Air Ministry

OK but please note the drawing is marked "SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL" so don't go sharing it around!

The ring diameter of the FN50 mid-upper differs to that of the FN64 - 38.25" v. 34.125" for the latter. These are the outside diameters. I have a Frazer Nash drawing for the FN64 which might be of some help to you, but no means of uploading it to this forum. If someone who can upload wants to p.m. me an email address I'll scan it for you?

Sorry, I cannot help with 77's tail markings (if indeed they had any). I think the details on the display board are copied from a few paragraphs and photos in Philip Moyes' Bomber Squadrons of the R.A.F. and their Aircraft. In answer to Geoffrey Sinclair's post, a "Y" equipped aircraft is one with H2S. Not every Lancaster or Halifax had this equipment even at this fairly late stage of the war and I've seen this method of distinguishing them in several Squadron ORBs.

Isn't that what I stated in my first post on the subject? To add a bit more detail, up to 350 sets were made available for fitting. These would have been on a wastage basis, i.e. no further supply once these sets were used up. Since that first post I've had a quick flick through the on-line Bomber Command Loss Cards for the period July - October 1944 and can identify aircraft from 90, 420, 622, 300 and 550 Squadrons which were also fitted with Monica Mk. V, in addition to 61, 617 and 619 Squadrons already listed. The photo linked to by ExiledFish (above) ties in nicely with this as it shows a 550 Sq. aircraft with the Type 19 aerial installed below the rear turret.

Hi Seahawk, If you go here: http://www.vmarsmanuals.co.uk/archive/258_AI Mk. IV.pdf you'll find details on the type 44 aerials. Regards, A.M.

Hi Dave, The arrowhead you mention would be the Type 19 transmitting aerial (Beaufighter type), located beneath the rear turret. The Elevation aerials you can just make out on the starboard wing in the photo above are "Aerial system Type 44", as used on the nose of the Havoc as Azimuth aerials. There's a set on the wing's upper surface and another below, which cannot be seen in the photo. What I take to be the Azimuth aerials are located on the port fin (I think). Both the files I studied had a partial set of installation notes but drawings were missing. The notes are almost indecipherable (they look like the tenth carbon copy - remember those?) so this the best I can glean from them. As all this was tangental to my main research at the time, and I probably did not devote as much time to it as I should have : time at Kew is always precious!

I'm a bit late to this topic but having studied the pic I'm fairly sure the mystery aerial is part of a Monica Mk. V installation. Monica Mk. V (sometimes referred to as "Lulu") actually used surplus Mk. IV Airborne Interception radar to look to the rear of the aircraft rather than to the front as in a night fighter. The display was installed at the W/Ops station. Originally intended for 617 Squadron, its use was subsequently extended to 61 and 619 Squadrons in 5 Group, plus in addition, two Lancaster Squadrons in 1 Group, one in 3 Group and two Halifax Squadrons in each of 4 and 6 Groups. (This info. comes from files held at The National Archives.) Sadly, I cannot list all the Squadrons which ended up with this equipment but if you check the loss card for 550 Squadron Lancaster LL837 on 14/15th July, 1944, you'll see Monica V listed as a modification. Happy New Year to all.

The throttle quadrant has been in my garage for nearly 40 years since I bought it at the very first aerojumble I ever attended! The Flight Engineer's Panel is a very good replica I had made some years ago. Good to see them being incorporated into a bigger project.

