Malkara ATGW

[Mike C]

Gents,

 

Tried to reply to 'Clives' articles on the Malkara and Hornet on that thread, but am unable to for some reason, so here's the next best place.

 

I've attached a copy of the article I wrote for the Australian Army's 'Army Magazine' during the 1990s (can't remember which issue!) which may be of interest, as I think it compliments 'Clive's' article on the Hornet nicely. (The article I did for the Defence Materiel Organisation's monthkly newsletter in 2002 is an abbreviated version of this.)

 

The trials Hornet survived in Australia for many years: the last I saw if it was in a private collection in Queensland, but the owner has since moved, and I don't know if he retained it or not. It was for sale.

 

As far as I'm aware, only one dummy missile survives in Australia: it forms part of the AMRL (formerly ARL) collection. (AMRL = Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory).

Army Mag Malkara.doc

[fv1609]

Mike thank you that was a good read. Nice see it from the other side.

 

I think the Hornet left over there was Prototype 3. The last I heard of it was about 12-15 years ago when it was for sale I think or at least "discovered" somewhere.

 

Do you have any info on Toolondoo? It only ever gets briefly mentioned if at all. The only book I have found that covered Australian GWs was "Fire across the Desert"

 

I was put onto it by someone who worked for Hampshire Fire Brigade. Their library has a copy presented to them by a visiting Fire Chief from Australia. Someone hadn't done their research properly as the book was about a different sort of fire

[Mike C]

Hi Clive,

 

Yes, Fire Across the Desert was a great piece of research! Fine book.

 

Toolondoo: I can check my files, but I seem to recall it was a 'desk top' research continuation of Project E, and got the name when the various projects were given their names, like Project J became Malkara.

 

An interesting line on the Malkara was its mounting on a Ferret Scout Car (in Australia): looked ridiculous! Also, the initial test missile (non-destructive, recoverable) used the flap? control servo motors taken from a German V1 rocket held by the Australian War Memorial. They were never returned, and are still missing from ther AWM's example.

 

Hornet Prototype 3 does sound right: the owner and I had a long chat about it when I visited him in outback Qld in 2001 (he still had it then, but has since moved to Malaney, Qld). I have some images somewhere: are they interesting enough to post here? They are prints, so I'll have to scan them first.

 

Regards

 

Mike C

[Mike C]

Clive,

 

I've gone back through my files: Toolondoo/Toolondo was more than a desk-top study: it actually progressed to test firings at Woomera Rocket Range in late 1958/59. Prime test missile construction contractor was again GAF, with ARL doing the R&D. Half dozen or so firings using the same Malkara trailer launcher used for the Malkara firings, with a modified firing circuit, etc.

 

Project apparently went no further.

 

Mike C

[fv1609]

Mike thank you looking that up. The significance of the name is rather lost on me. Isn't the translation a "damp marsh" or similar? Seems a bit odd but therein may lie the success of having a good project codeword!

[Mike C]

...or maybe they had a hunch it was going to eventually be mired in politics and sink with little trace??

 

As Fire Across the Desert states: the Project E/Malkara/Toolondoo saga was hardly a great flag-waver for the UK-Australia joint weapons development projects: the British Army ended up with two UK developed and built equivalents in the 1960s, and the Australian Army purchased from the French!!

 

Mike C

[fv1609]

...or maybe they had a hunch it was going to eventually be mired in politics and sink with little trace??

 

A bit like the home grown contender that is my Avatar :-(

[robin craig]

Dear Mike C,

 

Thanks for posting that, while not an afficionado of Clive's calibre, it is of interest and fills gaps in my realms of knowledge.

 

Thanks for posting

 

R