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Avro Blue Steel
Nuclear Stand Off Missile used by V bomber force based in Lincolnshire
Blue Steel at Scampton
Blue Steel had been overtaken by the rapid advance in Soviet missile technology and defence systems even before it entered service.
The project originated from a Ministry of Supply report of 1954 that predicted that by 1960 Soviet air defences would make it impossible for V bombers to attack with nuclear gravity bombs. Correct.
The conclusion was a rocket-powered, supersonic missile capable of carrying a large nuclear warhead with a range of at least 50 miles was required. This would keep the bombers out of range of Soviet ground based defences installed around the target area, allowing the missile to proceed to the target at high speed. Wrong.
This spec resulted in Blue Steel which had a range of about 100 miles which was by then totally inadequate as Soviet surface to air defences were by the late 1950s and early 1960s greatly enhanced and far more capable.
Be that as it may a great deal of time resources and money went into the development of what by the time it was operational was effectively useless.
Avro began work in 1955 with the assigned Rainbow Code name of Blue Steel with Elliots working on the guidance system and Armstrong Siddeley, which became Bristol Siddeley in 1960, developed the liquid fuel engine.
The design period was drawn out with various development problems exacerbated by the fact that designers lacked information on the actual size and weight of the proposed warhead Green Bamboo, or its likely thermonuclear successor. The large circumference of Blue Steel was determined by the 45 inches implosion sphere diameter of Green Bamboo. As it happens this was never fitted an a British version of the smaller W-28 thermonuclear warhead which was referred to as Red Snow
Avro proposed that Blue Steel would evolve over time subsequent versions increasing speed to Mach 4.5 and range. The ultimate Blue Steel would be a 900 miles range weapon that could be launched by the supersonic Avro 730 under development. The project was however delayed by the need to develop the required stainless steel fabrication techniques which would have been gained in building the Avro 730 but that had been cancelled by then. In addition the Elliots guidance system was plagued by accuracy problems which delayed test flights.
The Blue Steel was operational in 1963 and a longer range variant was considered. This would be extremely costly and take considerable time and resources to develop. The proposed GAM-87 Skybolt being developed by the USA was a much better option with a range of 1000 miles but this was cancelled in 1962.
Blue Steel was powered by a two-chamber 22,000lb thrust Bristol Siddeley Stentor rocket motor fuelled by kerosene fuel and high-test peroxide (HTP) oxidant.
From 1963 the V bomber force was then mainly reliant on Blue Steel which took 30 mins to fuel and prepare. This was a hazardous process. During tests the area around the missile had to be thoroughly dowsed with water before fuelling and troughs of water had to be ready for ground crew to jump into in case they were splashed by HTP.
The RAF estimated that only half the missiles would fire on operations and those that did not would have to be dropped like gravity bombs over the target if the bomber even got that far.
Another issue was the very small ground clearance when attached to the Handley Page Victor. The Vulcan had a much higher ground clearance and proved a better platform.
Even as it deployed Blue Steel the government decided that because of anti-aircraft missiles' increasing effectiveness, V bombers would have to convert from high-altitude to low-altitude attacks. These trials were conducted in 1964 and concluded in 1965. With no effective long-range weapon the original Blue Steel served on after a crash programme of minor modifications to permit a low-level launch at 1,000 ft (300 m), even though its usefulness in a hot war was likely limited.
The missile had to suffice in the absence of anything else until 1970 when the Royal Navy took over the UK nuclear deterrent role with nuclear powered Resolution class submarines and their Polaris missiles.
At that time the Blue Steel was withdrawn from service
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Blue Steel Brief Specs
Length:- 35 ft
Wingspan:-13 ft
Diameter:- 48 in minimum
Launch:-Weight: 7,270 lb
Rocket motor :- Two-chamber 22,000lb thrust Bristol Siddeley Stentor rocket motor fuelled by kerosene fuel and high-test peroxide (HTP) oxidant.
Speed:- Mach 2.3
Ceiling:-70,500 ft
Maximum Range :-150 mi
Guidance :-Elliott Inertial
CEP :-100 yards approx
Warhead:- Red Snow thermonuclear - 1.1 Mega ton
Number operational :- 54 live rounds.
Blue Steel Scampton on trailer
Avro Vulcan and Blue Steel Scampton
Compiled by David Fell. Photos IWM
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