Early ATC (WWII)?
Thread Starter
Early ATC (WWII)?
New here, normally hang out on Jet Blast.
Can anyone tell me please a bit about about the early days of ATC, specifcally the management of traffic at bomber aerodromes in the UK?
Did they use radio or was it all flares/signal lamps? (presumably to prevent radio intercepts of departing raids?)
I assume the night bombers departed one by one as they navigated independently to target. I guess landing was first come first served as their arrival times would be spread out. But I assume they needed to join a circuit and get a clearance?
Was their phraseology similar to that of nowadays? (I know they had that earlier phonetic alphabet)
And a last question under modern ATC: Is it correct to say their are only 5 clearances? Take off, Land, Cross active runway, Climb to../Descend to..
Thanks
Can anyone tell me please a bit about about the early days of ATC, specifcally the management of traffic at bomber aerodromes in the UK?
Did they use radio or was it all flares/signal lamps? (presumably to prevent radio intercepts of departing raids?)
I assume the night bombers departed one by one as they navigated independently to target. I guess landing was first come first served as their arrival times would be spread out. But I assume they needed to join a circuit and get a clearance?
Was their phraseology similar to that of nowadays? (I know they had that earlier phonetic alphabet)
And a last question under modern ATC: Is it correct to say their are only 5 clearances? Take off, Land, Cross active runway, Climb to../Descend to..
Thanks
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James.
During the departure phase RAF Bomber Command aircraft would be given a specific time to taxi from their dispersed hard standings to the runway where takeoff clearance would be given by light signal although often the German night fighters controllers were aware of a raid due to the airtests earlier in the day which included testing the radios
Squadron aircraft were give specific routings, timings, heights, etc to optimize the performance of the particular aircraft, for example the higher and faster flying Halifaxes and Lancasters would be up at 18000 or 20000 feet whilst the poorer performing Stirlings would be at 10000 feet and if that lessened the risk of collision the better, but the separations were for efficiency of the attack rather than safety, the primary collision avoidance tool was the Mark one eyeball during Bomber Command operations.
When the bombers returned to their bases they were "stacked" at 500 feet intervals over the airfield utilizing visual "pundit" lights which were lights flashing the individual airfield code in Morse (We still have one at our GA airfield in Shropshire) whilst communicating by radio to the duty pilot. Often over airfields in counties such as Lincolnshire (the home of 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command), airfields would have different circuit directions such was their proximity to each other ie: Scampton and Dunholme Lodge. The final approach was conducted using the Drem System which was a basic set of runway approach lights however aircraft were still lost in mid-air collisions within the circuit and to Luftwaffe long range intruders which would come back with the bombers to attack their bases and aircraft, in fact there are still holes in the side of the Maple Leaf Club at Linton on Ouse today as the result of a Luftwaffe intruder attack in 1941.
In foggy conditions quite a number of airfields were equipped with FIDO (Fog Intensive Dispersal Operation)which were a series of pipes alongside the length of the active runway within which was pumped high pressure high octane fuel which vented through small holes in the pipe and was then set on fire, the resulting heat burned off the fog in the local area to allow the aircraft to be recovered.
Their RT phraseology was different to today A-Able, B-Beer, L-London, N-Nan, Q-Queenie etc and often verbal communication had to be repeated three times due to the primitive radio equipment in use such as valve technology although for the majority of the flight communication would be in Morse hence the presence in the crew of a specialist Radio Operator.
No study was ever conducted into the losses due to mid-air collisions during the Bomber Campaigns but I would suggest that it was difficult to quantify in combat operations.
During the departure phase RAF Bomber Command aircraft would be given a specific time to taxi from their dispersed hard standings to the runway where takeoff clearance would be given by light signal although often the German night fighters controllers were aware of a raid due to the airtests earlier in the day which included testing the radios
Squadron aircraft were give specific routings, timings, heights, etc to optimize the performance of the particular aircraft, for example the higher and faster flying Halifaxes and Lancasters would be up at 18000 or 20000 feet whilst the poorer performing Stirlings would be at 10000 feet and if that lessened the risk of collision the better, but the separations were for efficiency of the attack rather than safety, the primary collision avoidance tool was the Mark one eyeball during Bomber Command operations.
