Avro Lancaster - Wireless Operator’s Position

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Күн бұрын

Here, we shall look at the Avro Lancaster Bomber’s Wireless Operator’s Position and Radio Equipment in the aircraft. We shall be covering the T1154, R1155, A1134A, and Fishpond along with many other items of equipment. We shall look at various wartime diagrams and photographs, and refer to extracts from the wartime Air Ministry manuals.
Join us, as we take a tour of the Avro Lancaster’s Wireless Operator’s Position, as we embark on a journey aimed at promoting UK Aviation Heritage.
I’d like to add a special thanks to Norman Groom for the kind help he gave me back in 2003.
Textual extracts from Air Ministry Air Publications are Crown Copyright and transcribed with the kind permission of the National Archives, London. All colour diagrams are based on original Air Ministry Air Publications mono illustrations and transcribed into colour by Bryan Atkinson with the permission of the National Archives, London.
Thanks must also be given to the following superb organisations for their kind support when Bryan Atkinson originally developed The Lancaster Explored PC CD-ROM back in 2004, all are listed below and are included once again in this series of videos.
Lancaster B.Mk.I, PA474. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Lancaster B.Mk.I, R5868. Royal Air Force Museum, London.
Lancaster B. Mk.III, DV372. Imperial War Museum.
Lancaster B.Mk.X, KB889. Imperial War Museum, Duxford.
Lancaster B.Mk.VII, NX611. Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.
The Norman Groom & Jeremy Hall Lancaster Nose Sections.
The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.
The National Archives, London.
The material contained in this video is intended for historical, reference, and entertainment value only, and is not to be construed as usable for aircraft or component restoration, maintenance, or use.
Devon S A (Flt Lt), Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Consort for Brass - Classical Rousing by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
#lancasterbomber #avrolancaster #ukaircraftexplored
Table of Contents:
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Location of Wireless Operator's Station
00:43 - Wireless Operator's Seat
01:00 - Wireless Operator's Window
01:16 - View of the Merlins
01:21 - Equipment Overview
01:31 - Wireless Operator's Table
01:38 - TR9F Installation
01:59 - IFF Location
02:10 - The Morse Key Type F
02:23 - More on the Table Flap
02:38 - T1154 & R1155 Location
02:54 - Various Aerial Locations
03:03 - Switchbox Type J
03:07 - Trailing Winch
03:19 - Power Units
03:36 - The T.1154 Controls
05:04 - The Frequency Range Switch
05:26 - The Notation Panel
06:13 - The Master Control Switch
06:38 - The Power Output Controls
06:58 - The R.1155 Controls
07:22 - The Frequency Range Switch
07:45 - The Function Selector Control
08:06 - Controls at the Top Left of the R.1155 U
08:26 - The Tuning Dial
09:06 - The Tuning Indicator
09:34 - Meter Deflection Sensitivity Switch
09:45 - Aural Sense Control
09:58 - Switching Speed Control
10:02 - The Trailing Aerial Winch
11:14 - A night down the Pub!
11:32 - The Oxygen Economiser
12:16 - Oxygen Economisers for the crew
12:25 - Oxygen Bottle Crate
12:39 - Portable Oxygen Bottles
12:49 - IFF - Identification Friend or Foe
13:21 - TR.9F and TR.1196
14:19 - The D.F. Loop
14:30 - The Visual Indicator Mk. I
14:49 - The Amplifier Type A1134A
15:01 - The Mic - Tel Intercommunication
15:48 - The Aerial Switchbox Type. J
16:18 - The Aerial Ammeter
16:26 - H2S and Fishpond
17:08 - The Fishpond Indicator Type 182A
17:27 - How Fishpond Worked

Пікірлер: 56

@duggiebader1798 2 жыл бұрын

This is amazing. I'm researching my Great Uncle who was a W/op on Lancs with 44 Rhodesia squadron at Dunholme Lodge. He made 7 trips to Berlin. On his 18th Op his a/c was shot down. Only the F/E managed to get out. I've longed for someone to explain how the equipment he'd have used works. Thanks so much.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome, I'm pleased I could help

@raycarpenter8459 Жыл бұрын

My great uncle alfred millard was in 44 squadron to

@lancewhite1477 2 жыл бұрын

We used to have an R1155 at school back in the 70’s. It was used to pick up weather reports from Bracknell, and the lab tech had cobbled together a modem to convert the radio signals to dump out 5 character codes to a teleprinter, which we could then plot on a big chart of the UK.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@deeremeyer1749 2 ай бұрын

A "teleprinter" that spoke "baud" in the "70s" along with broadcast voice radio on AM containing "coded signals" that could "jump" from the "airwaves" to telephone "land lines"? Methinks - or rather me knows - you are completely full of shit and don't know that a MODEM is ALWAYS a "wired device" and both SENDS and RECEÌVES "machine code" OVER "land lines" but is not capable of "dumping" anything to a "teleprinter" that can and does "talk directly" over/on phone lines while a MODEM is a "translator" that allows a 120VAC MICROPROCESSOR TRANSCEIVER TO "COMMUNICATE" OVER 6VDC CIRCUITS

@montauktimelord Жыл бұрын

Thanks, found this fascinating as my Father was a navigator / wireless operator serving in 103 'Pathfinder' and 192 Electronic intelligence squadrons, luckily surviving 37 operations before being posted to Shawbury as a Navigation Instructor. He acquired a Lancaster aerial cable reel which we used for a mackerel spinning line on our sailing boats up until the mid 1970's!

