Joint Service Recognition Journal

[CoffmanStarter]

Sadly the UK JSRJ (aka UK DRJ) is no more ... the final publication was in 2009.

For those that need a gentle reminder ... here is the Front Cover of the 'Christmas' Dec 1974 Issue.

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/JSRJ_zpsb8cf40ea.jpg

Image Credit : UK MOD

Full of material to help you know your Fishbed from your Flanker and your Fagot from your Fencer ... not forgetting helping you know your Badger from your Bison :ooh:

Not just aircraft though ... Soviet Naval Ships and Submarines ... along with all-sorts of Ground Based weaponry.

Then I came across this on Wikipedia ... I hadn't appreciated just how long this publication had been going :eek:

So I thought other Members might be interested ...

Aircraft Recognition (magazine) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Recognition_(magazine))

The above article mainly covers the operational use of the journal during WWII ... It would be interesting to hear how it was used during the 50's, 60's, 70's up until it's demise. I assume AD, GA and MP Crews would have been the main User Community ?

Coff.

[air pig]

After reading the books on BRIXMIS, i now appreciate where some of the pictures came from.

[BEagle]

And here's where it all started:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/IMG_20141010_0002_zps878b3641.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/IMG_20141010_0002_zps878b3641.jpg.html)

Vol 1 No.1 of Aircraft Recognition - The Inter-Services Journal dated September 1942. 2 copies of which came my way about 30 years ago when the RAF Brize Norton Education Section was having a clear-out. I've still got one copy, the other is on indefinite loan to the Yorkshire Air Museum.

[CoffmanStarter]

Thanks for sharing BEagle :ok:

[Courtney Mil]

It really was an excellent publication.

[MAINJAFAD]

Coff

Covered a whole lot more than Aircrew related identification matters, thus the reason it could be found in the crewrooms of most military establishments. Seeing that they provided the bulk of airfield defence inside the perimeter fence and I've seen most of the guys in the crew room have a look at it at one time or an other during the cold war period exercise seeing that one of the perimeter sagger guards roles was report all aircraft movements to the ground defence control (Though it would have helped if the dim WRAF at the other end of the field phone in the GDC had read it and thus would have known that a Hercules isn't a Helicopter and vice versa, saw that happen twice :ugh::ugh::ugh:). Most ATC Squadrons got a copy, very useful for the aircraft recognition competition. Most likely canned for cost reasons and replaced with theater specific publications.

[glad rag]

I can remember spending hour going through these as a spacer [shutit] it was one of those publications that fired the cadets imaginations....

[CoffmanStarter]

I'm sad to say that I was responsible for a Crew Room clear out (at the request of the Boss) many years ago ... which resulted in a large number of these presious journals going over to the Fire Dump for destruction :{

Standard Crew Room reading material along with Air Clues and Flight Safety Review ...

Some of those pictures just made you wonder how they were obtained ... ;)

Example : The Yak-38/Forger ... some of those pics I seem to remember appeared to have been taken 'on deck'.

[Pontius Navigator]

Some pictures came from the Sovs themselves.

Huge satellite dishes on a facility near Ashford would record the TV programme I Serve the Soviet Union. The inside view of a Moss came from that source.

[nutnurse]

In the 60s it was to be found in Ops Centres and Flight Planning Sections, as well as but to a lesser extent Towers and ATCCs. I spent many a happy Sunday afternoon on watch at Bruggen, Leuchars and Prestwick, learning how to distinguish between a ferry and a liner (count the lifeboats), or wondering about the exposed nature of the fuel tanks on Soviet tanks, after ringing the Met. Office to tell them it was raining had palled. Those who have copies should consider themselves to be lucky bunnies indeed, especially as it was the same age I am although I intend to go on for some time yet...

Of course, the locations I've mentioned had different interests: armoured ground formations at Bruggen, Bear-like intruders down the ADIZ at Leuchars, and stray Aeroflot airliners with reconnaissance cameras slung underneath at Prestwick, to mention but a few without over-exciting the MOD mods. :=:cool:

[nutnurse]

Don't forget the 1950s TV announcements: "We apologise for the poor reception this evening which has been caused by 3 Gp playing silly buggers, what? erm, I mean sun spots".

