Can anyone fill me in on these exactly.I have been told that they used Wellingtons which were painted all black(except for a lot of red patches) and no Squadron markings. How did they operate & for what purpose would crews have been trained for them? Were they just used for Bomber Command?
Hi Linda Ths SBA System was not specific to any one A/C Type it was intended to provide nav guidance along a pre-detemined line usually a runway centre-line.It comprised 2 radio lobes that overlapped,One was coded.- the other-.(morse a and n) the overlapped mixed the 2 into a continuous tone. Fly along it and you ended up on the runway.Marker beacons at 10 and 5mls gave guidance for descent.Clearly it could be used to lay nav lines anywhere within range of the transmitter. Your black Wellingtons could possibly have been used during SBA developement or at long er range for route marking say with air markers Dick
Linda wrote: Can anyone fill me in on these exactly.I have been told that they used Wellingtons which were painted all black(except for a lot of red patches) and no Squadron markings. How did they operate & for what purpose would crews have been trained for them? Were they just used for Bomber Command?
Thanks Matt & Dick - I was given a copy of a letter re "C" Flight,214 sqdn,Stradishall, saying that this particular airman was posted there in 1941 for the purpose of introducing S.B.A. into 3 group,in particular,generally Bomber Command.They had the job of demonstrating the new system, taking advantage of the winter weather to show its efficiency, to give pilots,operators and navigators confidence in its use.They had a skeleton crew of 2,(Alf cooke & a Wally walsh who went on to become W.Cmdr Walsh, DFC.
Also one of my New Zealanders that i am researching also took part in another one 1512 Beam approach training Flight at Banff , Scotland.
Do i presume that these systems were used eventually as i havent heard of them before.
Hi Linda The SBA System was used quite widely . It lasted until 1961 when the last one in the RAF was withdrawn at RAF Ternhill when No.6 FTS moved from there to Acklington.I know this because I was in the process of failing to become a Pilot on 6 FTS at the time but I could fly on instruments and did use the SBA!! After leaving Acklington the RAF promoted me to Civilian and I had to go and work for my living at Civil ATC for 37yrs!!! Dick
Hi Dick, Many thanks for all the info. I do like to look into things when i havent heard of them before and also the fact that you used the SBA, means that the info is accurate!Many thanks.
Hi Dick, Many thanks for all the info. I do like to look into things when i havent heard of them before and also the fact that you used the SBA, means that the info is accurate!Many thanks.
RAF Hullavinton had Wellingtons for their Air Navigation School and used SBA. I worked on ground radio servicing as well as the airborne equipment about 1950. Ex Wireless Fitter (now 83) I remember the coffee drinder remote tuning in the ****pit to tune in the signal from the end of the runway. Also remember the 35T Eimac tubes in the output stage of the runway transmitter glowing with red hot anodes. Working on the bench with the receiving equipment I could pick up the inner and outer markers for altitude adjustment on the glide path. The signal would give big bursts of amplitude when an aircraft was approaching before being in sight, with the reflected sinal from the aircraft phasing with the direct path signal.I note taht Hullavington is no more.
Dad's Skipper took his BAT Course (Beam Approach Training) while at No. 20 Pilot's Advanced Flying Unit at RAF Kidlington & the satellite field at Weston-on-the-Green on Airspeed Oxfords.
In simplified terms a transmitter created a pair of audible aerial highways which crossed over an aerodrome and divided the area into four distinct quadrants for about 30 or 40 miles. One leg of the beam was lined up with the main runway so that a homing aircraft within the confines of its "on-course" signal could be brought in directly upon the line of the runway.
By learning to "fly the beam" it was possible to identify the specific quadrant an aircraft was in and additional ancillary features of tones in the pilot's headphones at inner markers allowed a pilot to make a blind landing even without visibility if there as fog or mist or very low cloud. Naturally this was quite dangerous but at least in extreme conditions it was possible to even fly the aircraft right onto the runway blind.
When weather conditions didn't cooperate in the training regimen the pilot was "put under the hood" a black canvas affair which essentially simulated reduced visibilty. Sometimes the instructors could literally talk the pilot right to touch down while they were so blinded.
The Beam was a remarkable life saving bit of technolgy and it is fascinating to try to imagine its use. BAT Courses alowed pilots to learn, develop confidence and trust in the system. As Dad's WAG related in a letter to me once they utilized the beam at OTU on Wellingtons on a night training flight when they encountered extremely heavy rain & fog and were waved off multiple times until finally they elected to land without permisson figuring it couldn't be any more dangerous than attempting to remain airborne. The Skipper and Nav were then ordered to report to the Station Commander where they received a right proper blast who concluded his tirade with a "but nice flying, Bill" (Those Canadian rascals were always getting themselves in trouble!)
Let me know if you want a more detailed description of the beam. I have a good write-up on it here someplace.
Linda R Ibrom
