ATC History
Hi Vercingetorix.
I remember Mediator stage 1/2 very well. 1970 I joined and was on B Watch. D.H.H. Hall was the Supervisor if my failing memory serves me.
Loved it from the day I started.
Did any of you guys work at the Radar trials at Mildenhall in 1943?
Intruders were becoming a big problem as they followed the bomber stream returning to their bases. Joined the circuit and then shot down as many aircraft as possible.
IFF had already been in existance for some time but the equipment was very large, kept going off tune or just failing. The early experiments were carried out using Sunderlands. Eventually the size of the kit was reduced and reliability improved and it was decided to fit sets to a pair of Wellingtons.
A small radar tube (taken from a Flower Class Minesweeper)was set up behing a curtain in the control tower at Mildenhall for a demonstration. I think the scan was yellow with blue traces appearing on it.
The aircraft could be followed around the circuit but the two Wellingtons did NOT show as a double blip because both pilots had forgotten to switch the equipment on.
A Officer pointed to the radar screen and asked how did the operator know that it was not the enemy. Realising that all was not going well the operator replied by saying that when the aircraft flew into the overhead, they could all go onto the balcony, the aircraft would be lit and they could watch it fly overhead.
This they did, only to see a German light bomber drop a stick of bombs across the airfield. No one was injured.
Also there to watch the display was Vincent Millar who was pushing for more Flying Control in the RAF. He immediately saw the benefit that could be obtained by this piece of kit.
Interestingly, when they were experimenting with the setting up of the radar head, they found the best way to reduce ground echoes was to turn the head upside down and position it in a shallow hollow in the ground.
All the best.
xpz67