Orange Putter
Jon W
No not a golfing question. During the 1950/60s the RAF gave codenames
involving colours to various bits of avionics.
Set out below are the one's I know anybody fill in the gaps?
Name Aircraft/s Purpose
Green Cheese Buccaneer anti ship homing bomb
Green Satin Canberra Doppler navigation radar
Green Palm V-bombers VHF freq jammer
Green Silk Canberra Updated Green Satin
Orange Putter Canberra Tail warning radar
Orange Harvest Shackelton Radar warning receiver
Blue Parrot Buccaneer Radar
Blue Danube V bombers Nuclear bomb
Blue Steel V bombers Stand-off nuclear missile
Blue Shadow Canberra SLAR radar
Blue Saga Vulcan ?
Blue Diver Vulcan ?
Red Garter V-bombers Tail warning radar (cancelled)
Red Steer V-bombers Tail warning radar*
Red Neck V-bombers Pod mounted SLAR (cancelled)
Red Shrimp Vulcan ?
* the designer's name was Gerry Steer!
Jon W
Philip Morten
references
for most of these if any one is interested. Many of these are cancelled
projects
of course, others are items that were ony ever intended as test
equipment.
Codename Name Description
Black Arrow Sattelite launcher
Black Knight Reentry vehicle test missile
Black Maria FIS component of IFF Mk.X
Blue Anchor AMES Type 86 SAGW Tracking and illumination
Blue Danube Bomb, A/C, HE, 10 000lb Free-fall nuclear bomb
Blue Devil Unknown equipment tested on Canberra WD945 1952
Blue Diver ARI 18075 ECM for V-bombers
Blue Fox AI/ASV radar for Sea Harrier FRS.1
Blue Jay Firestreak Infra-red guided AAM
Blue Joker AMES Type 87 Balloon borne EW radar
Blue Kestrel Radar for Merlin (EH.101)
Blue Label
Blue Parrot Strike radar for Bucaneer
Blue Riband Anti-carcinotron EW radar
Blue Rapier Vickers cruise missile.
Blue Saga Passive warning equipment on V-bombers.
Blue Shadow SLAR for Canberra.
Blue Silk Doppler ground speed/drift indicator
Blue Sky Fireflash Beam-riding AAM
Blue Steel Nuclear stand off weapon for Mk2 V-bombers
Blue Streak IRBM, first stage of ELDO launcher
Blue Study Unknown equipment tested on Canberras WE147and
WG788.1952/3. WK123
Blue Sugar Unknown equipment tested on Canberra WG788, 1952
Blue Vixen Radar for Sea Harrier FA.2
Blue Water Tactical SSM
Blue Yeoman AMES Type 85 3D EW and Tactical control radar
Green Archer Mortor locating radar
Green Bamboo Megaton warhead, candidate for Yellow Sun/Blue Steel
Green Cheese Anti-shipping missile project.
Green Flax Unknown equipment tested on Canberra WD945 1957
Green Garland Infra-red fuse for Blue Jay
Green Garlic AMES Type 80 Long range EW radar
Green Ginger AMES Type 88/89 Tactical control radar
Green Granite Fission-fusion-fission warhead, tested at Grapple
Green Grass 1/2 MT Nuclear warhead
Green Lizard Gun-launched SAM
Green Palm Active ECM for V-Force
Green Salad Airborne VHF homer
Green Satin Doppler GS and drift indicator.
Indigo Bracket Cacinotron jammer
Indigo Corkscrew SAGW Tracking & illumination for Bloodhound 2
Orange Cocktail Unknown 'MTS' equipment tested on Canberra WF917,
Orange Crop ESM for naval Lynx
Orange Harvest ESM for Shackleton
Orange Herald Megaton warhead, Grapple shot 2
Orange Poodle OTH Radar
Orange Putter ARI 5800 (Canberra) Tail warning radar, Canberera and Mk.1
V-bombers
Orange William ATGW, Predecessor to Swingfire
Orange Yeoman AMES Type 82 3D Tactical Control Radar
Purple Granite megaton warhead tested at Grapple
Red Angel Naval Air-to-surface missile
Red Beard 2000 lb TMB Tactical nuclear bomb
Red Cat Unknown equipment tested on Canberra WH945, 1953
Red Dean Large radar guided AAM
Red Duster Bloodhound RAF SAGW
Red Garter Tail warning radar for V-bombers
Red Hawk Naval AAM
Red Hebe Large semi-active radar guided AAM
Red Neck SLAR for Victor
Red Setter Sideways looking recce radar
Red Shoes Thunderbird Army SAGW
Red Shrimp ECM Equipment for Vulcan
Red Snow Warhead for Yellow Sun Mk.2 and Blue Steel
Red Steer Tail warning radar
Red Rapier Bristol 182 Cruise missile to Spec UB.109
Violet Banner Infra-red homing device tested on Canberra WF917 1959
Violet Club Bomb, A/C, HE, 9000 lb Interim megaton weapon, Green Grass
in Blue Danube case.
