Whilst perusing 224 Sqn's ORB it appears that the carried out a lot of LL and SE on the Padstow launch and two of the coastal ASV bouys. As they were Liberators LL is obviously Leigh Light but for the life of me I can't figure out what SE is. It cannot be Single Engine as the Liberator would fall out of the sky.
I'll probably kick myself when someone comes up with the answer
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
Thanks. I did think of Sonobuoys but couldn't figure the E. I then dismissed the idea as they would have to be dropped near the target, so wasn't sure it fitted with the launch.
As I typed, I just did a thump on the forehead with the heel of my palm - Sonobuoy Exercise!
It still doesn't seem right but Sonobuoys are the most likely - so far
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
Sonobuoys looked likely yesterday but this morning I came across SE and Sonobuoy for the same crew. The ASV buoys at Trevose, Padstow and Helwick were only called buoys so that also fits in with the secrecy. The Padstow and Fowey launches would have been fitted with a radar reflector, either on the boat or on the towed skid. The only confusing thing now is that Radar homing and homing were also mentioned. I assume this was not ASV.
It appears that 224 squadron crews carried out a lot of practice, with almost daily SE, LL Bombing, Homing, although mainly as single crews. No formation practice was necessary.
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
The only confusing thing now is that Radar homing and homing were also mentioned. I assume this was not ASV.
Radar homing used a modified IFF set on the airfield. (IFF sets were normally fitted to aircraft to inform ground radar that they were 'OK'). This worked the other way round.
When an aircraft pointed itself roughly in the direction of the airfield its ASV radar would trigger the IFF set into sending 'I am friendly' pulses. The navigator would then home in on the IFF 'target' which would guide them to the airfield.
Plan A is always more effective when the problem you are working on understands that Plan B will involve the use of dynamite
Last edit: 10 Sep 2018 09:00 by carnaby. Reason: typo
Thanks Graham. That, I think, completes my Coastal Command training for today!
I re-read some of the entries and some are confusing, to say the least. e.g.
L.L., S.E. Homing, Bombing Harlyn
It shows that you do need a bit of background and know that Harlyn is Harlyn Bay bombing range and not the town. Also the entries from mid war were dual dates, rather like Bomber Command units, indicating overnight practice, hence the Leigh Light (L.L.) and ending with a practice bombing (presumably in daylight).
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
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