Wireless in aircraft

4 May 2003, 03:02 AM

Hi all,

Some time ago, someone posted a thread in here relating to wireless in aircraft.

I have a copy of a special operations order appertaining to an operation flown by 100 Squadron on the night of 5/6 September 1917, when one aircraft was used as a "spotter" aircraft, flying at "not less than 6000 feet", and was used to communicate (with a wireless set fitted to the aircraft) details of enemy aerodromes which became illuminated, back to base in order that already-airborne patrols could then be alerted and dispatched to bomb the illuminated aerodrome.

If the person who was asking about the wireless would like a copy of this order, please post back here, or send me a message at spamtrap@greg-harrison.co.uk (this email addy is valid and designed to fool the spam harvesters), and i'll photocopy it and send it to you.

Best wishes to all as always,

Greg

P.S. Mike, if you're reading this, i'll post you the 216 Sqn raid report this week, i promise!!

Lufbery · 4 May 2003, 06:07 PM

Greg,

I think that was me. If it wasn't, I'm still interested. I'll drop you an e-mail note with my home address and we can work out the details then.

Thanks!

-Drew

5 May 2003, 02:36 AM

Hi Drew,

No problem, send me your address and i'll post it off to you. Although in about 3 weeks, when i've clearly forgotten to post it, do feel free to remind me, as i have a memory like a sieve!!

There's no technical data included with the report, but it is interesting if only as a good example of the early application of wireless in aircraft

Best wishes,

Greg

Vigilant · 5 May 2003, 03:39 AM

Greg

Very intersting indeed. My understanding was that ground-to-air radio was very little used by the RFC. What you describe is tactically quite sophisticated - any idea whether it was a success? or did chaos ensue??

Vig.

5 May 2003, 06:52 AM

Hi Vig,

The Raid reports seem to indicate that some degree of success was achieved. As soon as the airborne wireless-fitted aircraft observed an enemy aerodrome to become illuminated, a message was sent back to 100 Squadron's airfield, and in the words of the report, "much useful information was received and easily deciphered". The wireless fitted machine was one of the squadron's BE2Es. As a result, bombs were dropped on the hangars at Lezennes, on Bisseghem aerodrome, and on several railway tagets that became illuminated during the course of the evening.

I'd be happy to copy the report for you Vig, if it is of interest, and post it to you. It's only 2 sheets of A3, and as i said before, there isn't any technical gen in it, but as an example on the use of wireless in aircraft, it is very interesting

Best wishes,

Greg

Lufbery · 5 May 2003, 02:28 PM

Hey Greg,

I had trouble with the e-mail address that you posted here, so check your private messages.

Regards,

StephenLawson · 6 May 2003, 10:22 AM

Greetings all: Also a wireless was mounted in the Fok. D.VII 660/18 and used in Kest 1a.

jempie · 8 May 2003, 05:55 AM

hello!
From a Ducth bookwork (published into The Netherlands) about Interned Planes WWI:
1 december 1915 near Aardenburg (close to Belgian border!) an Albatros B.III B 876 (n° 940) stranded into this plane a radio send installation was placed.
(emitter only, no receiver yet!)
The Dutch at hand of this installation gave orders to their industries to make others following this principle.On 27st September 1917 the first ones were installed and tested and this on a L.V.G. C-II captured plane the (NL) LA 29.
1917, 12th May, a Spowitch(Firefly) n° 5154 W54 stranded near Cadzand (just over the belgian border) and was interned. This one had a complete emitter-receiver radio installation on board.
5th july 1917 the installation was tested and on 13th July 1917 both named planes got contact with each other into the air...The Sopwitch with emitter-receiver, the L.V.G. could only sent messages for sure!

VBR

Jempie

jempie · 8 May 2003, 06:02 AM

hello!

I made a typeo!

Installations from Dutch emitter radiao isntallations happend from 27th April 1917 on!
Not September!
To avoid discussions about dates!

Sorry!

VBR
Jempie!

retread · 11 May 2003, 03:49 AM

*The wireless thread refered to was posted Feb. 14th of this year by "willycoppens" and eventually included the information that by May,1918 the Brits had installed transmitter-recievers capable of air to air and air to ground comms in 22 Sqdn. BE2's. That surprised me.
* There is some good info regarding aerial observation from the German viewpoint. Hans Schroder's excellent book and just recently an article by Hans-Gerd Rabe in "Over the Front" (Winter-2003). Whats out there from the Brits/Americans/French? Is anyone aware of training manuals (or even training outlines)from any nation during the war dealing with aerial observation?