AHC: Peerless Air Ministry
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6.0 The Sands of Time Are Running Out
Part 6, The sands of time are running out.
1938 had been another frenetic year for the Sir Wilfred Freeman member for research and development. Though not quite as bad as 1937 there had still been some 30 new specifications issued to the industry. The production side had been almost as busy with another two dozen production specifications issued, including one to Lockheed in America and two for Canadian companies. The contract to Lockheed was for their Hudson version of the Super Electra airliner, now called the Hudson, In Canada, Canadian Car & Foundry were to build Hurricanes and Canadian Assoc. A/c Ltd were to construct Hadley Page Hampdens. Further contractors were being sort, If the Beaufort engine changed to the twin wasp then building the aircraft in Canada for use there and in the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces, would make a lot of sense.
The setting up of the Reserve Command in 1938 had been very successful in helping Training Command with organising the flow of reserve and processing the increasing number of volunteer reserve pilots being recruited. Someone in Reserve Command had had the inspired idea of inviting all reserve officers still flying but now above operational age, to volunteer as instructors, after a short course these instructors were mainly assigned to civilian schools to help ease the load on the instructors already there. Most of civilian instructors were already either in ranks of the RAFR or RAFVR. Via various contacts and associations as many ex RFC and RAF pilots below the age of 50 who had left the service and the reserve after 1918 were contacted and invited to join the RAFVR and if fit to fly re qualify as instructors. By this means Reserve Command indevoured to build up a pool of instructors who could be mobilised to cope with the ever increasing demand from Training Command. This pool would be vital if and when the Empire training scheme proceeded. With this in mind one Miles magister, one Miles Master and a De Haviland Tiger Moth were sent to South Africa for hot climate trials.
More of a worry was the slow increase in production of the new monoplane fighters. Yes, squadrons were converting to the new aircraft but there were no war reserves at all of these aircraft. There was a small war reserve of Gladiator’s from the 184 built and a greater reserve of Harts, Demons and Gaunlets as those aircraft became available as the Squadrons using them converted to Hurricanes and Spitfires. Sir Phillip, the CAS and Dowding were all getting tired of the treasury who seemed to put more importance on possible export earning than building reserves.
The Treasury noise over the purchase of the Lockheed Hudson was another thorn in AM’s plans. The Treasury seemed unable to understand that though they could fill the same roles, Maritime patrol and Reconesonse Bomber. Each aircraft had their prose and cons in operation. For instance the high wing of the Albatross gave a better view from the cabin for Maritime Patrol work but the aircraft lacked range compared to the Hudson and had a lower operating ceiling.
The Air Member for Aircraft Production took office on the administrabley tidy day of the first of January 1939. Sir Archibald Sinclair had been appointed to this post for sound political reasons, as Sir Maurice Hanky had discussed with Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister. Sir Maurice reasoned that Sir Phillip being a lawyer and having served as the President of the Board of Trade, no less than three times over a period of ten years, was quite capable of keeping the aircraft industry working efficiently if given the time. So giving him an assistant Minister ostensibly responsible for Aircraft Production was a classic parliamentary manoeuvre.
What was required he reasoned was not an industrial administrator but a political insider who could pull strings. In this regard Sir Archbald Sinclair would be hard to surpass. He was a landed gentleman, owning around 100,000 acres of land in Scotland, leader of the Liberal Party, A close personal friend and ex wartime comrade of Winston Churchill (Sir Phillip had for a short time been with them both at the 'Lawrence Farm advanced HQ' in 1916). Sir Archibald also had shared Foreign office experience with Sir Phillip. Sir Archibald formerly held a pilots’ licence and was a vocal parliamentary champion of a strong RAF and an advocate for the setting up of a Ministry of Supply. When persuading Sir Archibald to take this somewhat subsidiary ministerial post Sir Maurice had sold it as a possible stepping stone to there being a Ministry of Supply with Sir Archibald as the Minister. Sir Maurice had also convinced Sir Philip that by appointing a well known political confederate of Churchill’s it would curtail his attacks on the Air Ministry.
