Lethality & Vulnerability

© The National Archives of the UK (TNA): AVIA 6/13498. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0

The subject of lethality and vulnerability, primarily relating to aircraft structures, is something which Orford Ness was heavily involved with since the foundation of the establishment in 1915.

Many of these trials were carried out, some of which are listed here. This list is by no means comprehensive.

  • Evaluation of Gaba bombs, June 1916. Gaba bombs were an improvised aerial bomb made from French mortar shells. The origin of the name is unclear, but could originate from Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli 1
  • An aerial weapon called the Hewson Umbrella Dart was evaluated in August, 1916. This weapon was probably intended to be dropped onto Zeppelins. 2
  • Giding “bouncing” bombs (September 1916). Refer to this article by IRGON researcher Dr. Roland Edwards.
  • “R.L.” shrapnel bombs were evaluated in August 1917, including air drops on a matrix of 6 foot square canvas frames
  • A bomb designed for the destruction of aeroplanes after a forced landing was tested in May 1917.
  • In May, 1936, preparations started to set up facilities on Orford Ness for testing of the 0.303” ammunition intended for the new generation of monoplane fighters. 4
  • During World War 2, various tests were made on captured enemy weapons and ammunition. One outstanding example was the testing carried out of the 1 kg German incendiary bomb, where a captured Ju. 88 was used complete with incendiaries packed into the original containers. 5
  • Vulnerability tests on engines, including running examples, has been evaluated on Orford Ness since the WWI era. At the very end of the Second World War, the first test against a running jet engine was carried out. This was a Rover-built Whittle W2B/23. 6
  • Tests of German weaponry continued into the post-war period, with lethality tests on the R4M air-to-air rocket being carried out in 1946 (refer to the article by IRGON researcher Steve Clifton) and firing trials with autocannon such as the 30mm Rheinmetall‑Borsig MK108 7
  • Also in 1950 a reduced pressure test rig was used on Orford Ness for vulnerability testing of aircraft transparencies, simulating the pressure difference when flying at altitude. 8
  • By 1953, the area of study had shifted to from conventional cannon shells to the type of warheads likely to be encountered in the first generations of guided weapons. High velocity fragments and bars were studied, leading to the need to produce special equipment to handle this, e.g. the Orfordness Bar Fragment Projector. 9

References

  1. Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C117674 retrieved 17th April 2025
  2. Report B/21, from AIR 1/1199 204 5 2605. The National Archives via Anne Mallaband.
  3. Report B/46A, ibid.
  4. RANGES (Code B, 62): Orfordness: provision of range, AIR 2/1797. The National Archives via Anne Mallaband.
  5. Report on 1 kg. German incendiary bomb trials at Orfordness. From DSIR 27/30, The National Archives via Anne Mallaband.
  6. Vulnerability of turbine engines: 1st running trial. O.R.S. Ref. F.T. 344, March 1945. AVIA6/13482. The National Archives via Steve Clifton
  7. RAE vulnerability and lethality working party, Pt I. AVIA 13/825, The National Archives via Anne Mallaband.
  8. Ibid
  9. RAE vulnerability and lethality working party Pt II. AVIA 13/826, The National Archives via Anne Mallaband.