The first successful radar-guided interception

I know what you mean.

An alternative to my ‘Cats-Eyes’ Cunningham article was written for a US history magazine. Here, he became the all-American hero ‘Bats-Eyes’ Slyman who splashed a Zero over Chy-chester, Engeland.

Why?

Watch the Movie U571. Try not to facepalm too much.

Some bloke has written a piece in the current edition of “Britain at War” magazine relating to a Beaufighter A1 engagement – the first such ‘kill’ overland. Brief detail here:

http://www.britainatwar.com/view_issue.asp

Success?

I’ve always been under the impression that the event described here is regarded as the first successful (i.e. resulting in shoot-down of enemy aeroplane) radar guided interception:-

A bit more detail here:-

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=23890

Now that’s an interesting thread … thanks for pointing it out.

Clearly there were a lot of interceptions going on … as to whether it’s necessary to shoot down an enemy aircraft to anoint an interception with the term “success”, I wouldn’t say so … but that’s a moot point.

Thanks

Bager1968, any reading you recommend on that first Beaufighter radar intercept ?

Just the book in the link in the quote in my earlier post.

I’ll repeat it.

http://aircraft-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Bomber-Bristol-Beaufighter-RAF-anti-shipping-fighter-36.htm

Hmmm … anyone care to venture what was the first ever radar-guided interception?

I’ve always been under the impression that the event described here is regarded as the first successful (i.e. resulting in shoot-down of enemy aeroplane) radar guided interception:-

Regarding the Dornier 17 you mention, the F.I.U. O.R.B. (Tangmere) for 22.7.40 says:
“That night Flying Officer G. Ashfield shot down a Dornier 17. The Commanding Officer controlled him from the Tangmere Sector Operations Room, on data supplied by R.D.F. Station Poling. Pilot Officer G.E. Morris, Observer, first saw and recognised the enemy aircraft. Sergeant R.H. Leyland, A.I. Operator, gave the A.I. directions.”

A bit more detail here:-

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=23890

Bager1968, any reading you recommend on that first Beaufighter radar intercept ?

Well … according to Wikipedia :rolleyes: under the entry on “nightfighter” it may be via an experimental fitting in a Fairey Battle in the late 30’s ( see the last para under inter-war years). But I don’t see that as definitive.

Back on topic if I may

?… [the night of 19/20 Nov 1940] was the first successful Beaufighter radar-guided interception, but at least it is still proof that the 1943 was NOT “the first” ever.

Hmmm … anyone care to venture what was the first ever radar-guided interception?

– it was just a dig at Holywood, nothing more.

Moggy

Why?

– do you know about something wrong with it ?

No, I’m sorry if I sent you off on a wild goose chase – it was just a dig at Holywood, nothing more.

Moggy

OK… as I said, I hadn’t looked at them.

Well done.

Anyone looked up the entry for U571?

Moggy 😉

I did and I could´t find anything wrong with it! 😮 Am I missing something very obvious here?

It was, however, U570 that was captured off Iceland with the some of the Enigma machine/codes being captured as well. The Wiki page for U570 is correct in as much as I can ascertain – do you know about something wrong with it?
Regards,
SV

I’ve never written an article from scratch… while I have never looked up that particular Wiki entry, I strongly suspect that it is so screwed up (due to the movie) that a total re-write would be needed.

And in Queens English ????

Well done.

Anyone looked up the entry for U571?

Moggy 😉

I’ve never written an article from scratch… while I have never looked up that particular Wiki entry, I strongly suspect that it is so screwed up (due to the movie) that a total re-write would be needed.

TaVM

Thank you Bager1968! cheers Don

Well done.

Anyone looked up the entry for U571?

Moggy 😉

Fixed the Wiki article.

{edit: And the Wikibot undid my edit, because it found lots of entries on the ‘net supporting the Wiki entry. Unfortunately, all those are simply copies or quotes of the Wiki article… creating a false “circular logic” chain! I reported the problem, with the following:

The entry is deceptive, in that it claims the F4U radar-guided interception was the first successful one… period.

To the contrary, it was merely the first by a USN or USMC aircraft, as noted on page 199 of Ace!: A Marine Night-Fighter Pilot in World War II – By R. Bruce Porter, Eric Hammel http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GQr5TXfSGd8C&lpg=PA199&ots=EKE0Dxv7gH&dq=major%20thomas%20hicks%20f4u&pg=PA199#v=onepage&q=major%20thomas%20hicks%20f4u&f=false

The first successful radar-guided interception by any nation was achieved on the night of 19/20 November 1940, by F.Lt John Cunningham of No. 604 Squadron, flying a Bristol Beaufighter. http://aircraft-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Bomber-Bristol-Beaufighter-RAF-anti-shipping-fighter-36.htm

Please replace my correction, as your bot is wrong (it is likely relying on all the other internet sites that have quoted your incorrect entry as being proof that your entry is correct). Circular logic is never correct.

Now that book only claims that that was the first successful Beaufighter radar-guided interception, but at least it is still proof that the 1943 was NOT “the first” ever.

The entry will probably derive from ‘ACE! A Marine Night-Fighter Pilot In World War II’ by Colonel R. Bruce Porter with Eric Hammel.

On the night of October 31, 1943, a VF(N)-75 pilot flying a converted F4U scored the naval service’s first night kill – and America’s first radar-guided night kill – in the Pacific. The tracking was done by VMF(N)-531’s GCI equipment, which was located on Vella Lavella.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GQr5TXfSGd8C&lpg=PA199&ots=EKE0Dxv7gH&dq=major%20thomas%20hicks%20f4u&pg=PA199#v=onepage&q=major%20thomas%20hicks%20f4u&f=false