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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 19, 2022 20:43:33 GMT 12
SECRET WEAPON MAY BE DEATH RAY
NEW YORK, June 13.
Mr James Snodgrass, the American biophysicist who shared in the development of the Anglo-American secret weapon reported from Auckland today, declared that the first reports of the weapon, although exaggerated, were substantially true. Mr Snodgrass, speaking carefully for fear he might inadvertently say more than national security permits, told the ‘Herald-Tribune’ that he worked on the weapon in New Zealand, and believed it was of tremendous importance. He added that the weapon was not connected in any way with the atom bomb, and was not a biological weapon.
The United States navy has all reports on the weapon, but Mr Snodgrass would not state whether it was for use against personnel or vessels, as the naval link suggests. The weapon was first conceived by the British, and, although American naval men were not enthusiastic, the British pressed ahead with the work, first during 1943 on an obscure South Pacific island, then in New Zealand.
The work was continued after Mr Snodgrass left New Zealand in 1945, and he had no knowledge of its final development. Mr Snodgrass, prior to the war, made an investigation on the effect of electrical currents on the human body. The ‘Herald-Tribune' says that this and other facts made it “an attractive guess ” that the weapon is some phase of death radiation.
A further message states that General George Kenny, head of the United States Strategic Air Force, in a speech at the institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, suggested possible weapons as terrifying as the atom bomb. He said that an aeroplane equipped with a sort of “super dog whistle” (extremely high-pitched) could conceivably fly over a city and upset the nervous systems, of the whole population. It might or might not be a fantastic dream. Light waves offered a similar field, and rain control a third.
“Instead of allowing rain clouds to drive past arid or semi-arid sections, we should be able to shoot them down and put the rain where we need it,” he said. “It is not inconceivable that the nation which first learns to control the time and place of precipitation will dominate the world.”
It was revealed last week that Professor T. D. Leech, of Auckland, who figured in the Birthday Honours, was closely associated with the development of a secret weapon during the war which was an effective alternative to the atom bomb. Florida was originally chosen as the site for research, but activities were transferred to New Zealand for security reasons. The project is still a top secret among the Allied nations. British, American, and New Zealand scientists, engineers, and high naval officers were associated in the project. Elaborate precautions were adopted, to protect the secret of the 170 New Zealanders engaged in the work, and not more than 150 had a precise idea of the end in view. To-day relatively only a handful of people in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States are aware of the full implications of this particular method of offensive warfare. It had been intended that the project should play a major role in Pacific strategy.
EVENING STAR, 16 JUNE 1947
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Post by davidd on Jan 20, 2022 10:21:13 GMT 12
Well, that is interesting! Anybody got any idea as to what this project was all about? Only thing I can suggest (and I don't really think this is it) is the "Canterbury Project" of 1946/47, which definitely included American and British scientists. So far as I know, this project had nothing to do with "death rays", was more to do with investigations of the anomalous propagation characteristics of radio waves when radiated through layers of air of different temperatures, which naturally involved our very own notorious Nor'Westers. This project was originally to have been mounted in areas of China in 1943/44, but Japanese Army advances there put these areas out of contention, and interest eventually moved to the South Pacific. Of course the "death rays" referred to above could have been a cover story to hide the true intent. Forumites may recall British attempts in the early/mid 1930s to develop "death rays" as an anti-aircraft defence, which finally lead to radar as a more realistic answer to the problem.
Hmmmmmm, maybe this IS what it is all about! The Canterbury Project was originally very secret, but I think they published a certain amount about the nature of it at the time (1946/47).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 21, 2022 8:39:30 GMT 12
I wondered if the project referred to was the Tsunami bomb that was developed in New Zealand and tested here. It was not revealed to the public till about the 1990's.
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Post by Antonio on Jan 21, 2022 14:47:26 GMT 12
In 1943? What British presence in what island? AFIK there was only US, NZ & OZ in any South Pacific Island (on our side).
