Book Reviews TOP SECRET WORCESTERSHIRE by S Burrows and M Layton
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Book Reviews TOP SECRET WORCESTERSHIRE By S Burrows and M Layton Brewin Books, Studley. 2018. 216pp. Illustrated. £14.95 ISBN 978-1-85858-581-9. This very readable book could be subtitled ‘Flight test work at Defford and Pershore airfields in support of radar development during and after WW2’. But obviously the publishers wanted a somewhat more eye-catching title! The book can be read by anyone interested in the recent history of Worcestershire and by those who enjoy books on how we won the war. It ought to be in most local bookshops next to such popular volumes as Herefordshire and Worcs Airfields in the Second World War in the Countryside book series. However, the treatment is different, as the book is made more Above: WB492 was the first of three Avro Ashton 3 aircraft and was used by the Radar Research human from anecdotal reminiscences from those Flying Unit, Defford, for radar bombing research. BAE Systems. who were there, or their now grownup children. Also, of course, the thrust of the volume is on radar development and how these flight test airfields supported this work and the ‘boffins’ at Malvern. The book thus balances the technical side with the human and social side. There are some plans and lots of pictures, many supplied by those providing anecdotes to the authors. It is not a ‘heavy’ technical book but presents enough detail about wavelengths, frequency bands and radar properties to achieve near the vulnerable south coast. Thus the move of the understanding of how this helped the war effort. the Telecommunications Research Establishment The competition between Klystron and Magnetron (TRE) to Malvern and its growth to the post-war is a key feature of the early years. Fortunately Royal Research and Development Establishment for winning the war the Magnetron came out as (RRDE) and Royal Signals and Radar Establishment superior but nearly did not because of a horrific (RSRE) and onwards to DRA, DERA then QinetiQ flying accident. are all charted although in less detail as the In fact, the horrors of wartime flying are not more recent work of Malvern is not in the public shied away from and the tragedies are described for domain. The story also covers the work of the the flight test department and the other users of the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU), Special airfields, such as the bomber training squadrons that Installation Unit (SIU) and Radar Research Flying had to support the 1,000-bomber raids but did not Unit (RRFU) among others. The Defford flight test all came back. airfield was closed in 1957 and the work transferred The backbone of the book is to take the reader to Pershore. However, the authors cover Pershore’s through the use of radar [RAdio Detection And story from its start and includes its wartime history Ranging] in the development of applications to as a bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU) help win the war. It thus covers OBOE and H2S and the Ferry Unit. In fact, the later part of the (navigational and bombing aids), ASV [Air-to- book highlights the development of the Defford Surface-Vessel] (to detect submarines) and other radio telescope as part of the radio astronomy radar systems such as Boozer (counter-measure), interferometry chain in support of Jodrell Bank. Not Monica, Moonshine, Parrot (early IFF [Identification The book is a surprising, as Sir Bernard Lovell spent the war at Friend or Foe]), Mandrel and Rebecca with BABS good read and Defford. [Beam Approach Beacon System] (for instrument may lead many The book is a good read and may lead many approaches) among others. All are described in the to want to know more about the area and its text. Their contributions to the war are all explained to want to know contribution to radar development. This is helped with support of anecdotes of those airmen who more about by copious references and acknowledgements to needed to use them. the area and publications and the museums and heritage groups In the background to this book is the migration its contribution who maintain the sites and memorabilia. to Malvern of the various organisations that developed these radar applications and their need to radar Eur Ing Mike Stanberry for safety during WW2 from their original sites development FRAeS 44 AEROSPACE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN AIR TRANSPORTATION By A Benito and G Alonso Solar panels at Narita Airport. be integrated into the market. One of the most Takashi M. interesting points concerns how the introduction of energy efficient aircraft can lead to faster fleet Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, The Boulevard, renewal, owing to the cost of inefficiency, shortening Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK. the economic life of older models of aircraft and 