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Red Beard (nuclear weapon)

A Red Beard weapon on its bomb trolley, fitted with a bomb carrier prior to loading into an English Electric Canberra bomber. The two fore and aft vertical plates shown with holes in them were baffles unique to the Canberra installation, designed to reduce airstream buffeting that could tear off the bomb doors. The baffles were made from 1 in (25 mm) thick marine plywood, drilled with numerous 1 in (25 mm) diameter holes. The tail fins of the bomb are retracted.

Red Beard was the first British tactical nuclear weapon.[1] It was carried by Royal Air Force (RAF) English Electric Canberra medium bombers[2] and the V bomber force[3] and by Supermarine Scimitars, de Havilland Sea Vixens, and Blackburn Buccaneers of the Royal Navy's (RN) Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Developed to Operational Requirement OR.1127,[3][4] it was introduced in 1961,[3] entered service in 1962.[3] It was replaced by the WE.177 in the early 1970s and was withdrawn from service in 1971.[3]

  1. ^ "Tactical atomic bomb (RED BEARD): operational requirement". National Archives. 1957. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Vulcans in Camera: Vulcan B2 XM611 at Darwin". AvroVulcan.org.uk. Andy Leitch. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Vulcans in Camera: Red Beard". AvroVulcan.org.uk. Andy Leitch. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  4. ^ Public Record Office, London. AIR 2/17322-e041-P01.

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