Aircraft Research Association | |
---|---|
ARA Bedford | |
General information | |
Type | Engineering research centre |
Architectural style | Wind tunnel |
Address | Bedford, MK41 7PF |
Coordinates | 52°09′22″N 0°28′26″W / 52.156°N 0.474°W |
Elevation | 70 m (230 ft) |
Current tenants | ARA |
Construction started | September 1953 |
Completed | April 1956 |
Inaugurated | 4 May 1956 |
Client | ARA |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Ley Colbeck and Partners |
The Aircraft Research Association (ARA) is an aerodynamics research institute in the north-west of Bedford.
The association was founded on 22 January 1952. [1] 14 main British aviation companies funded £1.25m to build a large wind tunnel.
It was first proposed in 1953 to build the site at Stevington, north-east of Bedford. [2] By March 1953, the current site was chosen.
Work started on Monday 7 September 1953. [3]
The wind tunnel was fabricated by Moreland Hayne of east London. [4]
The transonic tunnel first ran in April 1956. [5]
The Duke of Edinburgh visited on the morning of Friday 4 May 1956. He had been planning to land by helicopter in the south-east of Bedford, and to be driven from there to the site by car, but weather conditions were unsuitable. [6]
The site has the largest transonic wind tunnel in the UK, known as the TWT, with speeds up to Mach 1.4, powered by a Sulzer axial compressor. It is 25,000 hp electric-powered.
Two hypersonic tunnels
Projects worked on include Concorde, the Harrier and most Airbus aircraft. [7] The Rolls-Royce RB211 was tested there. [8]
The site now works with RUAG of Switzerland.