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Post by nuuumannn on Feb 4, 2022 12:21:42 GMT 12
SECRET WEAPON MAY BE DEATH RAY This is of interest since the British did in fact investigate death rays before the war but by the time WW2 broke out, British scientists had tired of the idea as nothing that was produced ever actually worked, either within the British scientific community or from abroad that the British helped fund. Watson-Watt was asked to investigate a death ray in the early 30s and through his research came to the conclusion that focussed radio waves at certain frequencies were disturbed by objects within their proximity, particularly aircraft, which led to other things. A few years later a Dutch inventor got the interest of the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service - MI6) and funded such a weapon's development but he also couldn't get it to work, but found quite accidentally that it had good properties as a fruit preserver! By the late 1930s the British scientific community had come to the conclusion that death rays were not going to be a thing and the benefits of bouncing radio waves off moving objects had become a serious subject for research, so I'm curious as to what experiments the British were conducting on a remote South Pacific island in 1943 to do with death rays, unless the death ray thing was to mask what the Brits were actually doing - radar research sounds like a more realistic proposition.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 4, 2022 12:25:58 GMT 12
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Post by ErrolC on Feb 4, 2022 13:29:11 GMT 12
Trent Telenko mentioning NZ scientists again, this time in a podcast about Electronic Warfare. share.transistor.fm/s/bdb2c58eThe History of Crows Radar Hunters in the Pacific
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Post by nuuumannn on Feb 4, 2022 14:46:52 GMT 12
Any mention of William Pickering, who worked for the US Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California during the war? It's interesting to note that he was involved post-war in US rocketry and I know that MoTaT has a WAC Corporal sounding rocket, which was developed by JPL. Is this because of Pickering's involvement or is it purely coincidental that MoTaT has it? Corporal According to the Corporal rocket's wiki page there's this wee gem: "The origin of the acronym "WAC" in WAC Corporal has been claimed to stand for multiple different phrases. Some White Sands historians (Kennedy, DeVorkin, Eckles) have claimed it means "Without Attitude Control". In "Bumper 8: 50th Anniversary of the First Launch on Cape Canaveral, Group Oral History," William Pickering attributed it to "Women's Army Corps"." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAC_Corporal
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 4, 2022 16:39:59 GMT 12
Any mention of William Pickering, who worked for the US Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California during the war? No the only thing I found was he left NZ in 1943 to study in the USA.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 16, 2022 14:32:40 GMT 12
"BUBBLES" FOR WAR MADE IN FORMER PLAYHOUSE
(By E. K. GREEN)
THOUGH it can be recorded that the optical section of the Auckland Technical Development Committee of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has a "bubble reputation," that phrase is not to be read in the Shakespearean sense. It merely states a fact which demonstrates a considerable achievement by the scientists concerned. "Levels" are an essential of many instruments of war, and the glass "bubbles" are an essential part of the levels.
They were never previously made in this country, and their production is a work requiring the highest degree of skill and accuracy. Now they are being turned out in thousands from a factory that was once the playhouse of an Auckland amateur theatrical group, by men who, in some cases, were formerly employees of the Otahuhu railway workshops.
This making of "bubbles," both straight and circular, is the biggest production job being done by the section, but there is little or nothing in precision optical work that cannot be done here.
All "From Scratch" The extent of the accomplishment lies not only in the excellence of the work now being turned out, but in the fact that processes as well as necessary apparatus to do the work nearly all had to be developed "from scratch." And much of the work has had to be done with ordinary plate-glass because optical glass is even now difficult to obtain except in the smallest quantities. Dry ice in a thermos provided cooling equipment for one ticklish part of the operation; and a fine blowpipe was manufactured from a hypodermic needle. This surely is accomplishment!
Professor P. W. Burbidge, chairman of the A.T.D.C, who studied his advanced physics under the late world-famous Professor Lord Rutherford, in a class that included some of the Empire's most noted scientists of to-day, expressed the attitude of the New Zealand scientist rather neatly: "They come to you and say, 'Can you do that? , and you always say, 'Yes.'"
That comment was made regarding the whole field of scientific development. Speaking particularly of the optical work, he made another statement that further emphasises the achievement of the optical section: "We still don't know how they do it overseas." In this, as in several other sections of research work, the scientists anticipated a demand that would develop. With the knowledge of the needs that were likely to arise in providing highly specialised parts of war equipment in a country so far away from the main centres of production, Dr. E. Marsden, Director of Scientific Developments to the Defence Services, and Professor Burbidge decided early that precision optical work must be undertaken.
Assistance was sought from a draughtsman in the railway workshops, Mr. A. D. Harris, who had some practical knowledge in the field, and for a time the work was centred at the Otahuhu workshops. There the small optical team developed methods of making accurate curved surfaces to precise sizes.
