R.A.E. – Vickers Transonic Research Rocket

Vickers Armstrong Limited
Company type	Private company
Industry	Aerospace, Defence
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Experimental aircraft, research rockets

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article R.A.E. – Vickers Transonic Research Rocket, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 2025

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The R.A.E. Vickers Transonic Research Rocket originated as a derivative of the Miles M.52, a British supersonic experimental aircraft project conducted covertly between 1942 and 1945 under the Ministry of Supply specification E.24/43. Ultimately, the programme was terminated after government officials concluded that, based on accumulating data, the E.24/43 aircraft was unlikely to achieve supersonic velocity. Wind tunnel evaluations suggested significant longitudinal instability near transonic speeds, a problem typical of contemporary aircraft designs at the time. Consequently, authorities opted to gain initial flight data within transonic regimes by employing pilotless rocket-powered scale models. To facilitate this, the Ministry of Supply established the Guided Projectile Establishment led by W. P. Cooke at Westcott, Buckinghamshire, alongside the Rocket Propulsion Group under A. D. Baxter at RAE Farnborough. Efforts began to incorporate German technological advancements, with oversight of commercial applications managed by the Halstead Experimental Centre.

Development

In 1945, Vickers Armstrong Limited received a contract to design and manufacture several experimental test vehicles. However, early in 1946, the E.24/43 project was discontinued due to concerns over ensuring pilot safety during high-speed emergency ejections. As understanding of sonic flight complexities deepened, challenges appeared to multiply rather than diminish. Given these factors, plans for an enhanced E.24/43 variant were abandoned in favour of unmanned models. These initial prototypes were scaled to approximately three-tenths of the original Miles M.52 design. Operational requirements related to aerodynamic drag and structural stresses dictated that testing occur within the stratosphere; accordingly, these models were transported to altitude by a carrier aircraft, specifically a De Havilland Mosquito.

Powerplant

The propulsion system was intended to utilize a hydrogen peroxide 'hot' motor delivering 362 kg (800 lbs.) of thrust, developed at Westcott and influenced by the Walter RI 2031209 ATO unit. This engine served as the foundation for the Beta and later Gamma MOS-type engines. In October 1948, the Vickers Transonic model achieved a level flight speed of 930 mph at an altitude of 35,000 ft.

Design

The prototype tested was a 3/10-scale replica of the Miles E.24/43 configuration, with the exception that it lacked the distinctive annular air intake present on the full-size aircraft. To preserve the center of gravity (c.g.), a substantial balance weight—nearly one-tenth of the total takeoff weight—was installed in the forward nose section. Maintaining a stable c.g. throughout fuel consumption imposed further constraints on the design. This was managed by positioning a small tank containing one-third of the total oxidant ahead of the wing, alongside the fuel stored in the contoured nose tank, while situating the main oxidant tank behind the wing. Major components were distributed both before and after the wing. The area surrounding the wing’s center section housed air, fuel, oxidant, and warm-air conduits, along with telemetry transmitters, instrumentation, batteries, autopilot systems, timing devices, wiring terminal fuses, and attachment points for suspension from the carrier aircraft. The aft section accommodated the combustion chamber, radar transponder, smoke fluid reservoir, instruments and oscillators monitoring combustion chamber pressure and tailplane angle, servos, and dive control mechanisms for the tailplane—which together with a fixed directional fin was mounted beneath the rear fuselage. The single-piece wing was crafted from mahogany with Duralumin leading and trailing edge reinforcements; it featured a biconvex airfoil and tapered planform with an unswept half-chord line. The Duralumin inserts also functioned as dipole antennas for telemetry transmission. A comparable antenna setup on the tailplane supported radar transponder operations.

Operational history

A1: During its final pre-live-firing check flight, the carrier aircraft entered turbulent weather at 22,000 ft. Upon returning to stable conditions near 8,000 ft altitude, it was discovered that test vehicle A1—equipped with all prototype instruments and systems—had detached from the aircraft and vanished beneath the Bristol Channel waters.
Chronological List of Test Vehicles
Reference Type Details
A1 Complete Lost in cloud during initial flight trials—30 May 1947
A2 Complete First release attempt—rocket motor failed to ignite—8 October 1947
A9 Fuselage Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 35,000 ft on 29 February 1948; motor fired
A8 Fuselage Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 35,000 ft on 29 February 1948; motor did not fire
A12 Fuselage Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 25,000 ft on 5 March 1948; motor fired
All Fuselage Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 25,000 ft on 7 June 1948; motor fired
A10 Fuselage Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 35,000 ft on 9 June 1948; tail section explosion occurred
A3 Complete Rocket motor ignition tests; released from 35,000 ft on 9 October 1948; successful firing

Specifications

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References

Notes

Bibliography

Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00127-3.
Brown, Eric. "Miles M.52: The Supersonic Dream." Air Enthusiast Thirteen, August–November 1980. Template:ISSN.

External links