This is a List of Beam Approach beacon system Units of the Royal Air Force.
The first system to guide RAF aircraft safely down onto a runway was called the Standard Blind Approach (SBA) system and was trialled in the late 1930s. It was also being used by a few civil airports. By late 1941 the word 'Blind' was changed to 'Beam' as it was felt that blind did not give a reassuring feel to a system used when visibility was very low. The word Standard came from Standard Radio, the name of the company that made the equipment under license from the German company that designed it. However the equipment was also 'standard' fit on RAF aircraft. The change from Blind to Beam is evidenced in the two sets of Unit names in the tables below. There were no physical beams in the system at all, rather it relied on a heavily distorted dipole radiation pattern using a single transmitter. Instead of 'beams' it used a single heavily distorted toroid that was flipped left and right with a periodicity that simulated a morse code letter, the plane of equal field strength in this arrangement being mathematically equal to a line of zero width - a perfect 'beam' from an imperfect, cheaper, and simple radio transmitter. SBA was not automatic, the pilot flew the aircraft at all times.
The Beam Approach Beacon System (BABS) is an automatic radar landing system developed in the early 1940s but not used until much later when it replaced the SBA system.
Blind Approach Training flights[]
| Name[1][2] | Formed | Location | Aircraft | Disbanded at | Disbanded | Unit became |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Blind Approach Training Flight |
12 January 1941 | Abingdon | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | Abingdon | 8 November 1941 | 1501 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 2 Blind Approach Training Flight | February 1941 | Linton-on-Ouse | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | Driffield | 8 November 1941 | 1502 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 3 Blind Approach Training Flight | 27 January 1941 | Mildenhall | Vickers Wellington | Mildenhall | 8 November 1941 | 1503 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 4 Blind Approach Training Flight | 17 December 1940 | Wyton | Vickers Wellington | Wyton | 8 November 1941 | 1504 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 5 Blind Approach Training Flight | 1 January 1941 | Honington | Vickers Wellington Airspeed Oxford |
Honington | 8 November 1941 | 1505 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 6 Blind Approach Training Flight | 6 January 1941 | Waddington | Bristol Blenheim Handley Page Hampden Airspeed Oxford Douglas Boston |
Waddington | 8 November 1941 | 1506 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 7 Blind Approach Training Flight | 18 January 1941 | Finningley | Bristol Blenheim Handley Page Hampden Airspeed Oxford |
Finningley | 8 November 1941 | 1507 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 8 Blind Approach Training Flight | January 1941 | Wattisham | Bristol Blenheim | Horsham St Faith | 8 November 1941 | 1508 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 9 Blind Approach Training Flight | January 1941 | Thornaby | Vickers Wellington Airspeed Oxford |
Dyce | 8 November 1941 | 1509 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 10 Blind Approach Training Flight | January 1941 | Leuchars | Vickers Wellington Airspeed Oxford |
Leuchars | 8 November 1941 | 1510 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 11 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Upwood | Airspeed Oxford | Upwood | October 1941 | 1511 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 12 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Dishforth | Airspeed Oxford | Dishforth | October 1941 | 1512 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 13 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Honington | Honington | October 1941 | 1513 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | |
| 14 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Coningsby | Coningsby | October 1941 | 1514 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | |
| 15 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Swanton Morley | Airspeed Oxford | Swanton Morley | October 1941 | 1515 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 16 Blind Approach Training Flight | 22 September 1941 | Topcliffe | Llanbedr | October 1941 | 1516 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | |
| 17 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Wattisham | Airspeed Oxford de Havilland Tiger Moth |
Ipswich | October 1941 | 1517 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 20 Blind Approach Training Flight | 10 October 1941 | Breighton | Airspeed Oxford de Havilland Tiger Moth |
RAF Holme | October 1941 | 1520 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 21 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Stradishall | Airspeed Oxford | Stradishall | October 1941 | 1521 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 22 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Docking | Airspeed Oxford | Docking | October 1941 | 1522 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 23 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Little Rissington | Little Rissington | October 1941 | 1523 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | |
| 24 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Bottesford | Airspeed Oxford | Bottesford | October 1941 | 1524 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
| 25 Blind Approach Training Flight | October 1941 | Brize Norton | Brize Norton | October 1941 | 1525 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | |
| 26 Blind Approach Training Flight | 3 October 1941 | Andover | Airspeed Oxford | Thruxton | October 1941 | 1526 (Beam Approach Training) Flight |
Beam Approach Training flights[]
| Name[1][2] | Formed | Location | Aircraft | Disbanded at | Disbanded | Unit became |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1501 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1502 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1503 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1504 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1505 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1506 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1507 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1508 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1509 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1510 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1511 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1512 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1513 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | October 1941 | Honington | Airspeed Oxford Avro Anson |
Bramcote | 1 December 1946 | |
| 1514 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1515 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | Swanton Morley | Airspeed Oxford | ||||
| 1516 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1517 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1518 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1519 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1520 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1521 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1522 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1523 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1524 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1525 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1526 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1527 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1528 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1529 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1530 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1531 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1532 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1533 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1534 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1535 (RCAF Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1536 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | March 1943 | Grantham | Airspeed Oxford Bristol Blenheim Mk V |
May 1945 | ||
| 1537 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1538 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1539 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1540 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1541 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1542 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1543 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1544 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1545 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1546 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1547 (Beam Approach Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1551 (Beam Approach Calibration) Flight |
Radio Aids Training flights[]
| Name[1][2] | Formed | Location | Aircraft | Disbanded at | Disbanded | Unit became |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1508 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1510 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1511 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1513 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1516 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1521 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1527 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1528 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1552 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1553 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1554 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1555 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1556 (Radio Aids Training Refresher) Flight | ||||||
| 1557 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1558 (Radio Aids Training) Flight | ||||||
| 1559 (Radio Aids Training) Flight |
Other units[]
- No. 1510 (BABS) Flight RAF
- Blind Approach Training and Development Unit RAF
- Beam Approach Calibration Flight RAF (to Blind Approach Calibration Flight)
- Beam Approach Training Flight, Church Lawford RAF
- Beam Approach Training Flight, Nanyuki RAF
- Blind Approach Calibration Flight RAF (from Beam Approach Calibration Flight)
- Beam Approach Development Unit RAF
- Blind Approach Training and Development Unit RAF
- Blind Landing Detachment RAF
- Blind Landing Experimental Unit RAF
See also[]
References[]
Bibliography[]
- Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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The original article can be found at List of Beam approach beacon system units and the edit history here.