2018. vi; 235pp. Illustrated. £111. ISBN 978-0-12- demonstrating the importance of fuel costs in 812581-6. airlines’ business decisions. As well as covering all the essential areas of If you are looking for a great introduction to energy energy reduction regarding aircraft design and efficiency and the aviation industry, then you’ve operations in each stage of flight, there are obvious found it with this book. It starts broad, setting the limitations on how much these can be developed wider scene of energy and transport, before moving in the future. This leaves other areas of reduction into specific elements of air transport system from taking an important role in the overall energy aircraft design to operational procedures, air traffic reduction of the industry, particularly at airports. control and infrastructure. The concluding chapters Here, some of the strategies covered by the authors focus more broadly again on environmental issues may be obvious, such as the installation of solar and efficiency-related regulation and certification. panels, but also covers those that are less well While aviation undoubtedly has a huge benefit known; like the use of geothermal technology to to society and the economy, minimalisation of melt ice and snow on runways, thus reducing the its energy use is vital; not only because of the use of snowploughs, as well as harmful chemical negative environmental impacts it has but also to de-icing. allow for sustainable growth as the resources it Other books on this topic can be overwhelming relies on become scarcer and costlier. This book with pages full of equations, so this book is does not preach a specific solution but gives a refreshing in its brevity while somehow still being comprehensive overview of how far the industry very comprehensive. It may not win any awards for has come and the options available going forward, While aviation writing and a big downside is the high price but, including real world examples of where strategies undoubtedly overall, I would strongly recommend this to both have been deployed. has a huge those who are either looking for a great introduction The more in-depth chapters focus on the energy to the topic, or those with more familiarity looking efficiency measures in most areas, both on the benefit to for a place where all the information is brought ground and in the sky. For example, the chapter society and together in a succinct, well-structured way. on aircraft design gives an overview of efficiency the economy, past, present and future. It doesn’t just look at the minimalisation introduction of technology and new aircraft types, Dr Holly A Edwards such as the A320neo and B737 MAX in isolation, of its energy Environment Specialist but instead gives an insight into how these will use is vital NATS JANUARY 2020 45 Book Reviews “THE MAN WHO TOOK THE RAP” Sir Robert Brooke-Popham and the Fall of Singapore By P Dye Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA. 2018. xx; 426pp. Illustrated. $44.95. ISBN 978-168247-358-0. It was high time that someone wrote a biography of Sir Robert Brooke-Popham who played a significant role in the evolution of the Royal Air Force and there can be no better man for the task than Air Vice- Marshal Peter Dye who gave 35 years dedicated service as an engineer officer before spending six years as the Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum. His earlier book The Bridge to Airpower (Naval Institute Press. 2015) – reviewed in AEROSPACE August 2016 – was a definitive account of the development of the logistic and engineering support Officers of the Royal Flying Corps. From left: Lieutenant Geoffrey de Havilland, Captain Dawes, system of the Service during 1914-1918 and Captain Gordon, Lieutenant Wadham, Major Robert Brooke-Popham, Lieutenant Playfair, Lieutenant much of this was down to the remarkable energy Charteris, Major Frederick Sykes, Lieutenant Ashton, Lieutenant L’Estrange Maloney, Commander Sampson, Lieutenant Spender Grey, Lieutenant Barrington Kennett and Lieutenant Fox. and foresight of Brooke-Popham who, for over IWM (RAE-O 790). four years, worked tirelessly in France to create an organisation which endured. When the war ended ‘B-P’ had a series of important appointments: he was the first He had a formidable task. As a joint commander, Commandant of the RAF Staff College and then he had operational control of land and air forces the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of Fighting but no authority over the colonial administration. Area (which was to become Fighter Command). Surprisingly, the naval forces remained under the Next, he then went to the most important overseas operational control of the Admiralty. B-P’s tasks command as AOC Iraq where he oversaw the air were to avoid war with Japan and to improve policing activities and also gained experience of political/military co-ordination across the region.