From that the work developed. Infinity sights were made for trench mortars, using plate glass. The process had to be worked out first, and then a jig and other machinery developed to make the necessary parts. Finally tests and testing equipment had also to be worked out. This use of plate glass to replace unobtainable optical glass required very careful testing for strains
In making needles and bearings for compasses difficulties arose. Finally cobalt steel needles were used; the bearings, that formerly required sapphires for hardness, were developed in ordinary pyrex glass! By chromium plating the steel pivots extra freedom of movement was obtained, equal to that with imported jewel bearings. Knowing these difficulties there is remarkable achievement in the production here of these bearings, of lenses for telescopes, in modification of aircraft instruments (such as the modification of a Flying Fortress type drift sight, designed for high-level flying, for use in a low-flying Catalina flying-boat), in the making of aircraft and other gun-sights, and of many other similar instruments for Army, Navy and Air Force use. Hundreds of compasses and hundreds, too, of burning glasses were made for use in the R.N.Z.A.F. emergency crash pack.
The optical parts of prismatic compasses, signal lamp mirrors, range-finders for coastal fortress use ... all these and more came from the optical section of the A.T.D.C.
In the aluminising of glass surfaces the section has done pioneering work so far as the Southern Hemisphere is concerned. This development of frontal surface mirrors is a highly important one both for war purposes and later for peacetime use.
An interesting story is told concerning the use of movie-films for training air gunners. Films were used that showed up to three planes diving towards the air-gunner, and to advise the instructor as to the correctness of shooting of his pupils a graticule (cross-wire sight) was marked on the film showing where the bullets should be aimed for successful gunnery. A spot of light indicated where the pupil's "bullets" were hitting.
It was found, after a while, that some gunnery pupils aimed at the graticule directly and that the shooting was more than remarkably accurate as a result. Phenomenal "scores" were being recorded. The Air Force asked the scientists for a screen representation of the graticule that could be seen only by the instructor, not the students. They found the answer in using aluminium paint on the screen, polarising the light of the graticule and providing the gunner with a pair of polaroid glasses.
The Unpublicised Physicist In all this development work the physicist had an important role, as he has had in all war research work. Dr. Marsden is a physicist, so is Dr. Burbidge. Dr. E. R. Cooper, of the Dominion Physical Laboratory, is another. You hear of such men in science, but you rarely hear of their I work—unless like that famous New I Zealander, Lord Rutherford, they are successful in a highly spectacular piece of fundamental research.
What is a physicist? It is not easy to explain. Dr. Burbidge, who is one, defined the physicist as "a scientist who studies the fundamental nature and behaviour of matter — electricity, magnetism, heat, light, sound and the states of matter." How far does that explain it to the layman? Not very far, I'm afraid . . . but this I know: In science you don't get far without the aid of a physicist, the most fundamental of fundamentalists, who deals in the most basic cf sciences.
All radio development work has been done by physicists, and you find one as the bottom of every chain of scientific development. You might call them "the back-benchers of the back-room boys." It is the application of their work that gets the spotlight of publicity.—Copyright.
AUCKLAND STAR, 28 NOVEMBER 1944
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 7, 2022 17:08:59 GMT 12
N.Z.'S RADAR BUILDERS DID SPECTACULAR WORK
(By E. K. GREEN.)
WHEN the then Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal R. V. Goddard, told New Zealanders back in the grimly threatening days of 1941-42 that they could expect half an hour's warning in the event of an air raid on these shores, he spoke with the knowledge that our coasts were ringed with the steady, searching, never-sleeping eyes of radar — the instrument for "radio detection and ranging" that gave the R.A.F. the power to defeat the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, that made Malta an uncrushable irritant to the Axis in the Mediterranean, and that was the guiding and protecting star of the Royal Navy in the triumph at Taranto.
For the fact that New Zealand had that vital protection in her hour of crisis the people of the Dominion have to thank the United Kingdom Government for permitting a New Zealand scientist to share the most vital war secret. They have to thank, also, Dr. E. Marsden, Director, of Scientific Development to the Defence Services, who made such good use of the knowledge he acquired; the New Zealand Government, which recognised the need for urgency and gave every encouragement to the development; and —possibly most of all—they have to thank a group of tousle-haired young physicists and radio engineers, who gave long hours and a brilliance of conception and improvisation to the tasks of development and production.
In the Van of Progress From the earliest days of 1940, an amazingly short period after Dr. Marsden returned, bringing with him models, some components and materials and a fund of information about "radio location," which was afterwards to be known as radar, New Zealand kept its place in development progress in this field of scientific research. What was accomplished in New Zealand and Fiji was one story of spectacular interest: what is revealed in letters received here from commanding officers in the Pacific front line concerning New Zealand's radar assistance is yet another.
