RCATS and the Whirlygig

1
RCATS and the Whirlygig

• Flying around in circles
• A Power Point Presentation by Fred Butcher
  April 2006
• With assistance from Chris Lewis of Down to
  Earth Computing telephone [phone]

2
Stiffkey Ordnance Survey Map
3
Circular tarmac track
4
Central pylon with swinging arm
5
Site of No 11 Light AAPC, andStiffkey marsh.
6
Circular tamac track
7
Signboard to the east of the Whirlygig
8
Stiffkey range 1945
9
An aerial of Stiffkey range by Hunting Surveys,
1969
10
Locally, the circle has become known as The
Whirlygig and was used during WW11 to launch
Queen Bees as target practice aircraft!

• Even the local walkers map by Wilfred George says
  so!
• This is most unlikely as the Tiger Moth 82 is too
  large to take off in such a small circle
• However, Queen Bees had been launched from the AA
  PAC military camp at Weybourne and this
  picture, shown in the Muckleburgh History room
  confirms it
• Note the massive RN type catapult, turned into
  wind for take off.
• No 1 AACU RAF flew Queen Bees off and the RN then
  recovered them from the sea via HMS Radstock and
  took them to Blakeney Staithe.

11
Other Queen Bee use

• There seem to have been two periods of use of
  Queen Bees at Weybourne. The first from before
  the war when RN vessels standing off shore
  practice fired at them.

• And secondly, during the early 40s when it was
  expected that rockets would replace the
  conventional guns and shells used by AA Command.

• This project was terminated in 1942 when all RAF
  people were posted away .and the Queen Bees
  disposed of.

12
HMS Radstock, Queen Bee tender
13
Queen Bee in flight
14
But, talking to other people, it gradually
emerged that small target aircraft had indeed
been flown from The Whirlygig by the US Army
after WW!! for the practice firing of AA guns.

• Few claim to have actually seen them or could
  remember other details such as when, by whom, or
  how often. Most who did, have either moved on or
  passed on
• A mussel fisherman and his wife remembered, that
  as children they would hear the scream of the
  engines and, if possible, they would rush off to
  see what was happening.
• It was thought to be after WW11 (with 1952/4 as
  the most likely period) that the American
  soldiers involved were accommodated at RAF
  Langham.
• Much interest was centred on the items that could
  be obtained from the target aircraft at the end
  of flight!!
• Another contact said that the aircraft were known
  as RCATSand two pictures of them were displayed
  in the Muckleburgh history room.

15
Radio Controlled aerial Target
16
The result of an intensive Internet search
confirmed that the US Army used RCATS extensively
as a training aid for AA Gunners

• The aircraft used was a Radioplane 19, a
  monoplane with a wing span of almost 12ft., of
  metal/wood construction, weighing about 145kg,
  and capable of flying at more than 200mph.
• It was fitted with a 4 cyl. 2 stroke engine of
  about 72hp, a radio receiver and control system
  and basic flying controls.
• It had no undercarriage or wheels and therefore
  had to be catapult launched and returned to earth
  by parachute when the fuel was used up (or it was
  shot down)

17
An RCAT model RP 19 sitting on a take off
trolley with theanchor cable and the tether to
the central pylon in position.
18
The original method of launching RCATS was by
catapult (often with Jato rocket assistance) the
launcher being designed and made by Radioplane
and designated the A7
19
After WW11 a Rotary Launcher was developed by
Radioplane which became the standard launch
system for RCATs by the US Army.
20
Radioplane A2 Rotary Launcher

• To prepare to launch an aircraft it is placed on
  a launch trolley with large wheels and lined up
  on the circular track with the start position
  decided by the surface wind of the day.
• The fuel state, the parachute pack, the radio
  guidance system and the engine are all checked
  and the trolley connected to a tether attached to
  the central pylon with another attached to a
  ground anchor.
• When all is ready, the engine is started (it
  runs at full throttle only) and once the
  restraining tether is removed the aircraft
  accelerates around the track and is released to
  become airborne when flying speed is reached at
  about 85 mph literally flying around in
  circles!!
• A crew of ten including the pilot is usually
  employed and between 8 and 10
  RCATS can be flown on a good day