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@craigdavid7792 2 жыл бұрын

A very good explanation of the radio equipment.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Craig

@MrShotlighter 2 жыл бұрын

Well researched & informative. The "wireless operator" in Morse was a nice touch. Did spot one incorrect bit though: the AE current meter is to measure the RF current delivered to the aerial by the transmitter, not measure static.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing and for watching

@grahamedwards9654 Жыл бұрын

brilliant video my dad was a wireless op and emergency gunner did 32 ops in the N for NaN then he got posted to india so missed the Dresden operation just got possession of his flying log book makes very interesting reading

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing Graham

@janinesmithson9514 2 жыл бұрын

This is fascinating. Ironic too because today where I work we have the Lincolnshire Amateur Radio Club broadcasting live in the grounds of the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln for the Avro Lancaster 80 years 😊 Also free activities and crafts for families

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@nigelbewley1122 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this gen. My Dad was a wireless operator/emergency air gunner in Lancasters and this excellent video has gone quite a long way to explain his job on sorties. He barely talked about it.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Glad it helped and thanks for watching

@jamesdonaldson4416 Жыл бұрын

My father was a wireless operator during the last 2 years of the war. He never spoke about it, he died in 1980 when I was only 19. How I wish I had asked him all about his experiences.

@patfontaine5917 2 жыл бұрын

Yet again you give us a wonderful view into history. I love these detailed yet easy to understand peeks inside what typically is ‘just’ a picture. You have a knack for bringing it to life. Well done, sir!

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Pat, I'm glad you enjoyed it

@faeembrugh Жыл бұрын

I worked with a chap in the 1980s who was a Wop/AG in 1944/45. He was quite happy to talk about his experiences but said his job was rather boring. He claimed he spent a lot of time on missions reading novels!

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@Steve-GM0HUU Жыл бұрын

Appreciated the video, very interesting.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@raycarpenter8459 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant vid thank you

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@radiosnail Жыл бұрын

Extremely interesting. Many many thanks.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@scroggins100 2 жыл бұрын

Really interesting many thanks for your obvious hard work.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome!

@paulbrenton939 2 жыл бұрын

1. My R1155 Radio HET Switch is used for SPOT ON Tuning by ear and UNMODULATED CW signals, 2, I have a 192 PLUG BOX here in my W/Ops room display!! . SETS for MARINE use were marked "STEEL" their chassis made of heavy steel metal!! PJB

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching

@greybeardmodels 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bryan, that was excellent as usual. I shall be re-watching this a few times I'm sure. Cheers Bob 👍

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@greybeardmodels 2 жыл бұрын

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 I’ll give you a shout out on my next video as I’m doing the radio operator station build now. 👍

@davegoldsmith4020 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bryan, sat in front of the kit many times, as it was where I as ground crew would sit for take off and landings, but of course it was not used. seeing the little draw at the rear of the table brought back memories, again as it was not used kept my gloves in there. Often wondered why that window was there as you could not see much from it, even less at night i would guess. But again you have put a lot more information out there on what looks like a simple part of the aircraft, thanks again.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@yehudacern5311 9 ай бұрын

A small correction: The antenna ammeter was not related to static electricity but rather the level of rf antenna current generated by the transmiiter. It would reach a maximum when the transmitter output stage and any antenna tuner device were tuned to resonance. 4X1TQ

@ukaircraftexplored6556 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching

@pontymike56 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent Video , really suprised how sophisticated H2S/fishpond was, did the navigator have a radar set also

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

The Navigator didn't have Fishpond, but he did have the main H2S set that provided the ground mapping. I hall include that when I cover the Navigator's position soon. Thanks for watching

@pontymike56 2 жыл бұрын

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 thanks

@nzs316 Жыл бұрын

I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the Astro compass. Any chance that it may become a topic in the future? A while back I caught a video of a Catalina PBY. It was so detailed until his camera panned right past the Astro compass and went straight to the radio operator table.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Will look into that Neil. Thanks

@nzs316 Жыл бұрын

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 I have one and I tried in earnest to explain its operation to my son then, he raised his phone and made a gesture that “I have a smart phone!”. I replied, “in an hour and a half your battery will die and you have no way to charge it!”. The information you share from your past experience and your knowledge base is really invaluable. It will serve as a reference for generations to come it is so appreciated thank you so much. It’s difficult to get somebody to appreciate that this is what you had to navigate by and usually while you’re being shot at. So you had your stars and dead reckoning to get you home.

@kurtmcalister-gq7il 11 ай бұрын

Hi, I really enjoy your videos. I am currently building a 1/48 scale model of the BI/III - Tamiya. I am finding it difficult to find any reference as to exactly where the aerial from the tail enters the forward area of the aircraft. I have looked for photos but can’t find where in the astro dome the aerial enters. I will be using braid fishing line coloured with flat aluminium paint. Hope you are able to help.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching

@libraryofchoid 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Bryan, will you be covering the navigators station for the lancaster?

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, it will be posted on Friday!

@libraryofchoid 2 жыл бұрын

@@ukaircraftexplored6556 Nice one, Bryan!

@petersteel9331 8 ай бұрын

On top of the radio is my father surename he few in the Lancasters

@richardschaffer5588 2 жыл бұрын

@19:24 5 shillings for the poor bastard who had just risked his life serving his country!!! No wonder Labour won in 1946!

@ukaircraftexplored6556 2 жыл бұрын

I know what you mean, but it was done a an incentive to ensure the aerial was wound properly.

@572Btriode Жыл бұрын

From 4:49 you are somewhat in error, the "MAG" meter is used to read the anode current in the PA valves to allow transmitter resonance tuning by looking for the dip in anode current. The other meter has absolutely nothing to do with static but it measures transmitter aerial current to allow for correct tuning and aerial matching on the LF (yellow) band. All this can be found in the operating instructions: www.vmarsmanuals.co.uk/archive/1257_AP2548_T1154.pdf See para. 139 for LF tuning.

@ukaircraftexplored6556 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing