[Milsurplus] Navigation System

[C Whitaker]

de WB2CPN  

What we were taught, back in 1945 and the 20 years in USAF
Communications following, was that no matter what the story
books said, the Lady Be Good was taking DF steers from the
VHF DF at the base.  The operator there made the reciprocal
error, which was not uncommon.  What is uncommon is that
there were no more steers after overflying the base.  The standard
approach was to fly across the DF, go outbound for about two
minutes, do a 360 or a turn to get on the runway azmuth, (take up
the inbound heading DF gives you), and start a decent.
Communications between the plane and the DF operator broke
down during this critical maneuver.  On those raids we don't know
for sure if all the electronics on the airplane were working.  And
after a hard day's night its much better to relax, lay back, and be
told where home is.  I was a VHF DF operator on occasion, and
there must be some old pilots out there who know what I mean.
They must be real old by now.  I'm 77.

73  Clete