At the time of the summer exercise the biggest single problem for the RDF system was the impossibility of differentiating between friendly and hostile aircraft. The current semi-automatic DF system being installed at all sector stations, whilst effective was just not fast enough. Often taking the best part of a quarter of an hour to get an identified response. Once again just like the GCI RDF the actual answer was contained within Watson Watt’s original 1935 memorandum. In that far sighted memorandum, Watson Watt, had stated that all RAF aircraft should be fitted with ‘a keyed resonating array so that they are readily located by the same methods as those used for enemy bombers, but discriminated and identified by the intermissions in their “reflected” field'. Two separate, two person teams had been working for over a year at Bawdsey to perfect such a coded transponder and in late 1938 under the direction of Dr F.C. Williams the best feature of the two teams trial units were combined into a single prototype design. Having readily available receiver chassis from Pye Electronics, for RDF 1.5 and 2, functioning, as well as CH. transmitting was fortuitous for rapid development of this deice and refining the super regenerative circuit required for the airborne radio receiver working on those RDF frequencies. With a flyable prototype ready before Christmas there was a push to have a preproduction batch of these transponders ready in time for the air exercise scheduled for early March 1939. Sir Hugh Dowding would have liked every fighter aircraft in the exercise to be fitted with what was now being called IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) in time for this exercise but only enough sets would be ready to fit one to each Squadron and Flight leader's aircraft. With enough units left over to fit one in each of the half dozen Blenheim trial night fighters currently working out of Martlesham Heath on developing AI RDF.
1938 had been another frenetic year for the Sir Wilfred Freeman member for research and development. Though not quite as bad as 1937 there had still been some 30 new specifications issued to the industry. The production side had been almost as busy with another two dozen production specifications issued, including one to Lockheed in America and two for Canadian companies. The contract to Lockheed was for their Hudson version of the Super Electra airliner, now called the Hudson, In Canada, Canadian Car & Foundry were to build Hurricanes and Canadian Assoc. A/c Ltd were to construct Hadley Page Hampdens. Further contractors were being sort, If the Beaufort engine changed to the twin wasp then building the aircraft in Canada for use there and in the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces, would make a lot of sense.
The setting up of the Reserve Command in 1938 had been very successful in helping Training Command with organising the flow of reserve and processing the increasing number of volunteer reserve pilots being recruited. Someone in Reserve Command had had the inspired idea of inviting all reserve officers still flying but now above operational age, to volunteer as instructors, after a short course these instructors were mainly assigned to civilian schools to help ease the load on the instructors already there. Most of civilian instructors were already either in ranks of the RAFR or RAFVR. Via various contacts and associations as many ex RFC and RAF pilots below the age of 50 who had left the service and the reserve after 1918 were contacted and invited to join the RAFVR and if fit to fly re qualify as instructors. By this means Reserve Command indevoured to build up a pool of instructors who could be mobilised to cope with the ever increasing demand from Training Command. This pool would be vital if and when the Empire training scheme proceeded. With this in mind one Miles magister, one Miles Master and a De Haviland Tiger Moth were sent to South Africa for hot climate trials.
More of a worry was the slow increase in production of the new monoplane fighters. Yes, squadrons were converting to the new aircraft but there were no war reserves at all of these aircraft. There was a small war reserve of Gladiator’s from the 184 built and a greater reserve of Harts, Demons and Gaunlets as those aircraft became available as the Squadrons using them converted to Hurricanes and Spitfires. Sir Phillip, the CAS and Dowding were all getting tired of the treasury who seemed to put more importance on possible export earning than building reserves.
The Treasury noise over the purchase of the Lockheed Hudson was another thorn in AM’s plans. The Treasury seemed unable to understand that though they could fill the same roles, Maritime patrol and Reconesonse Bomber. Each aircraft had their prose and cons in operation. For instance the high wing of the Albatross gave a better view from the cabin for Maritime Patrol work but the aircraft lacked range compared to the Hudson and had a lower operating ceiling.
