February was a big month in 1935.
H.E. Wimpress, Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry had written to one R.A Watson-Watt, Superintendent of the National Physical Laboratory’s Radio Department at
Watson-Watt, (got to love the name) asked his assistant A.F. Wilkens to do the math, and Wilkins reported back that the power necessary would be “Very Great Indeed” and not practical. He did however note that the radio reflection from a aircraft was much larger than expected, and it might be possible to use radio waves for detection rather than destruction
In true British fashion a Draft of a Memo, “Detection and Location of Aircraft by Radio Methods” was produced and circulated on
Mr. Wimpress was interested, and on Feb 15 he asked Air Marshal H. Dowding for development funds. Dowding was cautious, and asked the calculations first be proved by experiment.
On Feb. 26 Wilkins and Watson-Watt with a witness went to the BBC Transmitter at Daventry and were able to receive a detectable echo from a aircraft 8 miles away.
Dowding was convinced, and promised Wilkins “all the money he needed with in reason” The project was dubbed RDF, but became better known as RADAR.
Comments