Blenheim Mk IF with a radar (AI Mk.III radar)

[Mikael Olrog]

Hello,

I'm looking for a photo of a Blenheim Mk IF with an early radar (AI Mk.III) for inclusion in an upcoming book. Can anyone help or suggest a source that I can contact? Haven't really seen any photos but my RAF library is rather limited - shouldn't there have been photos in reports or handbooks etc?

Best regards
/Mike

[bearoutwest]

Hello Mike,


A few extracts from Warner's "The Bristol Blenheim - A Complete History" (great book, though a little difficult to quickly find references in):
(p.158-159)
Radar
- doesn't say which squadron, but perhaps just 'D" Flight of Bawdsey Manor Establishment, operating at Martlesham Heath, K7033, K7034 and K7044, were first aircraft to carry primitive AI air-to-air radar sets.
- other aircraft involved in "radar development and calibration and AI trials" included L1113, L4931, L4932, L6595, L6622 and L1201.

(p.164-165, quoted verbatim)
Night-fighter Blenheims
In November 1938 Mk I L6622 was based with the A&AEE at Martlesham Heath to work with Bawdsey on air-to-air radar, being joined by L6627 in March 1939. L6622 went to the RAE at Farnborough to join L6624 there, and was then sent back to the A&AEE on 2 January 1940. L6623, L6625 and L6626 had been engaged on similar radar development work. The fruit of their research was a top secret but world-leading order, issued on 17 July 1939, for 21 Blenheim Mk I-Fs to be equipped with Mk III AI sets at RAE Farnborough, and the first, L1290, was delivered to 25 Squadron on the 31st, and 15 aircraft with the new device were in service by the outbreak of war. By November 1939 604 Squadron had L6802 and L6807, while 600 Squadron had three AI-equipped I-Fs (L1494, L4906 and L8669), which were detached to a special flight at RAF Manston in a futile attempt to catch the Heinkel He.115s that were mining the Thames Estuary by night - no successful interceptions were made as the ground returns on the elementary AI radar obscured the ‘blips’ of the low-level raiders. This flight, under S/Ldr (later Air Marshal) Walter Pretty, who had commanded one of the early Chain Home Low radar stations, was developed into the Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere. AI sets were installed in the ten Mk I-Fs serving with the FIU, whose aircraft (L1186, L6651/88, 6720/88, 6805/35/36/37/38) were used for extensive trials - and operationally whenever possible - to develop radar-assisted interception methods. The FIU moved to Ford and, as we will see, achieved an historic first when F/O G. Ashfield in L6836 made the first ever successful radar-guided night interception using Mk IV AI and shot down a Dornier Do.17Z on the night of 22/23 July 1940. Sixteen brand-new Blenheim Mk IV-Fs (P4829-37 and P4844-50) were delivered straight from Bristol to the RAE at Farnbnrough during September and October I939 for AI sets to be fitted before issue to the Special Duty Flight and the night-fighter squadrons over the winter.

A flight of 25 Squadron was detached from Northolt to Martlesham Heath in November 1939 to re-equip with Mk IV-Fs from that batch, fitted with Mk III AI, and cumrnenced North Sea patrols at night, but there was a lack of ‘trade’ for them. 604 Squadron received P4847, its first Mk IV-F fitted with AI, in December 1939, just before it moved to Marllesham Heath for intensive Al trials and training. Other Mk IV-Fs from that special radar-equipped batch were P4830/32/34/48 for the Special Duty Flight; P4829/37/46 for 600 Squadron; P4833/35/45 for 29 Squadron; P4836/44 for 23 Squadron; and P4849/50 for 64 Squadron.

(extracts from p.239, quoted verbatim)
Two more Mk I-Fs were lost on 31 July when L1408 of 25 Squadron and L6722 of 29 Squadron collided over the Bristol Channel while carrying out tests with their new Al radar sets; all aboard both aircraft were killed... .

...The first practical version of Al was the Mk IV, an improvement over the earlier experimental marks, and the first to be rushed into full production — only 25 of the bulky and very temperamental earlier Mk lll sets had been ordered just before the outbreak of war. The FIU operated ten Mk l-Fs with AI
radar - L1186, L1340, L1404, L6688, L6788, L6805, L6835, L6836 (which scored the historic ‘first'), L6837 and L6838. The Radar Developnlent & Training Flight at Martlesham Heath operated L6622, L6624 and L6627.


As for photos, there is a photo of the black-boxes associated with the A.I. MkIII, but nothing specifically noted as a Blenheim Mk If equipped with A.I. MkIII. (Though I've not had reason to go through each photo caption of stub-nose fighter Blenheim.)


Hope this, at least, points you in an appropriate direction to search.


Regards, ...geoff

[knusel]

Good afternoon Mike and Geoff,

currently, I'm working through "Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2" by Jon Lake. It's well-written but I found some minor mistakes:
p53: the given name of Blenheim VC winner Mr Edwards is Hughie not Hugh
p67: the leading RAF night fighter ace is Branse Burbridge not John Braham
p67: the most successful Blenheim fighter pilot is Reginald Peacock not Michael Herrick

On p67 you also find a photo of a Blenheim IF with AI Mk III radar.

I wish you a good progress with your new book,

Michael

[Mikael Olrog]

Hi Geogg and Michael,

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated - (my library only holds the Squadron Signal booklet on the Blenheim :-) so the information is much appreciated.

/Mike

[Chris Goss]

Possible source is Bristol Blenheim Mk I & IF by Alan Price might help; I have a copy

[knusel]

The Bristol Blenheim is very much of a R.A.F. B.E.2c of WW2. Both aircraft produced three VC winners, both had a top-scorer with 3 kills. Both were unsuited for air combat and too many airmen were sacrificed flying missions im them.

[bearoutwest]

A few more snippets of info:
"Gentlemen in Blue (600 Squadron)" has a photo of a Blenheim Mk IVf with the aerials of the A.I. Mk.III radar in Appendix IV.

"Bristol Blenheim" by Chaz Bowyer (1984) has a number of photos of Blenheim Mk If's in Ch6 'Night Hunters' but none have the radar aerials visible. (pp55-58)

"Night Fighters - A development & combat history" by Bill Gunston (1976) has a photo of Blenheim If of 54 OTU (YX-N) with the radar aerials visible. (p.106)

It's the same photo as noted by Michael (knusel) in "Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2".
- by the way, Hughie is the diminutive/nickname of Hugh as used by fellow Australians (and others).


...geoff

[knusel]

Hello Geoff,

the VC citation uses "Hughie" which inclines me to pronounce that one as his given name. What's written on his tombstone ?

Best greetings from Switzerland,

Michael

[bearoutwest]

Michael,


That's a very good point on Hughie Edwards' name.

The document titles in the National Archives Australia refer to him as Hughie Idwal Edwards. Unfortunately, none of those documents are viewable on-line.
The Australian War Memorial website refers to him as Hughie I. Edwards.

The Oz@war website, run by historian Peter Dunn, notes him as Hugh I. Edwards, VC....


His gravestone is up the road from me at Karrakatta Cemetery in Fremantle. So a visit might be in order one day.


...geoff

[knusel]

Good afternoon Geoff,

this is his grave, isn't it ?:
https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/7...hughie-edwards

Cheers,

Michael