Writing in an English newspaper some time ago the British inventor of radar, Sir Robert Watson Watt, declared: "The physical facts on which it is based had been long known to many. The act of creative imagination which integrated these into a military probability was little more than an hour's exercise in approximate arithmetic and armchair audacity. The conversion of probability into actuality lay in sustained team effort, consisting in the main of stretching known methods to meet new ends. The scientific method must pervade all stages of production and all stages of the use of the product. The scientific worker must live with the maker and the user."
That, in a nutshell, is the story of radar development in New Zealand. But, not only did the radar team "stretch known methods to meet new ends," but also they had to cope with lacks and shortages in required materials. They had to learn and make at the same time, and they had to produce in a race against time. In the field of production all the members of the team to whom I have talked paid tribute to various radio firms, who contributed their utmost to the task.
All Combatants Have It! Germany and Japan both have forms of radio detection; they know a great deal about radar, also, but there is much more they would like to know. This must be, therefore, at the best a sketchy account of what has been accomplished, but it will serve its purpose if it draws attention to yet another section of New Zealand scientists who have contributed greatly to the national war effort.
There are many spectacular stories to be told of radar development in this country, but none are more important than that which is a record of young men working night and day, every day in the week, in the hectic days of early development at the radio laboratory, which functioned first in co-operation with the Post and Telegraph Department, but was always under the direction of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Mr. Watson Munro of the D.S.I.R. was the director of the laboratory before he went to Washington as scientific liaison officer. He was followed by Dr. O. O. Pulley, who came here from Australia for the purpose, and then by Mr. Ian D. Stevenson. A section was in operation, also, at Canterbury University College from the outset, first under the leadership of Dr. F. W. G. White, professor of physics, who is now in charge of similar work in Australia, and then of Mr. T. R. Pollard, senior lecturer in electrical engineering.
The first work in Britain was concerned with aircraft detection and sets for use in aircraft. That, too, was an original object of New Zealand research, and the first set to operate in this country was an air to surface vessel model, which was taken on a flight, by Waco plane, from Wellington to Christchurch— before April, 1940. That set was made by the P. and T. radio section from a prototype brought from England by Dr. Marsden. For the receiver the research men used parts of a television set bought by Dr. Marsden in a second-hand shop in London.
Guarding New Zealand's Coast Original work was going on at the same time in the development and production of coastal defence radars —and in mid-1940 the first one was installed to guard Wellington Harbour. That was one of the earliest installations in the Empire. Soon such sets girdled the coast of New Zealand, though there was a period of hectic rush in their production of an improved set, that would give distance and bearing for the guns, when Japan came into the war. The first of these sets was installed and made operational in seven days, with three men working on it. It was designed in New Zealand and built from components available here.
It was during this rush period that an incident occurred which gives an insight into the character of Dr. Marsden—and of the teamwork that produced such results. I was told of one night when all were going eyes out in the laboratory endeavouring to meet schedule. On a bench sat the Director of Scientific Development baring the ends of insulated wire with a penknife, and asking a 20-year-old radar man working feverishly at the bench if there was anything else he could do to help.
Because it was necessary, as much as for the reason expressed by Sir Robert Watson Watt, the research men lived with the makers and the users in those days. Mr. R. S. Unwin, a physicist who has since served in the Pacific war, was located for a year at a coastal defence station near Wellington teaching operators, doing some of the first experimental operational work and maintaining the set. Other research workers who had been concerned in early developmental work went to other stations.
Mr. C. H. Vincent, one of these men, told of six months he spent at an Auckland station, taking down parts of the set each day for experimental work each day and having to have it back in perfect working order each night so that it could be operated. In the dangerous days following Pearl Harbour these sets, and the men who operated them, were of first importance to New Zealand.
They meant that the Navy had continuous watch on shipping off our coasts. If any large force had approached any important point there would have been time to muster our defences. In this regard New Zealand was well ahead of some other important bases in the Pacific—ahead, for instance, of Singapore.
Equipping R.N.Z.N. Ships New Zealand was not content with that protection only, however. Other original work had been going ahead. All Vincent aircraft had been equipped with air-surface vessel sets and were able to patrol, for example, ahead of the inter-Island steamer service. And now attention focused for a time on another phase, the result of some developmental work at Christchurch —a ship warning gunnery set. First to be so equipped was H.M.N.Z.S. Achilles, newly returned here from her triumphant action with the Graf Spee off the River Plate. It was small and elementary —a comparatively crude set of its type, but Commodore Parry was enthusiastic about it. And no wonder—crude as it was, it put his ship well ahead of others of a similar fire power, in these waters. A second and a third set were developed and on the third production was begun in earnest. This was about the end of 1941.
