In 1943, the bombing of the Third Reich became more and more intense, but the losses connected with them were unpalatable for the Allies. British scientists Joan Curran and Robert Cockburn in great secret developed a trivially simple way to deceive German radars. Today it is hard to believe that their invention changed the face of the war in the air ...
The invention was codenamed window in the UK . The Americans called him chaff (chaff). The way it worked was very simple. During the flight, the bombers approaching the target threw out ... strips of aluminum foil tied in balls. These scattered in the air, creating a lot of dots on German radar screens. It was impossible to distinguish between planes and foil.
This extremely innovative solution has gained both supporters and opponents. The latter believed that aluminum strips could pose a threat to their own planes. It has been suggested that the foil could get into the air gags of flying units behind the units, causing the engines to fail, which could lead to a catastrophe.
Blinding radars
UK Interior Minister Herbert Morrison protested against the use of the window over the Third Reich. He was concerned that Germany might use a similar method in air raids on England. And rightly so.
About a year before window was invented the Nazis discovered how aluminum foil works on radars. However, attempts to use it ended in a complete failure. As you can see, theory and practice are two different things.
Winston Churchill took full personal responsibility for using Curran and Cockburn's invention during the raids.
On July 15, 1943, Prime Minister Winston Churchill took full personal responsibility for using Curran and Cockburn's invention in the air raids. Nine days later, it was tested over Hamburg. 791 British bombers participated in the operation, but Nazi radars showed that more than 12,000 were approaching. machines!
The anti-aircraft defense of the Third Reich has gone mad. The searchlights roamed the sky looking for the enemy, radar-guided anti-aircraft guns fired at the bundles of foil. German fighters wandered in the sky like children in the fog.
British bullies
Using window it turned out to be a bull's eye. German radars were completely useless against foil. Tribute to the Allied scientists was expressed in his diary by Hermann Göring:
Radar (the allies - author's note) have the greatest geniuses in the world, and we only have patalachs. I hate British bullies like the plagues, but on one point I have to lift my hat to them. When the war is over, I'm going to buy myself a British radio. At least then I will enjoy the luxury of having something that always works.
After such a severe defeat, a scapegoat had to be found. This infamous role went to Josef Kammhuber
The Germans did not want to admit defeat. Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda of the Third Reich, tried to somehow explain the whole situation. He informed in the regime-controlled media that the Allies were using ... chemical weapons. The proof of this was supposed to be a cow that died after eating the foil !
After such a severe defeat, a scapegoat had to be found. This infamous role fell to Josef Kammhuber - the creator of the radar air defense system of the Third Reich.
Bibliography:
- Breuer Wiliam, Secret weapons in WWII, Warsaw 2012.
- Mikulicz Włodzimierz, Royal Air Force Bomber Command in air raids on Germany. December 1939-August 1943 , "Recent History", Yearbook XLV-2013, pp. 265-273.