Waste Not – The Use Of Ex-RAF Thor Vehicles
£5.00
G. R. Richards. (1997), JBIS, 50, pp.189-200
Refcode: 1997.50.189
Abstract:
For a brief period around 1960 a score of grassy fields in the east of England, places such as Ludford Magna, Shepherds Grove and Full Sutton were the front line in the Cold War. These were the launch sites for nuclear-armed Thor strategic missiles, jointly controlled by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF). However, these sites would only have had a few minutes warning of an enemy attack and were thus extremely vulnerable. When less vulnerable longer range weapons, the Alias and Titan, were deployed the Thor squadrons were de-activated, leaving sixty large missiles with no mission. The USAF therefore shipped the Thors back to the USA for refurbishment and used them for a variety of purposes including satellite launches. Many of these missions were classified and not announced at the time.
