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Special Weapons Department

26 Dec 2019 09:35 - 26 Dec 2019 13:04 #1 by Jeff Hawley
Special Weapons Department was created by Jeff Hawley
The charity was recently donated a large wooden frame with several 8x10 photos in it. The frame is labeled "Special Weapons Department 1977". very little is known about the department or persons that worked for it. There are photos that appears to have been taken at Holloman AFB High Speed Track and Royal Navy rocket launches.

Anyone have any further information about the department and what they did at Holloman or if there are any museums that cover the work of the Special Weapons Department?
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27 Dec 2019 05:46 - 27 Dec 2019 05:56 #2 by TerryClark
Replied by TerryClark on topic Special Weapons Department
There was a 'Special Weapons Department' at RAE Farnborough in '77; it was located away from the main north side laboratory site on the south side of the airfield west of runway 18/36 near 'H' Shed and the rocket sled track and had its own 'extra' security gates to a compound surrounded by a corrugated iron fence about 12 ft high.
They obviously didn't want outsiders to see what they did (it was close to the RAE site boundary outside which was the Army golf course which members of the public can access); I haven't a clue what went on in there and it wasn't the sort of thing you asked about!
I did know a guy who worked in there but he never spoke about what he did; I met him when I joined SIGAP, the 'Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena'
The site is now earmarked and has planning permission for a new aircraft maintenance area.
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27 Dec 2019 10:06 #3 by GTrider
Replied by GTrider on topic Special Weapons Department
Could it to do with Polaris-Chevaline SLBM? The date sounds about right
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28 Dec 2019 20:05 - 28 Dec 2019 20:06 #4 by Jeff Hawley
Replied by Jeff Hawley on topic Special Weapons Department

There was a 'Special Weapons Department' at RAE Farnborough in '77; it was located away from the main north side laboratory site on the south side of the airfield west of runway 18/36 near 'H' Shed and the rocket sled track and had its own 'extra' security gates to a compound surrounded by a corrugated iron fence about 12 ft high.
They obviously didn't want outsiders to see what they did (it was close to the RAE site boundary outside which was the Army golf course which members of the public can access); I haven't a clue what went on in there and it wasn't the sort of thing you asked about!
I did know a guy who worked in there but he never spoke about what he did; I met him when I joined SIGAP, the 'Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena'
The site is now earmarked and has planning permission for a new aircraft maintenance area.


I agree it looks like they were based at RAE Farnborough and Hunting Engineering, based in Ampthill were working with them at the time. Can you let me know where you found the planning permission.
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Airfield Research Group Ltd

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28 Dec 2019 20:39 #5 by Jeff Hawley
Replied by Jeff Hawley on topic Special Weapons Department
Roy Dommett CBE,United Kingdom's Chief Missile Scientist , is in the front row sixth from the end.

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29 Dec 2019 02:41 - 29 Dec 2019 02:41 #6 by TerryClark
Replied by TerryClark on topic Special Weapons Department

I agree it looks like they were based at RAE Farnborough and Hunting Engineering, based in Ampthill were working with them at the time. Can you let me know where you found the planning permission.

www.farnborough.proboards.com/thread/208...hanger-plans-twitter

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29 Dec 2019 10:12 #7 by TerryClark
Replied by TerryClark on topic Special Weapons Department
As far as I recall, Special Weapons Department remained in 'T' Area until Cody Site on the north west side of the airfield was opened in the early '90s and is now part of either Qinetiq or DSTL.

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