[Rosevidney1]

In the 1970s I was responsible for AAC recognition training and was detailed by the Brigadier to write a booklet that he suggested might be called the 'Hot Hundred' of Soviet and allied air and battlefield equipment. Some details came from JARIC Brampton but the majority of photographs came from Bruce Robertson who was the editor of Recognition Journal. I visited his office in London and was surprised at how small it was. Large 8 x 10" glossy photographs stacked floor to ceiling left barely enough room for his desk. In spite of that he couldn't have been more helpful. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that PPRuNe members of a certain age will have some reference books written by him as he was a prolific author.

[54Phan]

I have several of Mr Robertson's books in the 54Phan library.

[Whenurhappy]

And the Recognition Journal wasn't only in Britain - it made its way out to the Loyal Antipodes - they were at our ATC Squadron and - along with Air Clues - were scattered around all the crew rooms in the RNZAF.

[ValMORNA]

One of my many 'hats' in FTC in the 50's was Aircraft Recognition Instructor at M-S-G where we used the epidiascope to flash pictures on the screen, and one day I said that we'd try a 'quick flash', possibly 5th of a second. 'No chance' was the reply. The students were used to aircraft of the day, some gleaned from the JSRJ, but the first one up was a picture of a half-naked starlet. No problem in recognition there, which proved a point. Know your subject.

[BEagle]

Of course there were other subjects than aeroplanes featured. Here's the Recce Journal from 60 years ago:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Vanguard_zpsb95f9058.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Vanguard_zpsb95f9058.jpg.html)

H.M.S. Vanguard, in case you're wondering!

Civvie aircraft were also featured, such as this de Havilland Comet from September 1949:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Comet_zpsabf41d30.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Comet_zpsabf41d30.jpg.html)

But this was the sort of thing which encouraged air-minded small boys like me to want to join the RAF:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Hunters_zpsc62d60e9.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Hunters_zpsc62d60e9.jpg.html)

I think they're 43 Sqn Hunter F1s, eh Courtney?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Hunters2_zpsdaec7103.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Hunters2_zpsdaec7103.jpg.html)

[CoffmanStarter]

BEagle ... Thanks again for sharing :ok:

Do you have a complete set ? Even if you don't ... you are a very luck Chap to have some of those early copies in your personal library.

[ian16th]

"We apologise for the poor reception this evening which has been caused by 3 Gp playing silly buggers, what? erm, I mean sun spots".Would that have been when Holme Moss and Gee-H were 'competing for spectrum'?

I remember circa 1955, at BCBS RAF Lindholme, we eventually changed the Tx frequency on all of the Lincolns and Varsity's. It also involved a change of the dipole aerial, on the Lincolns this was problematic as some of them were rusted in place.

[HAS59]

We used to love reading through this monthly and trying to spot the mistakes. This was after Mr Robertson's time there of course. These were nearly always caused by the printers substituting a photo at the last minute and getting it wrong.

These were an excellent source of information for me since a lad in the ATC (yes me too) reading with horror the number of allied aircraft shot down by friendly fighters AAA etc! I must have read and used most of them over the years.

Even though it was sold to friendly nations, along with Air Clues the end came for a number of financial reasons but the need for it still remains.

Another very interesting read was the Dutch publication 'Heerkening' (recognition). I have the final copy of this (even better recce journal). However when the Dutch stopped printing their magazine they continued with an on-line journal for their services.

Now why didn't we do the same?

[Party Animal]

Now why didn't we do the same?


Because our leadership is more focussed on 'transformation' and producing 'deliverable outputs' and 'defining overarching variables that can be measured against matrix targets'.

Which means time and effort is no longer spent on producing really useful training material that turned those of us who studied recce journals into more professional and capable operators.

Once upon a time, the contents of the Recce Journal would be cut and pasted onto the inside of toilet cubicle doors (well that was one way to learn useful facts). Nowadays, you are more likely to see propaganda on the need to set business targets and how to make even more energy efficiency savings. Plus the usual Elf N Safety b*ll*cks warning you not to put your head in the toilet bowl etc...

[BEagle]

Coffman Starter asked: Do you have a complete set ?

