File:English Electric Thunderbird II – IWM Duxford (51290684619).jpg

The Thunderbird was a British surface-to-air missile intended to protect the battlefield from medium and high-altitude aircraft and was the British Army’s only heavy anti-aircraft missile. It could reach Mach 2.7 and had a range of up to 30 miles, carrying a continuous-rod High-Explosive warhead. The Thunderbird I entered service in 1959 with Heavy Air Defence Regiments of the Royal Artillery, but they were later upgraded to Thunderbird II standard with an improved guidance system which could engage targets at lower altitudes. The Thunderbird II was then in service from 1966 until 1977 when they were replaced by the BAC Rapier anti-aircraft system. This example, complete with trailer, is part of the Imperial War Museum collection and had previously been on display at the ‘IWM London’ museum in Lambeth. It is seen stored in a compound behind Hangar 3 at Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK.