Most people think that the first RAF AEW aircraft was the Shack, however (even if the Yanks would like to re-write history to the contrary) it appears that we flew a Wellington 1C with a rotating radar scanner on the top as early as 1941 serial number R1629. We also flew Neptune MR1s as AEW aircraft on ‘1453 Vanguard Flt’ in 1953.
I have the Apr 87 Flypast article about the Wimpey (but the photo is the wrong aircraft). does anyone out there have any photos of R1629 (RadarArchive is already looking) or any unit details on 1453 Flt please.
Thanks
MAISO
By: MAISO - 8th April 2005 at 20:37
Many Thanks
Many thanks Annerorac for providing me with some amazing gen on the AEW Wimpey. It would appear from the report that you sent me that with a little more development we could have had the first workable Air Controlled Interception system in history, yet again the British boffins proved to be the best in the world but short sightedness threw away a lead in technology.
What might have been ………
Thanks again
MAISO
By: anneorac - 6th April 2005 at 08:10
I’ve got a photocopy of a photocopy of a badly printed photograph of R1629 if that helps? I’ve also got a close up of the rotating yagi and two internal shots all of the same rather ropey quality. PM me and I’ll send you a copy…of a copy of a copy.
Anne.
By: Andy in Beds - 5th April 2005 at 21:38
Hi
my first ever post on this forum was about the Wellington’s used as early AWACS aircraft against low flying V1’s launched from Heinkel 111’s.
Ian (Radar Archive) was kind enough to send me a copy of that Flypast article.
Basically though there was a Wimpy converted with a rotating aerial above the fuselage early in the war. This was experimental (very) and not much used I think.
The aircraft used to hunt down V1’s was a standard Wellington using centrimetric ASV (can’t remember the mark).
The picture in the article shows a CC Wellington carrying ASV.
The article is about the V1 hunters, not the earlier experimental machine.
Cheers
Andy
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April 5, 2005 at 3:20 pm