21
The Stiffkey Whirlygig1978 Ordnance Survey map
22
Radioplane 19 Launcher trolley and centre post
23
RCAT ready for flight
24
Radioplane 19 being prepared for launch by an
A2rotary launcher.
25
Descent by parachute
26
RCATS were recovered for reuse by a 32ft.
diameter parachute that lowered the aircraft down
to the land or sea when the fuel ran out or by
radio command.
27
A rare picture of a downed and drowned RCAT
recovered by a landing craft but not at
Stiffkey!
28
The engines were soon found to be too fast and
high revving for use in fishing boats!
29
A 1961 version of a Radioplane 19 is displayed at
the IWM Duxford. It is a day/night
reconnaissance version and one of the last model
19s made over 20 years
30
Wing Commander Ken Wallis of Little Nellie fame
visited The Whirlygig sometime in 1953 whilst
working at the Air Ministry in London and he saw
RCATS and the Launcher in action at Stiffkey!

• He remembers the raucous noise of the McCulloch
  engine as RCATS sped around the track.
• And was very surprised when they were suddenly
  released from the trolley and climbed away under
  radio control.
• One of his autogyros, which he still flies, is
  fitted with the same type of McCulloch engine

31
B29 gunnery practise!
32
Simulated air to air firing!
33
You have control, sir
34
From July 52 until October 58 RAF Langham was
operated asN0 2 CAACU by Marshalls of Cambridge
as well as providing accommodation for some US
Army units.

• US Army RCAT 50th Battery from 1951 to 1957
• US Army Skysweeper AA Gun Training Unit from53
  to 57
• US Army E/W Radar unit attached to 39th AAA Batt.
  Of the 32nd AAA Brigade
• By 1957 the Cold War was declared over, the
  Americans retreated to Germany and Langham,
  Stiffkey and Weybourne all closed down!!
• AA Guns were then being replaced by missiles!

35
Morston Road US troop accommodation site
36
After an immense amount of Internet searching,
contact was eventually established with a US
soldier who worked in a met section giving
weather info to the AA Gunners at Weybourne (and
was accommodated at Langham).

• BUT, the trouble is that he and his colleagues
  travelled each day to Weybourne Camp from Langham
  and not Stiffkey!! During eighteen months of
  service there he never went to Stiffkey nor heard
  any reference to the Whirlygig
• Richard Strisofsky confirms that RCATS were flown
  from Weybourne for AA gun practice and that they
  were launched from an A7 launcher using rocket
  propulsion.
• Other people in the Weybourne area have also
  confirmed that this was so and agree that the
  Stiffkey Whirlygig was only in use for a
  comparatively short period a maximum of 2 or 3
  years is the usual suggestion, covering 52 53
• But no one seems to know why the Rotary launcher
  at Stiffkey was abandoned
• The launching of RCATS from Weybourne continued
  until 57 when the camp started to close.
• An additional complication to these activities is
  that the British Army also used an RCAT lookalike
  known as the PTA (pilotless target aircraft),
  that was smaller and flew more slowly than the RP
  19s used by the US Army. Very little information
  is available about them

37
One reason for the short operational life of The
Whirlygig may be connected with the change over
from 40mm AA Guns to 75mm AA Guns by the US Amy
in late 53

• When the 32nd Brigade first arrived to provide AA
  Gun training they were using guns of 40mm calibre
  that fitted in with the WW11 use of Stiffkey No
  11 Light AAPC which specialised in the 40mm
  Bofors AA Gun
• When the 75mm Skysweeper gun was introduced
  during 53 - doubling the fire power per gun
  the firing range safety requirements would have
  been more suited to the No 5 Heavy AAPC at
  Weybourne.
• For example, there is a much larger area of
  marsh, sands and shallows seaward from Stiffkey
  than at Weybourne where the pebble beach is
  narrow and steeply shelving with deep water close
  inshore.

