Turned out they were part of the Chain Low radar system!

Well … yes and no. Dunnet Head was originally built for the Admiralty and was the naval equivalent of CHL, known as CDU or Coast Defence U-boat, and was primarily intended to watch for U-boats attempting to break out the North Sea. The station remained in naval hands until 1943 when it was handed over to the RAF. This photo was taken in, I think, 1965 and shows one of the naval Sub-Lieutenants who commanded the station standing next to one of the original brick huts for the radar. For further details, watch our for my forthcoming book. 😉

How about an r/c model Mossie ?
🙂

Plane Mad,

Forgive me if someone has already mentioned this (I’ve not spotted it, but you never know) but your superb r/c model only appears to have two .303 barrels protruding from the nose. Should there not be four, or am I just missing something?

Thanks Alan,
As I’m interested in the same area… ‘SOE in the Low Countries’ (MRD Foot) seems to cover this v. well, but the Giskes ops were (IIRC) over by mid 44. The mess of the SOE ops in the Netherlands is one of the least creditable chapers of British warfare. No deliberate sabotage occourred, but the levels of incompetance were truly stunning. The Dutch weren’t blameless, but the campaign was British (SOE) led, and partly hindered by SIS (MI5). Beware your friends.

Just a minor comment. The Secret Intelligence Service, or SIS, is the service popularly known as MI6. MI5 is the popular name for the Security Service, responsible for counter intelligence within the UK (and these days much more besides!)

Melvyn,

You’re quite right. I had missed it, but there is another ‘chapter’ in the bok, by G/C Hgh Verity, entitled, ‘Pick-up By Hudson’ which gives a fair bit of information on the use of Hudsons by 161 Sqn. Unfortunately, although there is a photo of T9465 ‘Spirit of Lockheed-Vega Employees’ which was operated by 161 Sqn, the photo is of the aircraft during its time with 269 Sqn in Coasta Command. The other photos in the chapter are of Lysanders. :rolleyes: Interestingly, the Lysander photos are from the same file I mentioned earlier, AIR 27/1068. Have you looked at this? There may be other photos of use, perhaps of Hudsons?

There is one interesting mention: “There was provision for small scale parachute operations with a chute through the floor.” So that answers that question!

This is an interesting account, but it runs for six pages, less photos, so it’s too much for me to re-type. It would be well worth obtaining from your lcoal library by inter-library loan. The edition I have was published in 1984 by the Book Club Associates by arrangement with Ian Allan Ltd, but its listed as first published in 1983, presumably by Ian Allan. No ISBN is given.

I hope you have a very Spitty birthday.

All the best.

OK, maybe not completely full … :rolleyes:

Tom,

I completely forgot that there is a superb website dedicated to Banff which you may find interesting. It includes a large selection of photos.

http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/rafbanff.html

Do you have more details about this Ju88 incident, such as date, rough location, squadron, etc? It sounds very interesting.