When the bombers returned to their bases they were "stacked" at 500 feet intervals over the airfield utilizing visual "pundit" lights which were lights flashing the individual airfield code in Morse (We still have one at our GA airfield in Shropshire) whilst communicating by radio to the duty pilot. Often over airfields in counties such as Lincolnshire (the home of 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command), airfields would have different circuit directions such was their proximity to each other ie: Scampton and Dunholme Lodge. The final approach was conducted using the Drem System which was a basic set of runway approach lights however aircraft were still lost in mid-air collisions within the circuit and to Luftwaffe long range intruders which would come back with the bombers to attack their bases and aircraft, in fact there are still holes in the side of the Maple Leaf Club at Linton on Ouse today as the result of a Luftwaffe intruder attack in 1941.
In foggy conditions quite a number of airfields were equipped with FIDO (Fog Intensive Dispersal Operation)which were a series of pipes alongside the length of the active runway within which was pumped high pressure high octane fuel which vented through small holes in the pipe and was then set on fire, the resulting heat burned off the fog in the local area to allow the aircraft to be recovered.
Their RT phraseology was different to today A-Able, B-Beer, L-London, N-Nan, Q-Queenie etc and often verbal communication had to be repeated three times due to the primitive radio equipment in use such as valve technology although for the majority of the flight communication would be in Morse hence the presence in the crew of a specialist Radio Operator.
No study was ever conducted into the losses due to mid-air collisions during the Bomber Campaigns but I would suggest that it was difficult to quantify in combat operations.
Last edited by DC10RealMan; 19th Apr 2013 at 20:19.
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authorization for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control unit.
From the wide nature of this definition it is apparent five categories will not suffice to describe the endless number of different clearances one could think of. A note following the definition alone provides six categories of clearances:The abbreviated term "clearance" may be prefixed by the words "taxi", "take-off", "departure", "en route", "approach" or "landing" to indicate the particular portion of flight to which the air traffic control clearance relates.
It must be noted, though, that even these six categories do not conclude the list of all possible cases. Off the top of my hat, I could at least find two additional types of clearances. One would be the "start-up clearance" and another one the "oceanic entry clearance", although the latter is an outstanding category in so far as flight in international airspace is concerned.
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On the first question... my understanding, from reading many different sources and from talking to many Bomber Command veterans, is that aircrews were taken by truck to their dispersals some time (up to an hour or so) before departure. The signal to start engines would be a green flare fired from the watch office (or a red flare if the operation was 'scrubbed' at the last minute). Then the bombers would start their engines and taxi around the perimeter track to the duty runway. The final 'clear for take-off' was a green Aldis light flashed from the runway controller, situated in a caravan near the downwind threshold.
Once actually airborne and on the way out a nd back there was no such thing as ATC as we now know it; everyone who was able to simply kept a good look-out! The theory was that if everyone flew the same headings out to the target there would be minimal collisions in the bomber stream (because everyone would be going the same direction). Clearly this was less effective at turning points. Exactly how many aircraft fell victom to collisions will never be known.
As for the return to base, the following is from a book written by Australian Don Charlwood, a navigator who after the war got into ATC and was, eventually, heavily involved in the selection and training of ATCs in Australia for many years. The book is called Take-off to Touchdown: The Story of Air Traffic Control, and was published in 1967:
Each bomber Group had a variation on this system, and I believe it was standardised across the entire Command in early 1944 or thereabouts. I do have a record of a 467 Squadron crew whose pilot received instruction in the "5 Group Quick Landing Scheme" in January of that year. This differed from the system that Charlwood explains by the addition of a second radio frequency - aircrft were organised in the stack on one freq and then transfered to the second one once actually in the circuit. With up to 40 bombers all arriving over the airfield at once this was to reduce frequency congestion. It was quite efficient, with an aircraft landing every minute or so. I've seen one particular night where three bombers landed inside the same minute, a remarkable effort!
So the simple answer to your question is: flares and lights only on the way out, and radios for the return. Clearly radio silence was no longer reuired once the target had been hit!
