English: A rare example of a sectioned alloy-bodied operational WE.177A round originally used for instructional purposes, located in the
Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at
Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury Wiltshire, UK. This item is loaned to the museum by Hunting Engineering Ltd. Unlike the steel-bodied ground-training rounds found in many museums, this example is fully representative of war stock operational rounds except for the boosted fission warhead (including its fissile material and high-explosive). It is one of only two known examples, and accessible to the general public. The only other example being inside the security perimeter at the
AWE Historical Collection at Aldermaston, Berkshire, UK, and not accessible except by invitation.
The first cutout shows the radar aerials and fuzes for when the weapon is used in an airburst detonation mode. The second cutout shows one of four ground impact fuzes and the front external face of the pressurized warhead compartment designed to withstand ground impact shocks. The third cutout shows the empty inside of the fission warhead compartment and the (brown coloured) front face of the Arming and Firing Unit. The fourth and central cutout shows the Arming and Firing Unit and (painted yellow) the rear pressure bulkhead. Behind that is at top the snatch plugs terminal box and behind the red warning triangle, the velocity sensors. The closed panel covers the Ground Control Unit Panel. The red edgings to the tail fins are clip-on plastic protectors removed before flight.
In the centre background is a Gloster Meteor Mk.D16/U16. A complete aircraft used at RAF Llanbedr as a drone chase aircraft. At top left is a Jindivik pilotless target drone.
Image uploaded by me User:George.Hutchinson from a photograph taken by and supplied by Brian Burnell.
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