The museum was completely closed until the weekend after 1st April, ie 3 April. However, it doesn’t surprise me that it was quiet – with Concorde not having arrived, few people would want to go until they could see it. Plus, I think things would probably be a bit disorganised, as arrangements were finalised for Concorde’s arrival.

I hope that there will be enough to occupy us at East Fortune on Saturday. However, I suggested Drem and/or Macmerry as a fall back in case we are very restricted in what we can see.

I’ve asked one of the Aviation Preservation Society of Scotland members to come and he is certainly going to open one of the huts for us, which has seom radio and radar equipment on display. I appreciate this is not most people’s cut of tea, and I presume we won’t be spending long in there. However, it is interesting and includes the TSR2 radar, which is an interesting piece in itself.

I don’t know what the rest of you think, but I’m rather flexible as far as finishing is concerned. I don’t know how much of the museum we’ll be able to get access to and what we’ll be able to see, so it might be all day or it might be somewhat less! If it turns out to be the latter, I’m willing to lead a tour round some of the more interesting aviation-related sites in East Lothian, such as Drem, Macmerry (or at least what little is left of it) and places like Tantallon where trials were carried out for some of the jamming operations used on D-Day.

What I’m basically saying is that I’m happy to make a day of it, even if the Museum of Flight turns out to be a bit of a wash-out. Of course, the weather may make a wash-out of the whole thing! If anyone has a particular timescale to work by, then I’m sure we can organise things accordingly.

Daz,

I’ll be heading to East Fortune from Peebles, so I could pick you up if you’re stuck. I’ve not yet been able to get the necessary induction training, so have suggested that I could do it before 10am on Saturday, but I’ve not heard back if that is feasible. If it is, it might mean leaving a bit earlier. If this isn’t a problem, I’m happy to give you a lift.

As regards the magazines, I only have the first two issues, so I can’t help with the Bader article.

I did look into joining the Society, but its main aim seems to be to generate funds to create memorials etc, and thus the annual fee is pretty steep. It’s difficult to fund my own research, so I couldn’t justify such fees myself, but don’t let me put you off if you’re thinking of joining.

Mark,

Thanks very much for those extremely interesting posts. I’ve never looked at FIU material in the PRO and certainly wasn’t aware that they had F/O Ashfield’s logbook, so thanks very much for letting me know about it!

Neilly,

Would I be right in thinking that Malta-based NF squadrons such as No 23 were forbidden from flying over enemy territory with AI-equipped aircraft? This was certainly the case with UK-based squadrons, and I assume those in Malta would have faced similar restrictions.

Just as an aside – the Blenheim was the first aircraft to carry out an interception using airborne radar, on the night of 22/23 July 1940 when a Blenheim Mk I from the Fighter Interception Unit shot down a Dorner Do17.

Just to be absolutely pedantic, Observer, the AI could never tell freidn from foe but could only detect an oject. It was the function of the IFF equipment to tell friend from foe. However, fighters could not trigger the IFF transponder in targets, so had no way of telling if it was friendly or not. The only way to do this was from information provided from ground radar, which was not always accurate in identifications (since not all friendly aircraft were fitted with IFF) and by visual examination. Night fighters had to close to visual range not only to be able to attack the target but also to be able to visually identify it as friend or foe.

Incidentally, a very interesting Pilot’s Log extract!

Just had a thought for something to add a little interest to the day, just in case there isn’t too much to see at the museum itself. How about we each bring along an interesting or mystery object or photo? It could be a bit of fun and might get the old grey matter going. I’ve got an idea for something to bring, so I’ll have it with me. If no-one else has anything, fair enough, but if anyone else manages to come up with something, all the better!