TRE and RAF training films from the collection, transferred from the original stock and available on DVD. All titles £15.99, including UK First Class postage & packaging.
Our most popular DVD. An overview of RDF and radar research and development from 1935 to 1945, undertaken at Orfordness, Bawdsey, Dundee, Swanage and Malvern.
Produced in 1945 in 35mm by the TRE Film Unit; the film-to-video transfer was done in 1993 when the rusty old film cans were discovered at DRA — the film was in surprisingly good condition.
Aircraft Interception Mark VIII was brought into service in December 1942. This film explains in great detail how AI Mk VIII works and how the spiral scanner relates to the PPI (Plan Position Indicator) display.
It also covers Aircraft Interception, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), indication of homing beacon and beam approach.
A compilation of three TRE/RAF colour training films.
MONICA III C/D — a metric radar tail-warning system for bombers, showing the layout of the Monica equipment in a Lancaster (TRE Film Unit, 1943, John Snagge, 8 mins).
VILLAGE INN — a tail-warning / rear turret gun-laying 10cm radar (used with H2S – Fishpond) demonstrated in a Lancaster (1943, John Snagge, 12.5 mins).
AGLT (Airborne Gun-Laying Turret) — the improved 10cm AGLT in a Lancaster: basic principles, the rear gunner's display and controls, searching methods and aircraft identification (1944, Freddie Grisewood, 24 mins).
A linked compilation of three early radar training films.
HOW MANY AIRCRAFT? (Chain Home) — a wonderful example of the training films of the time; the commentary alone is worth its inclusion (AMRE Swanage, B&W sound, 13 mins).
REBECCA – EUREKA (Paratroops Homing Beacon) — operation of the Rebecca–Eureka homing beacon for paratroops (colour, originally silent with captions, 8 mins).
MONICA III C/D (Combat Warning for Bombers) — an instructional film for the Monica III C/D system (1943, colour, John Snagge, 8 mins).
This TRE/RAF training film explains how certain weather conditions can produce unusual radar vision of low-level targets beyond the geometric horizon. Produced by the TRE Film Unit in 1944.
A video of a lecture given by Professor R. Hanbury-Brown AC FAA FRS at the Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, on 22 February 1993, commemorating the birth of Sir Robert Watson-Watt (1892–1973), the “Father of Radar”.
In the mid-1930s the young Hanbury-Brown joined Watson-Watt and his small team on the Suffolk coast to work with E. G. Bowen and others on airborne RDF. He gives an authoritative and affectionate account of those times, illustrated with a wide range of visuals from private and official sources. Produced by Douglas Fisher in 1993.
An interesting talk given by Dr Edward “Taffy” Bowen to the Hornsby Amateur Radio Club in Australia on the early development of radar.
This amateur VHS video is of poor quality, taken from a well-used copy of the original (now lost), but Dr Bowen's relaxed and enthusiastic style is easy to watch and — technical issues aside — gives real insight into radar's early development.
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