Hi David, I think in this context it may refer to jamming efforts ie. ABC etc http://www.awm.gov.au/events/conference/2003/west.asp Regards, Dave
David My understanding is the same as yours in that Y aircraft = H2S equipped aircraft. 35 Squadron, as part of the PFF, utilised the equipment to more accurately locate and "blind mark" the target for the main bomber stream. I don't know whether non PFF squadrons were equipped with H2S as well; would be interested to hear what others have to say on this matter. Regards Pete
Hi Pete and David, No. 101 Squadron was non-PFF. Equipped with H2S late 1944. But because of their ABC duties, they flew on every Main Force (including non 1 Group) raid from September 1943 until war's end so I am presuming they weren't your "average" BC squadron. As an example they were first to receive the Browning .5 machine guns and the Rose Bros rear turret. Regards, Dave
The Y refers to the German Y Listening Service ,ie a Luftwaffe radar interception service. Bomber Command developed what we now call ECM (Electronic Counter Measures). Bomber Command could then bomb targets after deceiving or jamming the Luftwaffe radar systems using a range of ECM measures So it follows that any aircraft carrying ECM equipment capable of negating Luftwaffe radars were termed Y aircraft. H2S was solely a bombing radar and could not be described as a jammer. On the other hand while transmitting could give the game away to the other side. No 100 BS Group became the mainstay of the RAF ECM organisation but equipment such as Window was available to such squadrons as PFF and BC aircraft. Mandrel was often utilised by Mosquito aircraft from No 100 Group. Looking at the ECM features utilised by the RAF and USAAF. Window......totally confused the Luftwaffe air defence system when first used...carried by most BC aircraft...a triumph on D Day to deceive the enemy as regards Channel traffic. Airborne Cigar ....purely audio...generation of noise taken from aircraft engines and transmitted on the spot frequency as the fighter box controller/fighter RT communication. Carpet .... jamming of Wurzburg early warning radars. Jostle........jamming of German R/T transmissions and only fitted to No100 Group B17s and B24s.(Murder of B17 Jostle crew forum topic recently) Mandrel .....jamming of EW radars and airborne radars. Piperack.....USAAF device used to jam German airborne AI gear. Shiver.......jamming of Wurzburg early warning radars. Tinsel. purely audio (RCM) similar to ABC where engine noise could be transmitted on the varying frequency of the fighter box controller/fighter RT communication. Tuba .......jamming of Wurzburg early warning radars.
Pete, I suppose H2S was exclusive to Pathfinders for a certain period then as the equipment became more plentiful it was rolled out to other squadrons. 102 sqdn got theirs in late January '44 and commenced training crews in Feb. Both 102 and 10 Sqdns were taking off from Pocklington on H2S training flights and then gardening ops to places like Oslo Fjord and Kiel Bay using H2S. By June both 1652 and 1663 HCU's were instructing H2S, D flight at 1663 being a designated H2S flight. I don't know whether you got to the bottom of which HCU your F/E went to but there is an interesting note in Rufforths Orbs stating that in June twenty one H2S crews were trained by D flight, 5 of these crews going to PFF and in July twenty one H2S crews again trained this time 6 to PFF and 2 to Special Duties. No mention of any crew names unfortunately Rgds Pete
Pete Thanks for the feedback. I have no detail on which HCU the crew were at other than "41 Base", which obviously included Rufforth; I know they arrived in late May 1944 which suggests that they would have trained using H2S. It's a shame the ORB's don't show the crews involved. Regards Pete