The Air Member for Aircraft Production took office on the administrabley tidy day of the first of January 1939. Sir Archibald Sinclair had been appointed to this post for sound political reasons, as Sir Maurice Hanky had discussed with Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister. Sir Maurice reasoned that Sir Phillip being a lawyer and having served as the President of the Board of Trade, no less than three times over a period of ten years, was quite capable of keeping the aircraft industry working efficiently if given the time. So giving him an assistant Minister ostensibly responsible for Aircraft Production was a classic parliamentary manoeuvre.
What was required he reasoned was not an industrial administrator but a political insider who could pull strings. In this regard Sir Archbald Sinclair would be hard to surpass. He was a landed gentleman, owning around 100,000 acres of land in Scotland, leader of the Liberal Party, A close personal friend and ex wartime comrade of Winston Churchill (Sir Phillip had for a short time been with them both at the 'Lawrence Farm advanced HQ' in 1916). Sir Archibald also had shared Foreign office experience with Sir Phillip. Sir Archibald formerly held a pilots’ licence and was a vocal parliamentary champion of a strong RAF and an advocate for the setting up of a Ministry of Supply. When persuading Sir Archibald to take this somewhat subsidiary ministerial post Sir Maurice had sold it as a possible stepping stone to there being a Ministry of Supply with Sir Archibald as the Minister. Sir Maurice had also convinced Sir Philip that by appointing a well known political confederate of Churchill’s it would curtail his attacks on the Air Ministry.
At the time of the summer exercise the biggest single problem for the RDF system was the impossibility of differentiating between friendly and hostile aircraft. The current semi-automatic DF system being installed at all sector stations, whilst effective was just not fast enough. Often taking the best part of a quarter of an hour to get an identified response. Once again just like the GCI RDF the actual answer was contained within Watson Watt’s original 1935 memorandum. In that far sighted memorandum, Watson Watt, had stated that all RAF aircraft should be fitted with ‘a keyed resonating array so that they are readily located by the same methods as those used for enemy bombers, but discriminated and identified by the intermissions in their “reflected” field'. Two separate, two person teams had been working for over a year at Bawdsey to perfect such a coded transponder and in late 1938 under the direction of Dr F.C. Williams the best feature of the two teams trial units were combined into a single prototype design. Having readily available receiver chassis from Pye Electronics, for RDF 1.5 and 2, functioning, as well as CH. transmitting was fortuitous for rapid development of this deice and refining the super regenerative circuit required for the airborne radio receiver working on those RDF frequencies. With a flyable prototype ready before Christmas there was a push to have a preproduction batch of these transponders ready in time for the air exercise scheduled for early March 1939. Sir Hugh Dowding would have liked every fighter aircraft in the exercise to be fitted with what was now being called IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) in time for this exercise but only enough sets would be ready to fit one to each Squadron and Flight leader's aircraft. With enough units left over to fit one in each of the half dozen Blenheim trial night fighters currently working out of Martlesham Heath on developing AI RDF.
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I'm liking the realism, here.
I wonder if this might lead to a passive homing system that could track German X- or Y-Gerät? Could it possibly lead to semiactive homing missiles?
late 30's electronics are both large and fragile even by the standards of 1945! The advances in miniaturization and hardening of electrical components were considerable a this period but it is all still relative. OTL getting proximity fuses by late 1944 was an incredible achievement and hard to beat without ABS, though I am certainly no expert on this subject.
Errolwi
Monthly Donor
I'm enjoying this TL. You were aiming for something more coherent here? Because there is no way that the Aussies and Kiwis will have a combined Air Force
RNZAF will want Hudsons for patrol (beats the Vincents they got in 1939 OTL) over Beauforts for strike. Although they purchased Wellingtons OTL, then gifted them to Mother England on declaration of war.