Crimea River, Here's a paragraph from another document in the same file. I think it should allay your concerns about differing versions? 3. Description of Equipment. The infra-red scheme consists of a receiver (telescope) through which it is possible to see the radiation of a coded flashing infra-red transmitter fitted in another aircraft. These transmitters cover a limited cone of view and on the approach of an aircraft the operator looks through the telescope and if he sees a coded beacon, no further action need be taken. I can't help with possible alternate uses for the recess in the tail cone. I have Volume Is for various versions of the Mosquito - fighter, fighter-bomber and bomber, but they all show a standard, unmodified cone. That said, I wouldn't expect mods such as this to necessarily turn up in a Vol. I anyway, eg, there's nothing in the Lancaster AP to illustrate the Type Z installation. Anthony in NZ, I have a copy of (Bomber) Command Modification No. 67 which fully covers the installation of the Type Z equipment in the Lancaster and Halifax, down to lengths of wiring, fuses and nuts and bolts, and all well-illustrated. Sadly, I have nothing similar on the Type F equipment, although I would expect most of the equipment to be similar. I've also got nothing on the "receiver", either in a gunner's turret or a Mosquito cockpit, although I'm sure I've seen a photo of the latter but I cannot recall where or whether I saved a copy of it. That's the joy of researching at Kew, you rarely get a complete picture from just the one file, and finding the elusive "other" files can consume most of your precious time down there. Sometimes it's better to stick with simpler topics in order to maximise your results. .

Hi Guys, This is my first post on Britmodeller, my spiritual home for many years having been the Flypast Historic Aviation Forum but as I'm sure some of you are aware, that site has virtually collapsed in the wake of yet another "new and improved" upgrade and I'm left feeling semi-homeless. I'm not a modeller so I doubt I will contribute to many threads on this site but discussions such as this one always suck me in, especially as I have been researching many and various topics related to wartime British aircraft, their equipment and operations for more years than I care to recall. Since retirement, I have been fortunate to have been able to spend many days in The National Archives and my collection of research material now consumes gigabytes of storage on my drives. One area I have devoted a small amount of time to is the various tail warning devices used by Bomber Command, i.e. Monica, Boozer, etc. While pursuing this topic I came across a file in the Air20 series (Papers accumulated by the Air Historical Branch) which summarises the position with regards to A.G.L.T . and Types 'F' and 'Z' equipment in late 1944 and early 1945. I think there is no doubt that the object housed in the rear fairing of the Mosquito is the lamp for the Type 'F' installation. Here's a couple of extracts from the report which throw some light (my first pun?) on the subject. Unfortunately, all this photo-hosting malarkey has taken me by surprise and I cannot upload images in the same way I'm so used to on the flypast Forum, so you'll have to make do with transcripts! I hope you'll find them useful? First extract: FIGHTER COMMAND OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTION NO.4A/1945 OPERATIONAL USE OF TYPE 'F' AND TYPE 'Z' EQUIPMENT BY NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRONS OF FIGHTER COMMAND INFORMATION 1. Type 'F' equipment consists of two separate installations, a simple lamp fitted in the tail of the aircraft which transmits an infra-red beam, and a specially designed telescope fitted in the pilot's cockpit. It is now fitted to all Night Fighter aircraft of this Command, and a considerable number of aircraft of other Commands, as an additional aid for air to air identification at night. 2. Type 'Z' equipment consists of a similar lamp which also transmits an infra-red beam, but which is fitted in the leading edge of the wing of the aircraft. This equipment is designed to identify the aircraft fitted with it to an air-gunner in Bomber aircraft equipped with A.G.L.T. and Type 'Z' Receiver. 3. Type 'F' and Type 'Z' equipment will be used in all Night Fighter aircraft of Fighter Command operating over the Continent as well as this Country. 4. Signals from Type 'F' transmissions will normally be received up to a range of 1.5 to 2 miles, the cone of reception being 12 1/2° either side of this line of flight of the aircraft. Type 'Z' transmissions have a similar performance to that of Type 'F'. Second extract: I am directed to refer to your communication dated 29th January, 1945, reference 452.05 regarding the above subject. The following is the fitting programme for British aircraft with details of the progress which has been made:- (a) Type 'F' (i) The programme is to fit all Mosquito night fighter squadrons in Bomber Command, Fighter Command and 2nd T.A.F. with Receivers and Transmitters, and this programme has now been completed. (ii) It is also intended to fit all Bomber Command aircraft and the Mitchell and Mosquito bomber squadrons of 2nd T.A.F. with Transmitters. The fitting of Bomber Command aircraft has not yet started as the necessary modification sets are not yet available. The modification sets for some of the Mitchells of 2nd T.A.F. are now being issued.