Hanbury Brown, Robert (Oral history)

British civilian assistant scientific officer served with Air Ministry working on development of radar at Bawdsey Manor in GB, 1936-1938; scientific officer served with Air Ministry in GB, 1938-1941; served with Air Ministry at Telecommunications Research Establishment, Worth Matravers, GB, 1941-1942; served with Naval Research Laboratory, Anacostia, United States of America, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as Assistant Scientfic Officer working on development of radar at Bawdsey Manor in GB, 1936-1938: postgraduate work and membership of London Air Squadron prior to appointment; offer of job from Sir Henry Tizard, 1936; interview process and impressions of Labouchere Bainbridge-Bell; work on 13 Inch Wave Radar; demonstration of equipment to Sir Ernest Rutherford; failure of test of radar equipment using flying boats, 1936; subsequent diagnosis of reasons for failure of test; second set of exercises at Dunkirk Chain Home radar station; transfer to work on airborne radar, 1937; need for higher frequencies for AI (Airborne Interception) radar; problems faced in early development of AI (Airborne Interception) radar. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as Scientific Officer with Air Ministry in GB, 1938-1941: decision to focus priorities on AI (Airborne Interception) radar rather than Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV); first test of AI (Airborne Interception) radar in Fairey Battle, 6/1939; decision of Air Ministry to equip Bristol Blenheim aircraft of 25 Sqdn, RAF with AI (Airborne Interception) equipment; Air Marshal Hugh Dowding's demand that AI (Airborne Interception) radar equipment should be moved from front to back of Bristol Blenheim; Sir Henry Tizard's concern about coincidence of plots of two aircraft on cathode ray screen; problem of getting AI (Airborne Interception) radar equipment with range of hostile aircraft; discovery that delay factor rendered existing AI (Airborne Interception) radar equipment obsolete; effect of his memorandum on establishment of Ground Control Interception (GCI) system, 11/1939; introduction of Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) for testing systems; dispute over minimum range of AI (Airborne Interception) between Albert Rowe and Edward Bowen. REEL 3 Continues: personality clash between Albert Rowe and Edward Bowen; use of modulator on Bristol Blenheim as solution to minimum range problem; adoption of AI (Airborne Interception) Mk IV; first successful AI (Airborne Interception)-Ground Control Interception (GCI) interception by Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF of 604 Sqdn, RAF, 20/11/1940; impressive number of AI (Airborne Interception)-Ground Control Interception (GCI) kills by 5/1941; Lord Frederick Cherwell's demand for system of long aerial mines; quality of work carried out by Fighter Interception Unit (FIU); question of myth of evasive action taken by German bombers; work on AI (Airborne Interception) Mk IV using spot indicator idea to ensure bomber not lost during final stages of attack; work of development of Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV); visit to operational squadron at RAF Leuchars; story of station commander's shelving of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment at RAF Leuchars; importance of introduction of transponder beacons; Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) trials to detect submarine HMS L27 in The Solent, 11/1939. REEL 4 Continues: result of trial Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) test in The Solent, 11/1939; importance of using Leigh Light with Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) radar at night; incident of being detached from oxygen supply during airborne trial, 1941. Aspects of period as scientific officer with Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) at Worth Matravers in GB, 1941-1942: transfer to work on radar application to army co-operation; development of Rebecca-Eureka system; reasons why Rebecca so useful to Special Operations Executive operations. Aspects of period as scientific officer with Naval Research Laboratory in Anacostia, United States of America, 1942-1945: work demonstrating Rebecca-Eureka system, 1942; work developing United Nations Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system; memories of Sir Robert Watson-Watt