Vickers Valiant XD818

Gonzo

I was working at Marham as an aircraft mechanic during the 70s. At that time there was a comonly held belief that the Valiant parked outside the OPs building was not the actual XD818 airframe and that it had been painted as such after installation on the static stand. At this time there were a good number of ex Valiant guys serving on the Victor Sqns. and I remember this as something repeated on more than a number of occasions. Interesting as there is reference from the "Marham Memories" site by Roy Lavis stating that in 1968 XD825 was parked outside the OPs building. Has anyone else heard this story? This is the aircraft now parked in the Cosford museum.

IanWoodcock

Gonzo,noted "XD818" preserved at Marham in 1974,my database shows XD825 as having been scrapped at Wisley in September 1965.

"XD818" being later noted at Hendon and then into Cosford........interested to hear from anyone who has further info on XD825.

Ian.

Gonzo

It would be interesting to see if there is anybody about with more info. My only involvement with this aircraft was in the mid 70s as one of a bunch of erks carrying out a wash. A new CO had arrived who had previously flown the jet, it was looking rather shabby at that time and he wanted it cleaned up before the next AOCs inspection. I remember a hot summy day as we were soaking each other getting more water on us than the jet, the question of possible radioativity from the "A" tests can up. Later that afternoon back in the crewroom we were discussing this when a number of the old sweats assured us that the aircraft was not the actual 818. the story was that it had been repainted to give the displayed jet a better story. While we were carrying out the wash the aircraft was opened up and I remember looking at the 700 which was in the cockpit, I remember looking through it and seeing the flight log page with the last flight details but for some reason at the time I didn't take note of the F700 aircraft reg.

IanWoodcock

A little more info on XD818 and 825 © "Papa Lima".........towards the bottom of the details below.

Two Washingtons, WW353 and WW354, came to Australia in 1952 on behalf of the British Ministry of Supply, to assist in various weapons and other trials at Woomera and other South Australian locations. The first arrived in September, and the second in December of 1952. The two aircraft were operated by the RAAF's Aircraft Research and Development Unit Trials Flight. Eventually they were placed into storage whilst the British and US governments considered their fates. They were finally broken up in 1957. Whatever their relationship to Project Totem, they did not actually drop the bombs, which were detonated from steel towers at Emu Plains. . .

In 1956 Britain resumed nuclear testing, at Trimouille and Alpha Islands, in the Monte Bello Islands off north-west Australia (at approximately 20º 30' S 115º 53' E, about 70 mls. north of Onslow, WA).

These were the Mosaic series, with the devices detonated from metal towers. During the tests, the R.A.A.F. contributed three 11 Sqn. Neptunes for security patrols, and a Canberra crew from 2 Sqn., as well as a number of C-47s. The second Mosaic test, on 19 June 1956, produced the highest yield of any nuclear test in Australia - 98 kt - breaking an assurance about yield limitations made to Australian Prime Minister Menzies.

Mosaic was followed, in September and October 1956, by the four tests in the Buffalo series, at Maralinga, South Australia. No R.A.A.F. aircraft were contributed, but a Canberra crew of 6 Sqn. R.A.A.F. was provided, to fly a R.A.F. aircraft. The Buffalo tests were of Red Beard or Blue Danube weapons, yielding up to 15 kt. Three were tower or ground bursts. Commonwealth military observers were allowed to watch the effects of blasts on military, electronic and medical equipment, including aircraft and a Centurion tank.

The third test, at 15 local time on 11 October, 1956, was Britain's first air drop burst. It was carried out using Vickers Valiant B.1 WZ366 of 49 Sqn. RAF. The weapon detonated at 150 m. Originally to have had a 40 kt core, fears about the results of a mishap led to it having a low yield core instead. Yield was 3 kt.

A test program known as Grapple was conducted at Malden and Christmas Islands, in the Pacific, to develop a hydrogen bomb, between May 1957 and September 1958. Nine air or balloon bursts were conducted in the series, with most yields in the megaton range.

The first test, on 15 May 1957, was of Britain's first "H-bomb", air-dropped by Valiant B.1 XD818 off Malden Island, again of 49 Sqn. RAF. The second and third, at Malden, were also airbursts, on 31 May and 19 June.

The remaining Grapple tests were at or near Christmas Island. On 8 November, a device was airdropped by 49 Sqn's Valiant B.1 XD824. It was followed, on 8 April 1958, by an air-drop by Valiant XD825. On 22 August came a balloon burst, followed by air drops by Valiant XD822 on 2 September, Valiant XD827 on 11 September, and a final balloon burst on 23 September.

The Grapple tests overlapped with the Antler series, carried out at Maralinga, South Australia. These were a miscellany of three tests, two from towers followed by one balloon burst, between 14 September and 9 October 1957.

A number of peripheral tests were also conducted at Maralinga and Emu. The Kitten series, from September 1953 to May 1961, involved the development of neutron initiators. Five tests took place at Emu and 94 on one of the Maralinga test areas. Whilst Antler represented the last major tests in Australia, the two Vixen series (June 1959-April 1961 and April 1961-April 1963) investigated the dispersal of radioactive material, and the effects of accidents on nuclear weapons. Australian support was extensive, including a Canberra crew to fly a R.A.F. aircraft.

After Antler, Britain ceased independent nuclear tests. Having proved itself able to develop its own nuclear weapons, Britain became a partner of the United States again, and shared in a number of tests at facilities in Nevada from 1962. Christmas Island was also lent to the U.S. for a series of tests in 1965. . . .

http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/vbomber.html

Gonzo

Now that is interesting that you should say that XD825 was also involved in the tests. In 1983 a guy was posted in to my section at Coltishall from 71 MU. (Crash and smash) He told me that his last job there was to move the Valiant from Marham to Hendon. He said that when he read the placard next to the jet about the tests he asked for a residual radiation check, funny old thing it was hot. I then told him the previous story about the suspected number change. He couldn't offer any explaination as to the real identity of the aircraft and I don't remember what the solution was with the radiation. Incidentily it was at the time accepted that all aircraft that had been operating at high altitude had a residual contamination due to the level in the upper atmosphere due to the tests across the 50s and 60s. The Victors were always washed before a hanger input by us erks. There were a number of Civvies employed at Marham as the aircraft wash team but the story goes that they were employed else where due to the residual fallout on the jets.

IanWoodcock

Gonzo....doubt we'll ever know for sure,all sources seem to point to XD818 being the frame currently at Cosford.....if a swap took place,i've never come across any details about it........but you never know.

Little bit more history can be found here...........

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/valiant/history.php

Gonzo

Not really important but it's a funny old thing with there being no info on the Constructor's Number....

I guess time will tell if anyone turns up with more info, thanks for the info on the tests....

Gonzo

Ian, further to the info on the tests. There are some very interesting photos from individuals involved in those tests ref. www.thevictorassociation.org.uk.

IanWoodcock

Gonzo,thanks for the link.....nice site with some great articles and photo's,many that i've never seem before.

Ian

Martyn

Gonzo my first posting out of RAF St. Athan was RAF Marham and to 49 Squadron, my last task for 49 Squadron was to be on the team that placed the display Valiant in a permanent site just between the western hangar and the officers' married quarters, we took days getting it right and was still at it when a plinth was installed with a plaque on the top of it giving all the details of the aircraft, we remarked at the time that the aircraft number was XD818 but the information on the plinth was about XD825. I was only an SAC and was told be be quite, a few months later I was posted to RAF Khormaksar, I have never been back to RAF Marham