: 584: 579: 577: 576: 569: 562: 554: 547: 546: 531: 521: 519: 516: 513: 512: 500: 484: 469: 460: 451: 438:"Site History" 429: 414: 413: 411: 408: 406: 403: 402: 401: 396: 391: 386: 381: 376: 369: 366: 365: 364: 360:Air Commodore 358: 353:Air Commodore 351: 347:Air Commodore 345: 337: 333:Group Captain 331: 321: 318: 306: 305: 302: 296: 291: 286: 277: 276: 273: 270: 267: 260: 259: 258: 257: 254: 251: 241: 240: 217: 214: 160:test aircraft 62: 59: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 917: 906: 903: 901: 898: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886: 883: 881: 878: 876: 873: 872: 870: 857: 856: 845: 839: 836: 834: 833:John Chisholm 831: 830: 828: 824: 815: 811: 808: 804: 801: 797: 794: 790: 787: 783: 780: 776: 775: 774: 771: 769: 766: 765: 763: 759: 753: 752: 747: 745: 742: 740: 737: 736: 734: 730: 724: 721: 719: 716: 714: 711: 709: 706: 704: 701: 699: 696: 694: 691: 689: 686: 684: 681: 680: 678: 674: 668: 665: 663: 660: 658: 655: 654: 652: 646: 636: 633: 632: 630: 626: 620: 619:Foster-Miller 617: 615: 612: 610: 607: 605: 602: 601: 599: 595: 592: 588:Divisions and 586: 582: 575: 570: 568: 563: 561: 556: 555: 552: 544: 540: 536: 532: 528: 523: 522: 517: 510:, p. 87. 509: 504: 501: 497: 494: 488: 485: 481: 478: 473: 470: 464: 461: 455: 452: 447: 443: 439: 433: 430: 425: 419: 416: 409: 404: 400: 397: 395: 392: 390: 387: 385: 382: 380: 377: 375: 372: 371: 367: 363: 359: 356: 352: 350: 346: 344: 341: 340:Air Commodore 338: 336: 332: 330: 327: 326:Group Captain 324: 323: 319: 317: 315: 311: 303: 301: 297: 295: 292: 290: 287: 285: 282: 281: 280: 274: 271: 268: 265: 264: 263: 255: 252: 249: 248: 246: 245: 244: 238: 237: 236: 233: 231: 227: 223: 215: 213: 211: 207: 203: 199: 195: 191: 187: 182: 180: 176: 172: 163: 159: 155: 151: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 128: 124: 120: 118: 114: 110: 105: 103: 99: 95: 91: 88: 84: 80: 76: 72: 68: 65:In 1917, the 60: 58: 56: 52: 51:Boscombe Down 48: 44: 41: 37: 33: 19: 853: 785: 761:Predecessors 750: 650:partnerships 609:Boldon James 590:subsidiaries 534: 533:Mason, Tim. 526: 518:Bibliography 503: 495: 487: 479: 472: 463: 454: 446:the original 441: 432: 418: 355:J N Boothman 329:B McEntegart 313: 309: 307: 278: 261: 242: 234: 219: 216:Organisation 185: 183: 167: 161: 129: 125: 121: 106: 97: 86: 66: 64: 35: 31: 29: 838:Graham Love 744:RAE Bedford 614:Cyveillance 343:R B Mansell 142:, then the 94:World War I 869:Categories 604:Automatika 508:March 1989 405:References 362:H P Fraser 335:R S Sorley 173:, and the 79:Martlesham 786:A&AEE 698:QinetiQ 1 662:Metrix UK 222:squadrons 175:BAC TSR.2 171:Lightning 150:in 1971. 57:company. 36:A&AEE 18:A&AEE 855:Category 683:Cerberus 676:Products 368:See also 667:PSivida 635:Omni-ID 597:Current 581:QinetiQ 262:Others 226:flights 210:QinetiQ 196:to the 162:Canopus 100:of the 69:of the 61:History 55:Qinetiq 40:British 826:People 751:Triton 723:TopSat 628:Former 541:  75:Upavon 807:RARDE 708:Q-Net 693:PyTEC 410:Notes 814:RSRE 793:MVEE 539:ISBN 30:The 800:RAE 779:ARE 749:RV 300:CFS 871:: 440:. 316:. 232:. 119:. 104:. 573:e 566:t 559:v 545:. 426:. 34:( 20:)

Index

A&AEE
British
military aviation
Martlesham Heath
Boscombe Down
Qinetiq
Central Flying School
Upavon
Martlesham
Martlesham Heath Airfield
Royal Flying Corps
World War I
Royal Air Force
Second World War
RAF Boscombe Down
No. 23 Group RAF
Ministry of Supply
Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment
Ministry of Aviation
Ministry of Technology
Ministry of Defence

De Havilland Comet 4C
Lightning
BAC TSR.2
School of Aviation Medicine
Defence Research Agency
MoD Procurement Executive
Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

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