Violet Picture VHF homer
Yellow Aster SLAR modification to H2S Mk.9, RRF Victors
Yellow River AMES Type 83 Tracking and illumination radar, for
Thundebird and Bloodhound I
Yellow Sun Free-fall, megaton weapon, Operational on Mk2 V-bombers
Yellow Temple Thunderbird follow-on
Philip Morten
LesB
Jon W asked about codename stuff:
Also. . .
Blue Silk Canberra B(I)8 Nav gear?
1963-5 - Didn't always work though. Was only fitted (in the rear
fuselage) if the Cranberry was rostered on QRA duty or in alerts.
They usually flew with a block of concrete in place of the kit to make
up the weight. Blue Silk involved waveguides and such, maybe that'll
give a clue to purpose - something that was covered by the radio/radar
trades.
LesB
{take out one to mail}
Vic Flintham
In article <3463EA...@dial.pipex.com>, Jon W <xw...@dial.pipex.com>
writes
>No not a golfing question. During the 1950/60s the RAF gave codenames
>involving colours to various bits of avionics.
>
>Set out below are the one's I know anybody fill in the gaps?
>
>Name Aircraft/s Purpose
>
>Green Cheese Buccaneer anti ship homing bomb
>Green Satin Canberra Doppler navigation radar
>Green Palm V-bombers VHF freq jammer
>Green Silk Canberra Updated Green Satin
>
>Orange Putter Canberra Tail warning radar
>Orange Harvest Shackelton Radar warning receiver
>
>Blue Parrot Buccaneer Radar
>Blue Danube V bombers Nuclear bomb
>Blue Steel V bombers Stand-off nuclear missile
>Blue Shadow Canberra SLAR radar
>Blue Saga Vulcan ?
>Blue Diver Vulcan ?
>
>Red Garter V-bombers Tail warning radar (cancelled)
>Red Steer V-bombers Tail warning radar*
>Red Neck V-bombers Pod mounted SLAR (cancelled)
>Red Shrimp Vulcan ?
>
> * the designer's name was Gerry Steer!
>
>
> Jon W
>
I think.
Black Arrow Satellite launcher
Black Knight Test rocket
Black Maria Radar
Black Prince Satellite launcher (Blue Streak and Black
Knight)
Blue Anchor Radar for Bloodhound II
Blue Boar Standoff nuclear bomb (OR.1059)
Blue Danube Nuclear bomb
Blue Diamond Ground radar
Blue Diver ECM for Vulcan
Blue Duck ASW missile (Ikara)
Blue Envoy SAM (Red Duster development)
Blue Falcon Radar AA
Blue Fox Radar AA (for Sea Harrier)
Blue Jacket Doppler radar (for Buccaneer)
Blue Jay AAM (Firestreak)
Blue Joker EW radar
Blue Kestrel Radar AA
Blue Lagoon IR detection
Blue Moon SSM
Blue Orchid Doppler navigation
Blue Parrot Radar airborne (for Buccaneer)
Blue Ranger Blue Steel transport sorties to Australia
Blue Rapier Tactical SSM
Blue Riband Radar tactical
Blue Sage Passive warning receiver
Blue Sapphire Navigation system
Blue Shadow Radar AA (for Canberra developed as Yellow
Aster)
Blue Shield SAM shipborne (Seaslug)
Blue Silk Doppler radar (for Canberra post Green Satin)
Blue Sky AAM (Fireflash)
Blue Steel Standoff bomb (OR.1132)
Blue Streak IRBM
Blue Study Blind bombing system
Blue Sugar Radio beacon
Blue Vixen Radar (Sea Harrier Mk 2)
Blue Water Tactical SSM
Blue Yeoman Radar tactical (post Orange Yeoman)
Green Apple Drift assessment
Green Archer Ground radar
Green Bamboo Thermonuclear weapon
Green Bottle Homing device
Green Cheese Anti-shipping missile
Green Flax SAM development of Red Shoes - became Yellow
Temple
Green Garland Firestreak control
Green Garlic Ground radar
Green Granite Nuclear bomb (test)
Green Grass Nuclear bomb (test)
Green Hammock Doppler navigation
Green Light SAM (Seacat)
Green Lizard SAM
Green Minnow Radiometer
Green Palm VHF jammer (V-bombers)
Green Salad VHF homer (for Shackleton)
Green Satin Doppler radar (for Canberra and V-bombers)
Green Sparkler Radar weapon
Green Thistle IR homing incorporating Blue Lagoon and Blue
Sapphire
Green Walnut Blind bombing equipment
Green Willow Blind firing Firestreak
Indigo Bracket Radar jamming system
Indigo Corkscrew Mobile radar (for Bloodhound and Thunderstreak)
Orange Blossom ESM (for Hercules)
Orange Cocktail Radar homing weapon
