Aircrew log - ‘Screen op’

[Muddyf]

A friend has obtained his great uncles log-book, very interesting read. He usually flew as a Radio Op, but one flight is noted as a ‘Screen Op’ the flight would have been late or post war 45-46 out of Changi, any ideas what a ‘Screen Op’ is? Aircraft was a Dakota.

 

He is looking to build aircraft his uncle flew in operationally.

[cngaero]

I may be 100 miles wrong with this, but I've taken this from the RAF Aircrew Slang Glossary :

"Screened: a period after completing a tour when the crewman could not be called on to do operational flying." 

 

It could also be part of Aircrew continuation training, or competency testing. 

 

Good luck with your research. 

[Ed Russell]

Radar screen operator?

[FatFlyHalf]

My guess from my days in the RAF a screen was an instructor flying with students.

Probably hopelessly wrong....

[Muddyf]

Thanks for the replies guys, it has me baffled.

 

Il be honest, I’ve never seen that remark in the ‘duty’ column, but then again I’ve only see a handful up of logbooks.

[torqueofthedevil]

Bit late to the party - not much WiFi access at the moment! 

 

Here is an excerpt from a current crewman logbook.

 

https://i.postimg.cc/0yvh2mB7/IMG-20210410-143310.jpg

 

To me, the answer to the question is which column the words appear in (I don't think this is stated categorically in the previous posts). Assuming that it's in the Aircrew Duty column, then I would suggest that he was operating a radar screen of some sort, as others have suggested. I would be interested to find out why a Dakota had a radar fitted - weather avoidance, perhaps, or possibly for finding ships if the Dakotas were ever used for maritime patrol in the Far East to augment the usual types. With respect to FatFlyHalf, I don't buy that theory: I suspect that if he was the 'screen' for a new Radio Operator, the entry would read 'Screen Radio Operator', and more importantly, if he was qualified to teach or mentor new arrivals, there would probably be more than just one such entry. But I can't say with any certainty! 

 

If however Screen Op is listed in the Flight Details column, then that opens a whole new can of worms. I don't have any useful suggestion for what a 'Screen Operation' would be.

 

I hope that helps slightly. I don't think we will ever know for sure. 

Edited April 10, 2021 by torqueofthedevil
Broken link

[Blimpyboy]

Could the aircraft have been involved in a screening tactic, to prevent an adversary’s observation (either in an exercise or an operation) of some other friendly platform/operation?

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Blimpyboy