I have downloaded some a great old radio series called Cloak And Dagger, which is based on a book by the same name with each episode telling the supposedly true stories of OSS agents from the files of the Washington OSS office.
In the episode of the 25th of June 1950, called ‘Direct Line To Bombers’, it follows two OSS agents in Berlin who’s job was to wander around findining likely military targets and then as the bomber formation comes over they talk directly to the bombers with a walkie-talkie and direct them onto a target.
Considering this alleges to be true it seems highly far fetched to me. For one thing I’d imagine if there was an agent directing the bombers to a target it would be done by Morse with coded messages, not voice radio; and I’d think it would be done back to the UK before the raid was planned, wouldn’t it? Surely the bombers wouldn’t amble along aimlessly to Nerlin and await the man on the ground to direct them, would they?
The series can be downloaded here by the way. It’s a good listen, in an old fashioned kind of way;
http://www.archive.org/details/OTRR_Cloak_and_Dagger_Singles
By: Dave Homewood - 31st March 2025 at 14:50
Thanks for that info 50sqnwop/ag – it’s fascinating stuff.
I just found this page which also gives a little detail on these ops.
http://www.hyperstealth.com/DonHings/first-walkie-talkie.htm
Interestingly it states in the write up on that page that the top secret use of this system wasn’t declassified till 1976, yet the radio show was made in 1950!
By: JDK - 31st March 2025 at 14:50
SIS and the SOE used the S Phone, which was a voice communication between an aircraft to an agent on the ground. While it was used for agent comms rather than the suggested raid direction, it could have been used so, perhaps.
By: 50sqnwop/ag - 31st March 2025 at 14:50
its based on true facts (losely) OSS had a device that would transmit gen to a passing Mossie or invader which would in turn be recorded onto tape. The museum at Harrington has more gen on it
”Joan and Eleanor
The only link with Harrington was the Joe’s radio mentioned earlier. The Joan – Eleanor system was specifically developed for Red Stocking Operations by two US radio technicians, Lt. Comdr. Stephen Simpson and Dewitt R. Goddard of the Radio Corporation of America – the code name referring to one’s wife and the other’s girlfriend.
The system operated on 260 MHz, a frequency free at that time of enemy surveillance stations. The small “Joan” agent’s set had a range of about 20 miles. He was given a specific time, usually in the evening to transmit his report, which he did in plain language, the message being received by a radioman hunched in a small cabin installed in the rear fuselage of a DeHavilland Mosquito orbiting above at 30,000 ft.
The “Eleanor” equipment on the mosquito was fitted with a wire recorder and the designers claimed that the voice recording could receive in 20 minutes what would take three days by coded Morse. Garbles and mistakes could be clarified on the spot. The original intention was to use B-17 Fortresses for the “Eleanor” but stooging around Germany unescorted, they were assured by the air force was not to be recommended in a Fortress.
The Mosquito was thought ideal for the purpose, so a small batch of PRXVIs were acquired from Hatfield and fitted out at the USAAF base at Watton where the American 654th Reconnaissance unit used the type for tactical intelligence missions. Red Stocking agent missions had a high priority and the 492nd Group at Harrington was chosen to carry out both the A-26 and Mosquito operations. The radio operator access was through a small door cut into the starboard side of the mosquito rear fuselage. He was provided with a heated suit and had an interphone link with the pilot. Long range wing mounted fuel tanks gave sufficient range for most missions. On very long runs they could overfly to an OSS field in Italy.”
Sign In
January 12, 2010 at 9:26 am