A number of the sets were made. H.M.N.Z.S. Leander and Monowai were fitted as they took over service in South Pacific waters, and others were supplied to the Eastern Fleet. In all these production tasks private firms played a large part. An interesting development was tried at this time, research men being placed in several big firms to study and where possible to press forward the production work, and to test each part and the assembled job as it came off the line. It worked most successfully. The sum of £40,000 was spent in the laboratory at that time and £400,000 with outside firms. In 1942 production was at its height and the staff of about fifty associated with the radio development laboratory and its outside activities worked without regard for anything except the jobs in hand. Four different types of radar were coming off the production lines simultaneously, including air-surface vessel beacons to guide friendly aircraft safely to their airport destinations. Excellent results were obtained with these, which were fully developed in the Dominion. They were powerful, with a range of 150 to 200 miles, considerably ahead of some overseas productions even to-day.
Dramatic Production Venture In other development work New Zealand had been well abreast of overseas progress, but one of the most spectacular programmes began with the return here of Mr. Watson Munro in June, 1942, with such parts and information as were necessary to institute the immediate production of an ultra-wave type of precision radar equipments. Working on a comparatively small scale, and (in this department, at least) without overmuch red tape, New Zealand has had production advantages over countries with intensively organised, large-scale production organisations. In this instance, thanks largely to United States generosity in making available information and specialised parts, New Zealand was able to start production of this type ahead of American mass-production, and they played an important part in South Pacific campaigning. A laboratory model of this new type of radar, to be used as a land-based equipment for detecting surface vessels and low-flying aircraft, was developed and demonstrated in an unusual form to the War Cabinet. The Royal New Zealand Navy was interested in procuring some of these sets for coastal defence work, and, as it was considered New Zealand could do more than meet home requirements, some of them were offered to, and accepted by, the Commander, South Pacific Area.
Turned out as they had been demonstrated, in mobile form, they proved most successful. The first set, manned by personnel of the R.N.Z.N., and accompanied by a scientist who had been largely responsible for its development, proved its worth when on its way as deck cargo to the Solomons area. It was kept operating—detected some reefs dead ahead of the ship, and also gave warning of a submarine.
In Action in Pacific This first new type radar, with its special feature—a self-contained unit in regard to power supply and all maintenance parts—was used on the beach at Rendova to give radar cover for the bombardment of Munda airfield. It was only a quarter the weight and could be placed in operation, following a landing, hours ahead of other equipment. Other similar equipments followed, and New Zealand radar men went with them into the Pacific battle lines, pioneering in yet another field—that of research under jungle warfare conditions. Their reports have contributed considerably to operational knowledge affecting design. One of the sets was lost "in action," and one of the scientists suffered wounds. This is only part of the radar story of New Zealand—a few highlights of a heroic story.—(Copyright.)
AUCKLAND STAR, 24 OCTOBER 1944
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 11, 2022 23:08:24 GMT 12
The team comprised ... I. K. Walker, of the DSIR .... On arrival in England in 1944, Walker went to the radar research and development establishment at Malvern, in Worcestershire. One of his most interesting tasks was to join an English team experimenting to locate by radar the firing-point of artillery and mortars. He is now engaged with another New Zealander, O. N. Watson-Munro, on atomic energy research at Professor Cockroft’s establishment at Harwell. OTAGO DAILY TIMES, 6 JUNE 1947 Now is this the same chap? From radar to TVFOR Auckland industrialist, Mr Ray Walker, chairman of Autocrat Radio, Ltd. there is an interesting relationship between his sporting successes and the development of colour television by his company in New Zealand. Mr Walker was the owner of the New Zealand One Ton Cup yacht, Wai-Anawa. The translation of the name from Maori means: “Reflections of the rainbow in water.” The same spectrum of colour that gleams in the sun from the bow of this great yacht is today being screened in hundreds of colour television sets in the production section of Autocrat Radio in Auckland. The same vividness of the full range of colour captured in the fine salt spray is being shown every day as the Sanyo colour television sets manufactured in New Zealand by Autocrat are tested in a 12-hour long check. For Mr Walker, the contract signed with the Sanyo Electric Company in 1964 was another step in a long personal association with electronics. “I've always had an inclination towards communication. In my early youth I was one of the fanatics with the old crystal set, way back in the 30’s,” he said this week. Mr Walker’s fledgling interest in the new technology of radio later brought him to service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force on special radar duties. “During the early days of radar I was stationed in Worcestershire at the Telecommunication Research Centre at