Perhaps it would have been better for me to write it out long hand where it would have come out as;-
'for use there and in the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces, would make a lot of sense.'
I will edit it to do that I think.
'for use there and in the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces, would make a lot of sense.'
I will edit it to do that I think.
Excellent stuff as always, the RAF's still behind the curve but at least there's a decent number of Spits and Hurricanes coming online with other aircraft also in the works. Are you going to cover the FAA's manning seeing as you've mentioned the RAF trying to build up a pool of fighters and pilots. One of the biggest failings of the FAA was a lack of both aircraft and pilots as there was never enough and at the start of the war it was near impossible for the FAA to carry its full aircraft allotments on its carriers due to a lack of both planes and the pilots for them.
The appointment of an Industrial administrator seems like a very good thing and should bring some order to the chaos and stop Churchill from sticking his well meaning but bull in a china shop shaped oar in too often.
Radar is still the main focus and the RAF and UK seems to have very much grasped how important it is and how potent it can be. I'm not sure when IFF's were introduced but having them on squadron leaders should help with fighter direction.
The appointment of an Industrial administrator seems like a very good thing and should bring some order to the chaos and stop Churchill from sticking his well meaning but bull in a china shop shaped oar in too often.
Radar is still the main focus and the RAF and UK seems to have very much grasped how important it is and how potent it can be. I'm not sure when IFF's were introduced but having them on squadron leaders should help with fighter direction.
Without wanking things I am working on both IFF,GCI and 20mm cannons being about 12 months ahead of OTL. All that is doable as historically the protagonists involved all identified probably avoidable delays of at least twice that duration. The Real Changes to the RAF OOB really kick in in 1940!
IMHO there is not that much slack in the British aircraft production, that can be resolved without POD's prior to those given by the OP. However by getting Castle Bromwich on line earlier and changing the priorities of production you can massage volume a bit and quality significantly. How you use these changes are the biggest factor. For instance if Castle Bromwich had been producing the promised 50 Spitfires a week from the begging of the war in September 1939 until the fall of France in June 1940 that would have been a minimum of 500 extra Spitfires!!!
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Although whether any of these see service in France would be a question of policy as much as availability.
Errolwi
Monthly Donor
RAAF and RNZAF is shorter
There was also the policy of recruiting Kiwis (and Canucks?) directly into the RAF in the late 1930s on Short Service Commissions. This is why there were 100+ Kiwis in Fighter Command for the BoB (EATS had supplied few at this point). Not many Aussies, as they were building up the RAAF pre-war.
Driftless
Donor
Based on what you've written so far, I'd think the overall number of airframes is relatively close to OTL. However, the utility is much higher, both in the short and long terms. A lot of the dead-end planes have either been cancelled(i.e. Roc), or their numbers reduced(Battle), or they've been usefully altered(Defiant etc). That and the engine lineup is more coherent - again for the short and long terms.
One of the reasons given for them making Wellingtons for so long was the lack of experience with other manufacturing techniques but as you say, they moved PDQ when they had to.
i Think the continued construction of the Wellington and the Warwick was rather the case of the 'Bird in Hand' syndrome. The Vickers Windsor high altitude bomber being the final iteration of Barnes Wallace's Geodetic system. Being a pedant at heart! the Wesley et al, are not of Geodesic construction but are geodetic designs.
Oh I agree but as Yulzari mentioned they moved very quickly once the guarenteed contracts dried up.....which suggests a few words might be in order.
One plus for the geodetic design used by Barnes Wallace was its near legendry ability to absorb damage and still get home. This survivability is a very big plus when considering a combat aircraft and could well justify other the costs and limits of the design. However in the civilian market the design criteria are somewhat different as PMN1 points out and post war The Viking design was a success using a conventional fuselage and the geodetic wings of the Wellington.
I think the Wellington was deemed a success - structural strength and integrity while at the same time saving weight over other comparable aircraft, gave the aircraft range. OTL - it was so well regarded that other manufacturers were sought - but that proved impractical, as it was so specialised.