Orange Crop ESM (for Lynx)
Orange Harvest ECM (for Shackleton)
Orange Herald Nuclear bomb (test)
Orange Nell SAM
Orange Putter Tail warning radar (for Canberra)
Orange Reaper ESM
Orange Tartan Navigation aid
Orange William ATM
Orange Yeoman Ground radar (Type 82)
Purple Granite Nuclear bomb (test)
Red Beard Tactical nuclear bomb (OR.1127)
Red Brick Target illuminating radar (became Indigo
Corkscrew)
Red Cabbage Radar
Red Dean AAM (Vickers 888)
Red Drover Airborne radar (for Avro 730)
Red Duster SAM (Bloodhound)
Red Eye IR homing missile
Red Flannel Developed H2S
Red Garter Tail warning radar (for V-bombers)
Red Hawk AAM (became Blue Sky)
Red Heathen SAM study
Red Hebe AAM (for Javelin)
Red Indian Ground radar
Red Neck Reconnaissance radar (for Victor)
Red Rapier Unmanned bomber; as Blue Rapier
Red Rose Short range ballistic missile (became Blue
Water)
Red Setter Navigation and bombing aid
Red Shoes SAM (Thunderbird)
Red Shrimp Radar jammer (for V-bombers)
Red Snow Nuclear warhead (for Yellow Sun and Blue Steel)
Red Steer ECM (for V-bombers)
Red Top AAM (for Lightning and Sea Vixen)
Violet Banner Homing head
Violet Club Nuclear bomb
Violet Picture UHF homer (for Whirlwind, Hunter and Sea Vixen)
Yellow Aster Airborne radar (for V-bombers and Canberra)
Yellow Duckling IR submarine detection
Yellow Fever Ground radar
Yellow Gate ESM system (for Nimrod)
Yellow Lemon Doppler navigation
Yellow River Tracking radar
Yellow Rover Target illuminating radar (for Bloodhound)
Yellow Sun Nuclear bomb (OR.1136) (for Vulcan)
Yellow Temple Thunderbird SAM development
Yellow Tiger Target illuminating radar for Thunderbird
Yellow Veil ESM (for Lynx)
--
Vic Flintham
John D Salt
In article <O$GTDBAkU...@vflintham.demon.co.uk>,
Vic Flintham <Vfli...@vflintham.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> [Impressive list of "colour" projects snipped]
Whew!
The only one I can think of to add is the "Blue Eric" ECM pod
improvised for SHARs during the Falklands war.
Of course, there's always the Blue Circle radar, and the
Black Banana (= Blackburn ARNA, or Bucc) :-)
All the best,
John.
--
John D Salt Dept of IS & Computing,| Barr's Law of Recursive Futility
Brunel U, Uxbridge, Middx UB8 3PH | [BLORF]: If you are smart enough
Disclaimers: I speak only for me. | to use one of these... you can
Launcher may train without warning.| probably manage without one.
Paul J. Adam
In article <3463EA...@dial.pipex.com>, Jon W <xw...@dial.pipex.com>
writes
>No not a golfing question. During the 1950/60s the RAF gave codenames
>involving colours to various bits of avionics.
>
>Set out below are the one's I know anybody fill in the gaps?
>
>Name Aircraft/s Purpose
>Green Cheese Buccaneer anti ship homing bomb
>Green Satin Canberra Doppler navigation radar
>Green Palm V-bombers VHF freq jammer
>Green Silk Canberra Updated Green Satin
>Orange Putter Canberra Tail warning radar
>Orange Harvest Shackelton Radar warning receiver
Orange Crop Lynx ESM set
Yellow Veil Lynx Deception jammer
>Blue Parrot Buccaneer Radar
>Blue Danube V bombers Nuclear bomb
>Blue Steel V bombers Stand-off nuclear missile
>Blue Shadow Canberra SLAR radar
>Blue Saga Vulcan ?
>Blue Diver Vulcan ?
Blue Fox Sea Harrier FRS.1 Airborne radar
Blue Vixen Sea Harrier FA.2 Airborne radar
Blue Circle Tornado F.2 Airborne radar replacement
--
There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable and
praiseworthy...
Paul J. Adam pa...@jrwlynch.demon.co.uk
Philip Morten
Paul J. Adam wrote:
> Blue Fox Sea Harrier FRS.1 Airborne radar
> Blue Vixen Sea Harrier FA.2 Airborne radar
> Blue Circle Tornado F.2 Airborne radar replacement
I first heard the "Blue Circle" joke applied to the Canberra T.19s of
the target facilities squadrons where the ballast replaced the AI radar
previously carried in their training role.
Philip Morten
