Electronic landings in WWII ?

Busy to read the FIDO - Fogbuster book, I am surprised that (up to now) there is no trace of a kind of electronic device/equipment (called locator today) for landing in bad visibility.
Was there any of that sort during WWII for heavy aircraft ?

olympusman wrote:

Was there any of that sort during WWII for heavy aircraft ?

WWII in the UK saw the development of Standard Beam Approach (SBA), Radar Beam Approach (BABS=Beam Approach Beacon System), GCA (American Alvaraz Ground Controlled Approach).

SBA was antiquated and very unstable and unreliable. The last two were good APPROACH aids but failed as Blind Landing devices. They could successfully get an aircraft to the threshold but actually setting it down on the runway required an enormous amount of skill and confidence, especially with a 'heavy'.

What was needed was a means of relaying the aircraft 'height' to the pilot with great accuracy. The solution was found in the Glide Path system and the technology was not available until well after WWII.
GCA was very good for its time, but totally unsuitable for large numbers of returning bombers. It was the forerunner of Precision Approach Radar.

Wg Cdr (later AVM) RS 'Bobby' Blucke , probably the leading exponent in this field, performed a few completely blind landings using experimental glide-path, in which he flew the aircraft down the localiser and glide-path beams 'into the runway'. He admitted skill, confidence, and a reliable strong undercarriage were essential! It was not for your average RAF pilot.

Arthur C Clarke wrote a book called "Glide Path" which focussed mostly on the development of GCA during the war. Not sure, but think it might have a stong dash of auto biography about it.

Thanks gruntfuttock

Did you read this book ?

That's what I found about
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During World War II, as an RAF officer, Arthur C. Clarke was in charge of the first radar ''talk-down'' equipment, the Ground Controlled Approach, during its experimental trials. His novel 'Glide Path' is based on this work.
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So, it looks like a novel then... ?

Read it years ago, in the 1970s. I might have it still in some dark recess of the house. From what I recall of it, yes, it had very much the feel of a novel, concentrating on the difficulties of a young sprog officer having to deal with eccentric boffins and arrogant pilots.

I am looking for something more technical one side and on the other sharing the experience of the pilots.
A bit like the book about "FIDO - Fogbuster of WWII", by the way very interesting...