No, but according to the list I made about 30 years ago, I have some 123 copies from September 1942 until June 1959:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Rotodyne_zpsa4cbf7c4.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Rotodyne_zpsa4cbf7c4.jpg.html)

[CoffmanStarter]

Thanks BEagle ... All classics I'll bet ;)

Fairey Rotodyne :ok:

If you have Sep 1957 (the month/year I was born) ... that would be interesting to see the Front Cover ... but only if it's not too much trouble :)

[BEagle]

Yes, the very promising Fairey Rotodyne. Whose noise problems had virtually been solved when the programme was cancelled....:ugh:

I spotted a note on the back of the Jan '53 edition:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Peacemaker_zps2d0baef5.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Peacemaker_zps2d0baef5.jpg.html)

which pleaded: The November 1951 journal is now out of print, and the Editorial Office is urgently in need of copies. Will any reader or Group of readers who can, without prejudice to training requirements, spare a copy or copies, please send them to the Editor, Joint Service Recognition Journal, Air Ministry, Room 213, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, London, S.W.1.

I guess I'm about 60 years too late then:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Hunter_3_zps63ef7c0d.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Hunter_3_zps63ef7c0d.jpg.html)

A cracking edition it was too - but weren't they all in those fascinating times of aircraft development?

The cover shot is actually titled 'Hawker P.1067' - it had yet to be named 'Hunter'!

September 1957? - I do indeed have a copy:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Sep1957_zps55684e0f.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Sep1957_zps55684e0f.jpg.html)

Any guesses as to aircraft and ship? No, it isn't a Chance-Vought Cutlass.

And look what else is inside, Coffman Starter:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Chipmunks_zps6eb1d2c0.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Chipmunks_zps6eb1d2c0.jpg.html)

I guess the Editor could look into the future!

[CoffmanStarter]

Thanks BEagle ... That's made my day :D :ok:

I'm on the iPad at the moment ... I'll have a closer look at your challenge pic on my Mac in a mo :ok:

Many thanks ... very much appreciated ...

PS ... Any chance you can see the serials on the Chipmunks ... Now that would be spooky.

[CoffmanStarter]

OK ... I'm going for USS Saratoga on her maiden transatlantic voyage (3/9/57) ... with the Jolly Rogers and their F8 Cougars ?

I just love those 'unapologetic' Roundels on the Hunter :ok:

[BEagle]

Yes, Cougars on the USS Saratoga.

As for the Chipmunk serials, that's asking a lot! The 3 nearest the camera are WP 980, WD 292 and WD 285. The 4th might be WD 286, but I cannot read the others - apart from squadron codes L o C and (possibly) L o S.

Tragically, the ex-boss of my Vulcan squadron was killed (as was nearly his civilian Air Cadet ground instructor passenger) during a turn back in WP 980 at RAF St. Athan in August 1993.....:(

[CoffmanStarter]

Many thanks BEagle ... No match on the Chipmunk serials this end ... I do appreciate your time and interest :ok:

Best ...

Coff.

[CoffmanStarter]

BEagle ...

I thought I'd return the favour :ok:

I believe that London University Air Squadron in the early 50's was part of 65 (London) Reserve Group ... Headquartered at RAF Hendon. Initially all LUAS (as it was known then) airframes were apparently 'coded' RUL before the roundel with a further single alpha code post the roundel. This arrangement then changed to codes allocated in the range thus L-A to L-Z. So I reckon the six Chipmunks in Line Abreast shown above are highly likely to be from LUAS ... later to become your old stomping ground both as pupil and QFI :ok:

As far as I can tell WD292 (L-D) is still air-worthy as G-BCRX, likewise WD286 (L-?) as G-BBND. It would also seem WD285 (L-?) might still be air-worthy in the USA as N48110.

Best regards ...

Coff.

[nutnurse]

Ah, the Hawker P1067 as flown at Farnborough in the early 50s by every small boy's hero, Sdn Ldr Neville Duke DSO DFC, Chief Test Pilot of Hawker Aviation, not to be confused with the motor-cyclist Geoff Duke. He would start a supersonic run in a shallow dive overhead Woodley and pass over our house in Wokingham. On the Saturday, watching on TV, we would hear the double boom overhead, followed shortly by a repeat on the box. On the Sunday, my father and I would go to Farnborough and see the whole thing live.

We were there (I think that time on a Saturday as Himself had a meeting in Aldershot first) when John Derry's DH110 (Sea Vixen prototype) broke up in mid-air. The Old Man watched the tail boom spin down "like a sycamore leaf", as he put it, while my eyes were caught by the two engines arcing across the sky, one slightly higher than the other, and landing in the crowd - nowhere near where we were standing, fortunately.