Once actually airborne and on the way out a nd back there was no such thing as ATC as we now know it; everyone who was able to simply kept a good look-out! The theory was that if everyone flew the same headings out to the target there would be minimal collisions in the bomber stream (because everyone would be going the same direction). Clearly this was less effective at turning points. Exactly how many aircraft fell victom to collisions will never be known.
As for the return to base, the following is from a book written by Australian Don Charlwood, a navigator who after the war got into ATC and was, eventually, heavily involved in the selection and training of ATCs in Australia for many years. The book is called Take-off to Touchdown: The Story of Air Traffic Control, and was published in 1967:
As they approached England on their return journey, the aircraft would split up. About fifteen miles from home, each would call its own control tower using the tower's radio call-sign - a strange assortment of call-signs, all of them distinctive to avoid confusion with others: Eggwhisk, Hotpipe, Porkchop, Dopey, Fusspot, Bluefrock and so on.
As soon as these calls were made, RAF flying control would take over. Although the flying control officer directed the operation, a girl would use the microphone - a distinctive voice among the many male voices calling for instructions.
The first aircraft to call would normally be given first to land; the succeeding aircraft would then be 'stacked' one above the other at one thousand foot intervals. All would circle the aerodrome awaiting turns to land.
Let us take as an example the well-known RAF aerodrome of Manston. The first returning bomber to call Manston control might be B for Baker. The exchange of requests and instructions would run as follows:
'Hello Bluefrock, this is Baker. Over.'
'Hello Baker, this is Bluefrock. Clear to land runway 18, QFE1002. Over.'
'Hello Bluefrock, this is Baker. Wilco. Out.'
Which meant that B for Baker was to land in the direction of 180 degrees - or to the south - and that the adjustment to the altimeter to ensure that it read the aircraft's correct height above the aerodrome was 1002 millibars. Baker's reply of 'wilco' simply meant 'will comply'.
Below them the crew of -Baker would see a widespread circle of lights surrounding not only the arodrome but extending over a mile from the landing area. In the blacked-out conditions of wartime England this 'outer circle' would show up clearly on all but the worst nights. The pilot would follow this circle round at a thousand feet until he reached the downwind side of the aerodrome. There he would call, 'Downwind', to which the tower would reply, 'Pancake', signifying 'Clear to land'. The pilot would begin descending then from a thousand feet and turn to face the runway in use, guided by a 'funnel' of lights leading to the flarepath itself. Lastly he would watch for a green light from the airfield controller, who was positioned in a van beside the runway and had an uninterrupted view of runway activity.
In the meantime the second aircraft to call would have been given No. 2 to land, the third No. 3, and so on. These numbers not only gave pilots their tun to land, but also the altitude in thousands of feet at which they were required to circle - No 2 at 2000 feet, No 3 at 3000 feet. As Baker left 1000 feet, No 2 would be instructed to commence his approach, and No 3 woud be stepped down to 2000 feet and become No 2.
Once an aircraft had landed, a system of taxiway lights at ground level guided it to its parking place.
As soon as these calls were made, RAF flying control would take over. Although the flying control officer directed the operation, a girl would use the microphone - a distinctive voice among the many male voices calling for instructions.
The first aircraft to call would normally be given first to land; the succeeding aircraft would then be 'stacked' one above the other at one thousand foot intervals. All would circle the aerodrome awaiting turns to land.
Let us take as an example the well-known RAF aerodrome of Manston. The first returning bomber to call Manston control might be B for Baker. The exchange of requests and instructions would run as follows:
'Hello Bluefrock, this is Baker. Over.'
'Hello Baker, this is Bluefrock. Clear to land runway 18, QFE1002. Over.'
'Hello Bluefrock, this is Baker. Wilco. Out.'
Which meant that B for Baker was to land in the direction of 180 degrees - or to the south - and that the adjustment to the altimeter to ensure that it read the aircraft's correct height above the aerodrome was 1002 millibars. Baker's reply of 'wilco' simply meant 'will comply'.
