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Night Fighter By C F Rawnsley And Robert Wright

I have just finished this again after reading it many years ago and it strikes me at how unsung the AI Radar navigators were.Most people have heard of John Cunningham but his radar op Jimmy Rawnsley slips by almost unnoticed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Rawnsley

http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Rawnsley.htm .If you haven’t read it it is well worth a go at a more unusual aspect of aviation and the development of night fighting.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0907579671/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wowaiito-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0907579671

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By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd April 2017 at 18:38

I agree with Trumper’s initial comments regarding Nav/Rad’s.

I’ve learned a lot having been involved with preserving and researching Phantom stuff this last 20 years, the job of the Nav/Rad, or RIO, was a very demanding, both intellectually and physically. Operating highly complex kit at night, head down on the set and with a myriad of knobs, buttons and settings to manipulate all the while manoeuvring (inc high “g”) and maintaining situational awareness. They were more than “talking baggage” as pilot’s are often fond of saying – albeit tongue in cheek – and crucial to mission success.

Hats off to Navs – and I thoroughly enjoyed Peter Verney’s personal story on another thread.

Anon.

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By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd April 2017 at 12:15

+1 Both books are an excellent read.

Paul

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By: trumper - 23rd April 2017 at 11:56

The book by Lewis Brandon -Night flyer arrived yesterday ,i look forward to reading it 🙂

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By: trumper - 14th April 2017 at 22:50

🙂 Peter has kindly put his memoirs on this thread here –THANK YOU 🙂 http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?142063-My-RAF-service

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By: SimonSpitfire - 14th April 2017 at 16:24

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By: trumper - 13th April 2017 at 20:54

Yes, a super book tells it how it was. I would also recommend “Night Flyer” by Lewis Brandon who was also a Nav/Rad. He was chief instructor when I was taught how to operate AI Mk10 at the OCU at Leeming in 1951. I was lucky enough to do the job for several years and even luckier that it was post-War.

Peter ,any chance of writing up your memoirs for us all to read here –please 🙂

Just bought the night flyer book on e bay so look forward to reading it 🙂

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By: PeterVerney - 13th April 2017 at 16:27

Yes, a super book tells it how it was. I would also recommend “Night Flyer” by Lewis Brandon who was also a Nav/Rad. He was chief instructor when I was taught how to operate AI Mk10 at the OCU at Leeming in 1951. I was lucky enough to do the job for several years and even luckier that it was post-War.

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By: mmitch - 11th April 2017 at 19:56

Here might be a good place to start:

http://www.radarmuseum.co.uk/air%20intercept.htm

And yes, the Rawnsley & Wright book was reread many times in my youth too.

Moggy

The RAF Radar Museum is highly recommended.
mmitch.

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By: trumper - 11th April 2017 at 09:37

Thanks for the links 🙂 and for those who do do facebook there is a page for them on here https://www.facebook.com/radarmuseum

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By: Moggy C - 10th April 2017 at 23:17

Here might be a good place to start:

http://www.radarmuseum.co.uk/air%20intercept.htm

And yes, the Rawnsley & Wright book was reread many times in my youth too.

Moggy

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By: trumper - 10th April 2017 at 22:59

Just wondering if any of the original radar sets have been restored and are able to be seen working ,or at least represent what they looked like and how they were used.

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By: Firebird - 10th April 2017 at 21:40

One of my favourite all time books and one of the first wartime biographies I read as a youngster.

Likewise, I think it was the first one I read, from memory I was in last year at junior school!!

Actually………thinking about it, I might have been younger than that, maybe 9 or 10, as I read the book before the RAF Museum at Hendon opened, and I remember Dad taking me to Hendon only a few months after it opened, and it was there that I first saw the 1:32 Revel Beau 1F in the model/gift shop there, and desperately wanted it because of the book! Took me ages to save up pocket money for that kit!!

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By: Auster Fan - 10th April 2017 at 20:45

One of my favourite all time books and one of the first wartime biographies I read as a youngster. Alongside John Cunningham, the likes of Bill Macguire, Per (Peter) Bugge, Tarald Weesten and Branse Burbridge became instant and legendary heroes in my (then) young mind.

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