On the approach road to the site, is an English Electric Thunderbird guided missile (now deactivated!). It was donated to us by RAF Museum Cosford. It was in their reserve collection but as it is an Army missile they were prepared to part with it.
Westcott tenants played a large part in it's collection (NWT) it's painting (Robin Dalwood) it’s stand (Delanor) and it's erection (Delanor, Mark II & our landscape contractors HGA).
It's a surface to air guided missile that was in service with the British Army from 1959-77 in the roll of ground defense against aircraft attack. It had a range of up to 30 miles. It's connection with Westcott is that when in service it had four solid fuel 'Gosling' boosters.(Missing from ours). These were developed and filled at Westcott but were manufactured by Bristol Aerojet. The Thunderbird also had a solid fuel rocket motor as a sustainer. A number of different motors were tried, one was a Westcott motor called 'Smokey Joe' and another was 'Albatross'.