Below them the crew of -Baker would see a widespread circle of lights surrounding not only the arodrome but extending over a mile from the landing area. In the blacked-out conditions of wartime England this 'outer circle' would show up clearly on all but the worst nights. The pilot would follow this circle round at a thousand feet until he reached the downwind side of the aerodrome. There he would call, 'Downwind', to which the tower would reply, 'Pancake', signifying 'Clear to land'. The pilot would begin descending then from a thousand feet and turn to face the runway in use, guided by a 'funnel' of lights leading to the flarepath itself. Lastly he would watch for a green light from the airfield controller, who was positioned in a van beside the runway and had an uninterrupted view of runway activity.
In the meantime the second aircraft to call would have been given No. 2 to land, the third No. 3, and so on. These numbers not only gave pilots their tun to land, but also the altitude in thousands of feet at which they were required to circle - No 2 at 2000 feet, No 3 at 3000 feet. As Baker left 1000 feet, No 2 would be instructed to commence his approach, and No 3 woud be stepped down to 2000 feet and become No 2.
Once an aircraft had landed, a system of taxiway lights at ground level guided it to its parking place.
So the simple answer to your question is: flares and lights only on the way out, and radios for the return. Clearly radio silence was no longer reuired once the target had been hit!
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Thank you
Thanks for the informative replies, everyone. The WWII information is very interesting. Thanks for taking the trouble to post that material, DC10RM & kookabat.
My source of information on clearances has obviously misled me (or been misunderstood?) I stand corrected.
My source of information on clearances has obviously misled me (or been misunderstood?) I stand corrected.
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ATC history
I have a few pages coveing the history of ATC at Ronaldsway, Isle of Man, from 1937 to the present day although I haven't yet covered military ATC in WW2 (mainly beacuse there are still major gaps in my understanding of it). Despite being first RAF Ronaldsway and then HMS Urley, the civil ATC continued right through the war years - there are some interesting surviving ATC Watch Logs from the time!
75 Years of Air Traffic Control in the Isle of Man
If you go to Elvington airfield just outside York (really worth the visit just for the aircraft) they have preserved the WW2 control tower and resored it to show operations at that time.
BTW - any corrections or additions to my web pages would be most greatfully recieved - is Ronaldsway the oldest continuously operation ATC unit in Britain? I think it may be.
75 Years of Air Traffic Control in the Isle of Man
If you go to Elvington airfield just outside York (really worth the visit just for the aircraft) they have preserved the WW2 control tower and resored it to show operations at that time.
BTW - any corrections or additions to my web pages would be most greatfully recieved - is Ronaldsway the oldest continuously operation ATC unit in Britain? I think it may be.
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are there any books on the history of ATC in the UK? I'm sure I read a series in the GATCO magazine a few years ago that was very interesting and I wonder if it was taken from a book. I don't mean the Heathrow ATC book as I've got that (and I'm named twice as well!). Just a general UK book is what I'm after. Ta
Many moons ago, CATC had an old film of Croydon airport including bits on ATC. The film was in a terrible state so we had it professionally copied, hopefully it's still there.
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There he would call, 'Downwind', to which the tower would reply, 'Pancake', signifying 'Clear to land'. The pilot would begin descending then from a thousand feet and turn to face the runway in use, guided by a 'funnel' of lights leading to the flarepath itself. Lastly he would watch for a green light from the airfield controller, who was positioned in a van beside the runway and had an uninterrupted view of runway activity.
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On the first question... my understanding, from reading many different sources and from talking to many Bomber Command veterans, is that aircrews were taken by truck to their dispersals some time (up to an hour or so) before departure. The signal to start engines would be a green flare fired from the watch office (or a red flare if the operation was 'scrubbed' at the last minute). Then the bombers would start their engines and taxi around the perimeter track to the duty runway.
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When the bombers returned to their bases they were "stacked" at 500 feet intervals over the airfield utilizing visual "pundit" lights which were lights flashing the individual airfield code in Morse (We still have one at our GA airfield in Shropshire)
27 OTU at Lichfield had a stacking pattern that involved a leg from O/H Tattenhil to Lichfield. In bad weather I wouldnt have thought an ID Pundit light woulkd have been much use for stacking.
It should be rememebered when discussing ATC procedures in WW2 that there was little or no control at the start of the war and that many procedures and aids wre developed as a result of the increased trafic levels, Sandra and Drem being two examples
