Table Of Content

The Secret History of RDX The SecreT hiSTory of rDX The Super-Explosive that Helped Win World War II Colin F. BaXteR Due to variations in the technical specifications of different electronic reading devices, some elements of this ebook may not appear as they do in the print edition. Readers are encouraged to experiment with user settings for optimum results. Copyright © 2018 by The University Press of Kentucky Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, northern Kentucky University, transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of louisville, and Western Kentucky University. all rights reserved. Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky 663 South limestone Street, lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008 www.kentuckypress.com Frontispiece: The Kill, by Robert Benny (1904–2001). Courtesy of the navy art Collection, naval History and Heritage Command, Washington navy Yard, Washington, D.C. library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data names: Baxter, Colin F., 1942- author. title: The secret history of RDX : the super-explosive that helped win World War ii / Colin F. Baxter. Description: lexington, Kentucky : University Press of Kentucky, [2018] | includes bibliographical references and index. identifiers: lCCn 2017045447| iSBn 9780813175287 (hardcover : alk. paper) | iSBn 9780813175300 (PDF) | iSBn 9780813175317 (ePub) Subjects: lCSH: RDX (Cyclonite) | explosives, Military—United States—History—20th century. | United States—armed Forces—Weapons systems—History—20th century. | World War, 1939-1945—equipment and supplies. Classification: lCC tP290.R39 B39 2018 | DDC 662/.27—dc23 lC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017045447 This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the requirements of the american national Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed library Materials. Manufactured in the United States of america. Member of the association of University Presses. in memory of Morton Brown and Frank B. Williams Jr., of east tennessee State University, and Wilbur Devereux Jones, of the University of Georgia. contents list of abbreviations ix introduction 1 1. lord Beaverbrook, RDX, and the Ministry of Supply 9 2. The Vexed Question of RDX Supply 13 3. torpex and the air War 25 4. RDX and the army ordnance Department 33 5. RDX and the army air Forces 43 6. The Battle for RDX Production 53 7. Canada and RDX 63 8. The Wexler Bend Pilot Plant 75 9. The Great Holston ordnance Works 87 10. torpex and the Battle of the atlantic 113 11. 1945 and the atomic Bomb 135 12. The aftermath 139 epilogue 143 acknowledgments 147 notes 151 Bibliography 187 index 197 Abbreviations aaF army air Forces aDM admiralty papers (national archives, Kew, United Kingdom) aFHRa air Force Historical Research agency aiR air Ministry papers (national archives, Kew, United Kingdom) aSF army Service Forces BaC British air Commission BPC British Purchasing Commission CiC Counterintelligence Corps (Holston ordnance Works) CPRB Combined Production and Resources Board D/aSW Director/anti-Submarine Warfare DM&S Department of Munitions and Supply (Canada) He High explosive HaaP Holston army ammunition Plant HoW Holston ordnance Works MaB Munitions assignment Board (Washington, D.C.) nDRC national Defense Research Committee nRC national Research Council (Canada) oRS operational Research Section oSRD office of Scientific Research and Development ix