RDF 1: THE LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT BY RADIO METHODS 1935-1945
Written by Michael Bragg
Published by Hawkhead Publishing
in 2002
ISBN: 0953154408
- Categorised in:
- AVIATION
- RADIO TECHNICAL
- MILITARY
- WORLD WAR II
- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
RDF 1: THE LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT BY RADIO METHODS 1935-1945
Written by Michael Bragg.
Stock no. 1830048
1st.
2002.
Hardback.
Slightly better than very good condition in a slightly better than very good dustwrapper.
There is no doubt that the Battle of Britain was one of the turning points of the twentieth century. If the battle had been lost then an invasion, only the second in nearly a thousand years of English history, would have been attempted by Germany with every chance of success. Radar alone could not shoot down planes but enabled Fighter Command to conserve aircraft and rest pilots until the enemy were known to be approaching the coast. The building of the stations was an engineering project of the most formidable kind and has never received the recognition it deserves. This book tells the story... Navy cloth boards, silver title to spine. B/w photos. 400 pages including index. ISBN: 0953154408. Text block just slightly grubby and lightly browned. Contents clean. Pictorial dustwrapper is lightly scuffed to rear panel.
Front cover
Contents
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER 1 1914-1934
- Events leading to the creation of the Air Ministry and the RAF - Acoustic Research by the War Office - Thames Estuary Mirror Scheme
- CHAPTER 2 1935
- 'Death Ray' Investigation - Formation of the Committee for the Scientific Survey of Air Defence - Mr RA Watson Watt's Memoranda - The Daventry Experiment - Research at Orfordness - Acquisition of Bawdsey Manor - Siting of The Thames Estuary RDF Stations
- CHAPTER 3 1936
- Transfer of Mr Watson Watt to the Air Ministry - The Biggin Hill Experiments - The Near Failure of the First RDF Air Exercise
- CHAPTER 4 1937
- Funding problems for Equipment Manufacture - The Second Air Exercise - Approval for 20 Stations - Surveys Along the East Coasts of England and Scotland for the Chain Extensions
- CHAPTER 5 1938
- Land Acquisition Difficulties- Establishment of DCD and 2.IU - The Munich Crisis and its effect on the Chain Completion Date
- CHAPTER 6 1939 - JANUARY TO 2 SEPTEMBER
- Early handover of Chain to the RAF - Chain updating by BRS - WAAF Entry into RDF as Plotters - Move of BRS to Dundee
- CHAPTER 7 1939 - 3 SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER
- Outbreak of World War Two - AMRE Discontent with Dundee - The 'Battle of Barking Creek' - Air attacks on coastal shipping - First CHL Installations - Dowding and Chain Maintenance
- CHAPTER 8 1940 - JANUARY TO JUNE
- Second CHL Installations - Dowdings- Clash with the Air Staff - formation of 60 Group - The Cavity Magnetron - Move of AMRE to Worth Matravers - Rapid Expansion of the CH and CHL Chains
- CHAPTER 9 1940 JULY - DECEMBER
- Enemy Air Attacks on RDF stations - Emergency Programme for Ground Control Interception Stations - Watson Watts Complaints on Chain Efficiency and Installation
- CHAPTER 10 1941
- Chain Delay Investigations - the VEB - Formation of the Civilian Technical Corps - RDF revealed as 'Radiolocation' - 10cm Equipment - CH and CHL Improvements - RDF Bulletins
- CHAPTER 11 1942
- German Warships Escape Detection by RDF - TRE Move to Malvern - Further Chain Expansions - GCI Improvements
- CHAPTER 12 1943
- Expansion of 10cm and GCI chains - Warnings of Enemy 'Secret Weapons' - RDF to RADAR - Station Closures begin in the North
- CHAPTER 13 1944-45
- Reduction in Radar Cover Continues - Countermeasures Against V1s and V2s - End of the European War
- CHAPTER 14 THE RADAR AWARDS
- CHAPTER 15 SITE LOCATIONS
- CHAPTER 16 POSTSCRIPT
- EX-RAF AND WAAF NARRATIVES
- EX-CTC NARRATIVE
- ABBREVIATIONS
- GLOSSARY
- INDEX