It used to be possible for enterprising young 'Erberts to make a considerable sum of money picking up glass soft drinks bottles and returning them to the various stalls for the deposit. I can't say I ever saw somewhere so littered!

[Haraka]

Do the Chipmunks in the picture have the anti-spin strakes?.
Anybody recall when they came in?

[CoffmanStarter]

Haraka ...

Mod H231 26/8/1958 introduced the Spinning Strakes to RAF Chipmunk aircraft. BEagle is probably best placed to inspect the original pic ... But I'd bet they are pre mod aircraft.

Reference : Chipmunk 'The Poor Man's Spitfire'

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

..and for bonus points, the P1067 cover photo looks like the work of Charles E. Brown. Is there a credit in the Journal Beags?

[Haraka]

Thanks Coff .
I was just trying to date the shots as it looked to me that the strakes weren't present.
Historically they were on the Tiger Moth of course, also on the unfortunate Percival Prentice.
Ref. the latter. The Prentice was having awful spin recovery problems with many ( ineffective) solutions being tried.
One day a couple of members of the Prentice design team saw a "Tigger" Moth parked at Luton proudly displaying its strakes .
The lead ( an Irishman) then expounded .
"Be Jesus- that's not a bad idea!"
or so the story goes........

[BEagle]

F3WMB asked ..and for bonus points, the P1067 cover photo looks like the work of Charles E. Brown. Is there a credit in the Journal Beags?
Sorry, no. The only other reference is on the back page:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Back_zpscf763768.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/Back_zpscf763768.jpg.html)

Apologies for the pixellation in the graphics.

[Haraka]

Coff,
Just by chance, whilst looking for something else, I came across couple of photographs in Aeroplane Monthly of October 1990 showing ULAS Chipmunks in the 50's ( no strakes :) ) Taken by John Perrot they depict:
WP845 "C" flown by Tony Winship -Photo a/c flown by Gordon Corps ,later CTP at Airbus.

WB746 "H" en route to Summer Camp at St Eval in 1957.
They have no fuselage letters, having the roundel plus "bar" marking.

[BEagle]

WP845 "C" flown by Tony Winship

An interesting name to Google, particularly if combined with 'BAE'....:uhoh:

[CoffmanStarter]

Haraka ...

Thanks for that ... :ok:

More on that mod, it would appear that the mod 'embodiment' required all RAF Chipmunks to be fitted not later than three months AFTER receipt of parts (time for embodiment was estimated at six hours for the engineers). I guess it's quite possible that there might have been supply difficulties given the size of the fleet back then. I understand that RAF Chipmunks were NOT cleared for aerobatic manoeuvres (including spinning) unless strakes were fitted post the Aug 1958 mod date.

Sorry ... I never need an excuse to 'enthuse' about the Chipmunk :)

You might be interested to know that WP804, with the extended Rudder Chord mod, was used in March 1958 to undertake pre mod spinning trials with the then proposed strakes ... and was equipped with a GQ anti-spin parachute fitted in to a modified tail cone (activation via a lever in the front cockpit). Post the trials with WP804 ... further trials were conducted with WD292, WK517, WK618, WP803 and WG403 with the strakes mod. The H231 mod appeared shortly after these final trials.

Best regards ...

Coff.

Reference : Chipmunk 'The Poor Man's Spitfire' : Rod Brown

[Pontius Navigator]

The gliding club at the old RAF Edge Hill took delivery of a Chipmunk ex Halton I believe this summer. They have two now.

[Davef68]

Were they classified? I have a memory that the 80s versions at least were marked 'Restricted'

[Whenurhappy]

Were they classified? I have a memory that the 80s versions at least were marked 'Restricted'

Yes, they were marked 'RESTRICTED' which meant that every ATC Squadron across the Empire had them!

They did become, erm, a bit 'spotterish'. Each copy did seem to contain a Recognition Test consisting of images of front drive sprockets of WARPAC armoured fighting vehicles. I suggest if you were that close to the Soviets, identifying whether it was a Command variant was likely to be rather academic.

[HAS59]

The 'Restricted' and 'Official Use Only' caveats were sometimes a way of avoiding the copyright issue of some of the images they may have used, there was nothing 'sensitive' about their content. Even so it was not available to the general public.

They were sold to other government agencies, hence the rather unnecessary titles of 'British' Royal Navy and 'British' Royal Air Force in some of their latter products. By then sadly, it had lost its way and was inviting folk to send in complete articles, for a small fee.