[Milsurplus] WWII EW Efforts

[Mike Morrow]

>For those interested in electronic warfare, look for a book called
>"The Wizard War."  Fascinating.

One of the very top talents in the UK's A.D.I.(Science) scientific intelligence organization in WWII was Sir Reginald V. Jones, CBE.  In 1978 he wrote "Most Secret War" describing these efforts.  The book was reprinted in paperback in 1998.

This book contains a great amount of technical details about the German navigation and bombing and radar systems that Jones was combatting, and the British systems that were used to counter them.  The author was a very gifted writer, one who adds many side discussions of personal, historical, or technical interest.  Highly recommended.

He discusses all those electronic emissions of allied bombers, which apparently were the best aid that German nightfighters had for locating allied bombers.   His office recommended turning off the IFF transponders, which some pilots apparently refused to do because they erroneously thought that their IFF somehow interfered with German searchlight radars.  

Apparently most of those tail-warning radars were abandoned after only short periods of use for the reason that they served as nightfighter homing beacons (this isn't addressed in the book)!

Mike / KK5F