Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment

Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment

The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992.

History

In 1917, the Experimental Aircraft Flight of the Central Flying School was transferred from Upavon, Wiltshire to a site on the heathland at Martlesham and, on 16 January 1917, Martlesham Heath Airfield was officially opened, as an experimental airfield. The unit was renamed the Aeroplane Experimental Unit, Royal Flying Corps. After the end of World War I the site continued to be used and was, once again, renamed as the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment of the Royal Air Force.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the A&AEE was removed to a site at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, owing to the proximity of Martlesham Heath to the East Coast and its vulnerability to enemy attack.

Then the airfield was known as "RAF Boscombe Down". [ [http://www.adastral.ucl.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=51 UCL Adastral Park Postgraduate Research Campus - Site History ] ]

The A&AEE has witnessed many significant developments in the British aviation industry, including trials of many aircraft flown by the British armed forces since the Second World War, such as the first flights of the English Electric P 1, forerunner of the Lightning, and the BAC TSR.2. The site was shared with the School of Aviation Medicine.

In 1992 the A&AEE was renamed the Aircraft and Armament Evaluation Establishment when experimental work moved to the Defence Research Agency. Responsibility for the site passed from the MoD Procurement Executive to the Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation (DTEO) in 1993, and subsequently to the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) in 1995. In 2001 DERA was split into two parts, one being the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) which remains part of the civil service and the other part going to form part of the company known as QinetiQ to which the staff at Boscombe Down now belong having lost their civil service status.

References

ee also

*Telecommunications Research Establishment
*Royal Radar Establishment
*Seaplane Experimental Station
*Central Fighter Establishment


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment — L Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A AEE) est un établissement militaire britannique de recherche aéronautique qui a fonctionné de 1918 à 1992. Historique En 1917 la section expérimentale de l Ecole Centrale de Pilotage… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment — The Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment was a British military research and test organisation. It was originally formed as the Marine Aircraft Experimental Station in October 1918 at RAF Isle of Grain, a former Royal Naval Air Service… …   Wikipedia

  • Supermarine Spitfire variants: specifications, performance and armament — Spitfire Role Fighter Manufacturer Supermarine Designer R. J. Mitchell First flight 5 March 1936 Introduction 1938 Retired 1955, RAF Primary user Royal Air Force …   Wikipedia

  • Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment — The Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE) was a British defence research unit on Chobham Lane, Chertsey in Surrey. It was responsible for many innovations in armoured vehicle design, including ceramic Chobham armour. History The… …   Wikipedia

  • Defence Evaluation and Research Agency — The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (normally known as DERA) was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) until July 2, 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom s largest science and technology organisation. DERA was split into two… …   Wikipedia

  • Reid and Sigrist R.S.3 — infobox Aircraft name = R.S.3 Desford/R.S.4 Bobsleigh type = Trainer manufacturer = Reid and Sigrist caption = Reid and Sigrist R.S.3 c. 1945 designer = W/Cdr George Lowdell first flight = 9 July 1945 introduced = 1945 introduction= retired =… …   Wikipedia

  • Seaplane Experimental Station — The Seaplane Experimental Station at Royal Naval Air Station Felixstowe was a British aircraft design unit of the early part of the 20th Century.CreationThe unit at RNAS Felixstowe was created soon after the outbreak of World War I, under the… …   Wikipedia

  • Defence Research Agency — Agency overview Formed 1 April 1991 Preceding agencies Admiralty Research Establishment Royal Aircraft Establishment Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment Royal Signals and Radar… …   Wikipedia

  • MoD Boscombe Down — IATA: none – ICAO: EGDM Summary Airport type Military Owner Ministry of Defence Operator …   Wikipedia

  • Hawker Hurricane — Hurricane Hurricane Mk I (R4118), which fought in the Battle of Britain Role Fighter …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”