Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Normal
I am replying to your post in the other thread here to try and maintain some sort of delineation between programmes.The first incarnation of this system was based on the RAF's proposed Stage II air defence system, the Royal Navy unofficially called it Red Flannel. Specifically, a long range active (or passive) radar homing missile with mid-course guidance. This is the system that was included in the designs GW.59 (probable based on it having eight single launchers, Type 985 and no illuminators) and GW.61-63 (note the 'R.F.' next to their missile counts). This took me a little while to figure out because whoever filled out the GW design list table in the Guided Weapons Ship's cover for those designs put the radar details in the wrong boxes, probably because being an active radar homing missile Red Flannel didn't need illuminators so they just put the surveillance radar details in the illuminator box instead and left the radar box empty. The only mystery left around this series is "Trackwell", presumably this is a name for a Type 985 (Type 984 successor) studied by ASRE in 1955.You are right in saying that ADM 220/2179 uses the RAF's Stage 1 3/4 missiles (Blue Envoy) and that GW.70-80 were designed for this system. As the Naval staff had determined to use the RAF weapon they had to follow them when they abandoned Stage 2 for Stage 1 3/4. The beacon was a proposed mid-course guidance system, it seems to have been the favourite but two other approaches were under evaluation and no decision had been made when Blue Envoy was cancelled.I would add, this is why very little work was done to improve Sea Slug until approximately 1958, it had been assumed since late 1954 that it would be quickly replaced in production by a new and far more capable long range system.
I am replying to your post in the other thread here to try and maintain some sort of delineation between programmes.
The first incarnation of this system was based on the RAF's proposed Stage II air defence system, the Royal Navy unofficially called it Red Flannel. Specifically, a long range active (or passive) radar homing missile with mid-course guidance. This is the system that was included in the designs GW.59 (probable based on it having eight single launchers, Type 985 and no illuminators) and GW.61-63 (note the 'R.F.' next to their missile counts). This took me a little while to figure out because whoever filled out the GW design list table in the Guided Weapons Ship's cover for those designs put the radar details in the wrong boxes, probably because being an active radar homing missile Red Flannel didn't need illuminators so they just put the surveillance radar details in the illuminator box instead and left the radar box empty. The only mystery left around this series is "Trackwell", presumably this is a name for a Type 985 (Type 984 successor) studied by ASRE in 1955.
You are right in saying that ADM 220/2179 uses the RAF's Stage 1 3/4 missiles (Blue Envoy) and that GW.70-80 were designed for this system. As the Naval staff had determined to use the RAF weapon they had to follow them when they abandoned Stage 2 for Stage 1 3/4. The beacon was a proposed mid-course guidance system, it seems to have been the favourite but two other approaches were under evaluation and no decision had been made when Blue Envoy was cancelled.
I would add, this is why very little work was done to improve Sea Slug until approximately 1958, it had been assumed since late 1954 that it would be quickly replaced in production by a new and far more capable long range system.
