RIDGEWOOD, N. J., Sept. 5— Vaughn P. Thorp, an electrical engineer for the Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc., 463 West Street, New York, who had been an instructor in radar courses in the company’s School for War Training, 250 Hudson Street, since 1942, died here yesterday of a heart attack. Mr. Thorp, who resided at 32 Hollis Drive, Ho-Ho-Kus, N. J., had been on poor health since November. His age was 51. Born in Warren, Ind., he served in the air corps for a year and a half in the first World War and was about to be commissioned when the conflict ended. He was graduated from Purdue University with a B. S. degree in electrical engineering in 1919 and that year joined the Bell System. He served the New York Telephone Company in its engineering department in 1919-21. In 1921-34 he was engaged in high-frequency and voice-frequency work for the development and research department of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. He joined Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1934 for field and office-design work. A Mason, he was a member of Tau Beta Pi, an honorary engineering fraternity, and of other engineering groups. Mr. Thorp leaves a widow, Mrs. Hazel Stahle Thorp; a brother, Lieut. Col. Kermit O. Thorp of the Army Air Forces, a member of the Bell Laboratories on leave, and two sisters, Mrs. Loran Bradford and Mrs. Horace Brodie, both of Pontiac, Mich.