The Secret History of British Radar - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ITAM805 · 8th Aug 2025, 5:43 pm

A very good take on the history of Radar that is new to me, not be be confused with the excellent 'The Secret War' series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a60LJGYK-ZQ&t=9s

gingpeakin · 8th Aug 2025, 7:32 pm

I found that very informative a well made video. I didn't know about the mains frequency synchronizing technique and that the Germans thought it was a national grid artifact and so put them of the scent.
All of these Slice History videos are of the same quality. No connection but a happy viewer.
Ging

SiriusHardware · 9th Aug 2025, 10:52 am

Just watched it, thanks, right up my alley. Agree that 'The Secret War' is also a must watch, based as it was at least partly on Prof. R.V. Jones's fantastic book 'Most Secret War'.

...Incredible to think that the effectiveness of our air defence at one point depended on the exploits of a middle aged couple touring the east and south coast.

line sync · 9th Aug 2025, 12:00 pm

Excellent film , well worth watching.

trh01uk · 9th Aug 2025, 7:20 pm

Excellent. I noted that virtually all the speakers are now dead. The exception (I hope!) is Phil Judkins, who is (was?) a first class speaker if you ever get the chance to hear him.

One thing that collectors of WWII military kit - the WS19s, WS18s, T1154/R1155, etc, etc - don't realise is that the sets they know about is about 1% of the full range of the electronics produced in WWII. Nearly all of it was in Radar (Chain Home, AI, ASV, H2S etc), or radionavigation (GEE, GEE-H, Oboe, etc) or in test gear to support all this. When you read the catalogues the shear range of equipment they produced is quite mind boggling!

Richard

Richard

2000 type · 10th Aug 2025, 8:43 am

A little bit of trivia:
In the wartime control centre clips at the beginning of the film, a familiar face to fans of war films appears at 1’.16. Wing commander Ronald Adams who in 1940 was Fighter controller Hornchurch sector.
After the war he took up an acting career and as Robert Adam he reprised his wartime role in the films Angels One-Five and Reach for the Sky (the Douglas Bader story).

2000 type · 11th Aug 2025, 11:18 am

Sorry, brain blunder above

: his professional (acting) name was Ronald Adam, not Robert.

8th Aug 2025, 5:43 pm	#1
ITAM805 Nonode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Folkestone, Kent, UK. Posts: 2,231	The Secret History of British Radar A very good take on the history of Radar that is new to me, not be be confused with the excellent 'The Secret War' series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a60LJGYK-ZQ&t=9s

8th Aug 2025, 7:32 pm	#2
gingpeakin Hexode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Worthing, Sussex, UK. Posts: 295	Re: The Secret History of British Radar I found that very informative a well made video. I didn't know about the mains frequency synchronizing technique and that the Germans thought it was a national grid artifact and so put them of the scent. All of these Slice History videos are of the same quality. No connection but a happy viewer. Ging

9th Aug 2025, 10:52 am	#3
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 13,685	Re: The Secret History of British Radar Just watched it, thanks, right up my alley. Agree that 'The Secret War' is also a must watch, based as it was at least partly on Prof. R.V. Jones's fantastic book 'Most Secret War'. ...Incredible to think that the effectiveness of our air defence at one point depended on the exploits of a middle aged couple touring the east and south coast.

9th Aug 2025, 12:00 pm	#4
line sync Heptode Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kinver, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 691	Re: The Secret History of British Radar Excellent film , well worth watching.

9th Aug 2025, 7:20 pm	#5
trh01uk Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 1,887	Re: The Secret History of British Radar Excellent. I noted that virtually all the speakers are now dead. The exception (I hope!) is Phil Judkins, who is (was?) a first class speaker if you ever get the chance to hear him. One thing that collectors of WWII military kit - the WS19s, WS18s, T1154/R1155, etc, etc - don't realise is that the sets they know about is about 1% of the full range of the electronics produced in WWII. Nearly all of it was in Radar (Chain Home, AI, ASV, H2S etc), or radionavigation (GEE, GEE-H, Oboe, etc) or in test gear to support all this. When you read the catalogues the shear range of equipment they produced is quite mind boggling! Richard Richard

10th Aug 2025, 8:43 am	#6
2000 type Tetrode Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: North Surrey, UK. Posts: 92	Re: The Secret History of British Radar A little bit of trivia: In the wartime control centre clips at the beginning of the film, a familiar face to fans of war films appears at 1’.16. Wing commander Ronald Adams who in 1940 was Fighter controller Hornchurch sector. After the war he took up an acting career and as Robert Adam he reprised his wartime role in the films Angels One-Five and Reach for the Sky (the Douglas Bader story).

11th Aug 2025, 11:18 am	#7
2000 type Tetrode Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: North Surrey, UK. Posts: 92	Re: The Secret History of British Radar Sorry, brain blunder above: his professional (acting) name was Ronald Adam, not Robert.