Comments on: York 2 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:16:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Airminded · When two tribes go to war http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68371 Airminded · When two tribes go to war Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:15:15 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68371 [...] second-time commenter Ian Evans was in the Royal Observer Corps in York at the end of the 1950s. Here he describes how the ROC, in addition to retaining something like its planespotting functions [...] [...] second-time commenter Ian Evans was in the Royal Observer Corps in York at the end of the 1950s. Here he describes how the ROC, in addition to retaining something like its planespotting functions [...]

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68302 Brett Holman Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:18:30 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68302 Thanks for that, Ian. I can't imagine what it would have been like to sit there in a bunker recording the death of civilisation like that, but your description is very sobering. Thanks for that, Ian. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to sit there in a bunker recording the death of civilisation like that, but your description is very sobering.

]]> By: Airminded · Chesters http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68301 Airminded · Chesters Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:09:58 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68301 [...] York, I took the train north to Newcastle, where I took another train heading west to Hexham, a small [...] [...] York, I took the train north to Newcastle, where I took another train heading west to Hexham, a small [...]

]]> By: Ian Evans http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68116 Ian Evans Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:41:39 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68116 When I joined the ROC (1958) it was still pretty much an RAF auxiliary, officers with handlebar moustaches and all. We spotted, reported and plotted aircraft in a very similar manner to our WW2 predecessors, though things had been simplified and speeded up, with special procedures for fast low flying aircraft (Rats). The nuclear reporting role was just being introduced, the observer posts were given "bunkers", a small underground room with bunks and stores, airlock and reinforced tunnel to the surface, a nuclear burst recorder (a souped-up pinhole camera), a pressure recorder to measure the blast strength, a Geiger counter to measure the fallout, and individual dosimeters (we were rather cynical about these). The operating theory was that there would be sufficient political warning for the observers to man their posts, they would wait for the noise to stop, surface, extract the recording paper from their recorders, read off the bearing and altitude of the burst and the peak overpressure. This would then be phoned in to Group HQ where we would plot the (hopefully several) bearings, and get the position of the detonation. Then, using the reported overpressures, plus sets of tables and nomograms we woud evaluate the bomb power and report back to.....anyone still alive. After that the posts would report radiation levels at regular intervals until... When I joined the ROC (1958) it was still pretty much an RAF auxiliary, officers with handlebar moustaches and all. We spotted, reported and plotted aircraft in a very similar manner to our WW2 predecessors, though things had been simplified and speeded up, with special procedures for fast low flying aircraft (Rats). The nuclear reporting role was just being introduced, the observer posts were given “bunkers”, a small underground room with bunks and stores, airlock and reinforced tunnel to the surface, a nuclear burst recorder (a souped-up pinhole camera), a pressure recorder to measure the blast strength, a Geiger counter to measure the fallout, and individual dosimeters (we were rather cynical about these).
The operating theory was that there would be sufficient political warning for the observers to man their posts, they would wait for the noise to stop, surface, extract the recording paper from their recorders, read off the bearing and altitude of the burst and the peak overpressure. This would then be phoned in to Group HQ where we would plot the (hopefully several) bearings, and get the position of the detonation. Then, using the reported overpressures, plus sets of tables and nomograms we woud evaluate the bomb power and report back to…..anyone still alive. After that the posts would report radiation levels at regular intervals until…

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68048 Brett Holman Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:07:56 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68048 Always nice to meet a lurker, Ian! Yes, you're right -- it is quite similar to the DH 77 and DH 53. They're both from the 1920s -- I think I was looking for something from 1934, something up-to-date, which might be why I didn't consider them. But I guess those wing braces are a bit old-fashioned for 1934. Interesting that you were in the ROC. What was it's role to be in a nuclear war? Was it just recording and reporting the nukes going off? Or were you planning for a conventional attack? Always nice to meet a lurker, Ian! Yes, you’re right — it is quite similar to the DH 77 and DH 53. They’re both from the 1920s — I think I was looking for something from 1934, something up-to-date, which might be why I didn’t consider them. But I guess those wing braces are a bit old-fashioned for 1934.

Interesting that you were in the ROC. What was it’s role to be in a nuclear war? Was it just recording and reporting the nukes going off? Or were you planning for a conventional attack?

]]> By: Ian Evans http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68004 Ian Evans Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:15:46 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-68004 Brett, I've been reading your site for some time now, with great interest. I'm not an academic, but definitely qualify as "airminded". Your visit to York finally pushed me into commenting, as I grew up in York in the 50's. Anyway, comments;- The meccano aircraft (don't remember seeing it, but it's a long time since I last visited the Castle Museum) looks like a cross between a DH 77 Interceptor and a DH 53 Humming Bird. The "Nuclear Bunker" is actually the former Royal Observer Corps 20 group headquarters. I was in the ROC, bur left to start an apprenticeship at De Havillands just as the new HQ became operational. Last time I was in York, some 3 years back, the old brick HQ near the Knavesmire, where we plotted real aircraft, was still there. Good luck with your endeavours! Brett,
I’ve been reading your site for some time now, with great interest. I’m not an academic, but definitely qualify as “airminded”. Your visit to York finally pushed me into commenting, as I grew up in York in the 50’s. Anyway, comments;- The meccano aircraft (don’t remember seeing it, but it’s a long time since I last visited the Castle Museum) looks like a cross between a DH 77 Interceptor and a DH 53 Humming Bird. The “Nuclear Bunker” is actually the former Royal Observer Corps 20 group headquarters. I was in the ROC, bur left to start an apprenticeship at De Havillands just as the new HQ became operational. Last time I was in York, some 3 years back, the old brick HQ near the Knavesmire, where we plotted real aircraft, was still there. Good luck with your endeavours!

]]> By: Airminded · Black-Out http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-67939 Airminded · Black-Out Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:39:55 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/01/05/york-2/#comment-67939 [...] ‹ York 2 [...] [...] ‹ York 2 [...]

]]>