Bofors 40mm AA gun
Skysweeper 75mm gun
38
Weybourne Military camp No 11 Heavy AAPCNow
the home of the Muckleburgh Collection
39
Actual usage of the Stiffkey Whirlygig

• Apart from the one days sighting by Wing Ken
  Wallis and the comments in the Washington Times,
  nothing is known about day to day operations. Why
  was it built outside the boundary of The Armys
  Stiffkey range? Was it entirely USAF manned? And
  most importantly, why was it in use for such a
  short time (1953 until 1955)?
• However, there were many reasons for the USAF to
  make use of an AA gunnery practice site even if
  it was located alongside a British Army Practice
  Camp
• The Cold War was the reason for the presence of
  the USAF SC in Britain (eg, Bize Norton. Upper
  Heyford, Lakenheath, Sculthorpe,etc) all of which
  needed to maintain AA Guns at a high state of
  readiness.
• The USAF 32nd AAA Brigade housed at Bushy Park
  made much use of the established AA ranges at
  Stiffkey and Weybourne together with drogue
  towing
• from Langham, Horsham St Faith and other
  specialised units
• Even though it was after the war, the threat of
  another (ie the Cold war) caused a great deal of
  activity in the number of aircraft movements in
  the skies of North Norfolk so that confusion
  about who did this and who did that, is
  inevitable.

40
Organisational Structure of the 32nd AA
Brigadeas at December 1952
41
The Stiffkey Whirlygig A Summary

• We know The Whirlygig to be a Radioplane A2
  Rotary Launcher
• We know that it was constructed in 1952 .
• We know that it was a Cold War and not a WW11
  artefact
• We know that it was used for a period of time in
  1953 and 54 and was closed down in 1955.
• We assume it was used only by the US personnel
  but do not know if it was a part of the Stiffkey
  and/or Weybourne AA Practice Camp commands.
• We do not know why it was taken out of use
• We think the relic that is sufficiently unusual
  to warrant a notice board describing its purpose
• Any additional information would be welcomed,
  particularly by the Norfolk Archaeology
  Department

42
Interval?
43
A brief history of the Radioplane Company

• Radioplane was started by an Englishman Reginald
  Denny just before WW11 who went to the States to
  become a film actor. He was also a keen model
  aeroplane flyer and started a model aircraft
  business.
• He saw the opportunity to fly remote controlled
  small aeroplanes as targets for AA training and
  sold the idea to the US Army.
• His early aircraft (RP2 to RP7) took off and
  landed from an open space using a conventional
  undercarriage as well as by catapult.
• He contracted with Walter Righter to design and
  manufacture the engines( some of which were sub
  contracted in turn to others).
• He also contracted with John Case to make the
  radio control and guidance system.
• And following the death of Reginald Denny the
  Radioplane Company was absorbed into Northrop
  Grumman in 1962

44
Reginald Dennys Hollywood Model shopand Walter
Righters workshop
45
Reginald Denny, the founder of Radio plane with
engineer Walter Righter
46
Reginald Denny and his first RCAT, RP - 1
47
A pre war model RP4 ready for take off from a
catapult ramp
48
Three RP 4s taking off in formationduring the
US Army acceptance trials
49
Sidewinder twin vertical cylinder with extended
gearbox drives for contra rotating propellers
50
The RP 4 was replaced by the RP 5 during 1942
51
In the early 40s the opposed twin cylinder
engine was modified to have front mounted spur
gear driven contra rotating propellers.
52
Radioplane RP5s WW11 production
53
In 1943 the RP 7 replaced the RP 5 and became the
most used of WW11 RCATS
54
RP 8/OQ 14/TDD 3 an improved version of OQ 3/TDD 3
55
And then the definitive RP 19/ OQ19/ KD 2R series
56
Righters first model engine (the Denneymite) and
his first twin cylinder engine for the RP 1
57
And subsequently the same engine was redesigned
to drive a single propeller
58
And finally, the four cylinder horizontally
opposed engine for the Radioplane RP 19 series.
59
A whole row of McCullochs
60
From RCATS to UAVs by the thousands!!
61
Radioplanes star employee!!

• In June 1945 an Army photographic team under the
  command of Capt Reagan, visited the Radioplane
  factory to photograph women at war work.
• Norma Jeane was pictured fitting a propeller to
  an RP 8and the photographer took a great
  interest in her
• Her picture was soon circulating in nearby
  Hollywood (no doubt encouraged by Denny) and a
  screen test followed.
• The world subsequently came to know her as
  Marilyn Monroe!!

62

• Credits
• This talk describes events of more than fifty
  years ago and most of it has only been possible
  by the kindness of people answering many
  questions.
• Special help has also been given by the Curator
  and Archivist, Lynn Jensen and Joe Wollmer of the
  Western Museum of Flight, Hawthorn, California.
• An outstanding series of articles on Radioplane
  aircraft and Righter engines can be found at
  www.ctie.monash.edu.au./

63
The END