Great Melville. “We had the interesting experience of working on equipment which was later the primary reason for the success of the bombing of the Ruhr. It was one of the first uses of electronic techniques in bombing.” After the Second World War, Mr Walker returned to New Zealand to continue his interest in electronics and communications generally. He says that Autocrat Radio, Ltd, first became involved with the giant Sanyo Group in 1958, and this led to the signing of technological and design contracts with Sanyo in 1964. Mr Walker is proud that Autocrat Radio, Ltd, is a wholly owned New Zealand company. He points out the company has more than 1200 shareholders. “Because of our independence we are able to seek the best in the world for New Zealand viewers. It was this independence that made it possible for us to come to manufacturing agreements with Sanyo. “Although we had for some time had a strong relationship with Sanyo, the particular requirements of colour television called for a continued cross-pollination of ideas and know-how between ourselves and their people in Japan. We regularly send engineers to Japan and recently had senior technical executives from Sanyo visit us in Auckland.” This early interest, coupled with the movement into close association with Sanyo, has carved out a lead in the market place in New Zealand for Autocrat. Already the Sanyo colour set being produced by Autocrat is in retail stores throughout New Zealand and is attracting widespread interest. “Colour television is the most exciting area of electronic communications I could ever have wished to become involved in,” says Mr Walker. “I see New Zealand manufacturers making between 60,000 and 80,000 sets in the 12 month period following the introduction of colour television here in October. “Public reaction generally seems to be out stripping the market surveys and the departmental assessments made some short while ago. We believe approximately one third of those people in New Zealand currently renting black and white television will want colour in its first year of operation.” “At an economic level we can expect to see a greater employment of people in the electronics industry. The requirements for colour television, through a wide spectrum of related industries, can be expected to create entirely new positions for people. “We will see more people involved in the printing of special circuit boards, tool making, and other activities at the actual manufacturing end. “Obviously, we can expect to see more attention paid to packaging of consumer products where these products will be used in coloured television commercials. “The N.Z.B.C. is currently thinking colour whenever television is mentioned. This includes their technical people, from transmission through to quality control and those involved in the making of sets, the make-up of people on camera, and ultimately even into the news area—we can expect considerably more specialist skills being explored. “The viewers can expect to find a greater involvement with all areas of colour television transmissions. The realism involved cannot be appreciated until one views programmes in colour. “I can see a great potential at the educational level for the use of colour television, both in reception of direct transmissions and in the closed circuit use which is currently being experimented with educational groups throughout the country in black and white. “At a cultural level, we can expect a greater participation by the public in the arts and crafts. “One of the particular areas that will be different will be the coverage of international and national news items. Although we have seen the best, and worst of the world in excellent news coverage on television, we will soon be able to see as near to reality as is possible without being at that news event at the time it was reported. No doubt this will create as many problems as benefits for those entrusted with the coverage of news throughout the country. PRESS, 13 JUNE 1973
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2023 9:05:29 GMT 12
New Zealand needs to make more recognition of George E. Watt, who was involved in the invention and design of the jet engine.
Jet Engineer’s Post In New Zealand
Group Captain G. E. Watt, a New Zealander who helped Sir Frank Whittle develop the jet engine during the war, has been appointed regional representative in New Zealand for Rolls-Royce, Ltd. He was born in Hamilton in 1908 and graduated in civil engineering from the Auckland and Canterbury University Colleges. Group Captain Watt was a New Zealand Rhodes Scholar and studied at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1933 and served on the staff of the experimental establishment at Farnborough. During the war he became deputy-director of turbine engines at the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and chairman of the high temperature materials panel. Group
Captain Watt was one of the principal collaborators in the development of jet and gas turbine aero engines. After the war he returned to New Zealand, and from 1947 to 1950 he was Director of Technical Services for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He joined Rolls-Royce in 1954 as chief test facilities engineer of the aero engine division at Derby. In 1956 he became manager of the new altitude test facility, and in 1960 was appointed general manager of the Rolls-Royce Test Establishment at Derby.
PRESS, 2 AUGUST 1968
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Post by errolmartyn on Oct 8, 2023 10:59:00 GMT 12
New Zealand needs to make more recognition of George E. Watt, who was involved in the invention and design of the jet engine. Jet Engineer’s Post In New ZealandGroup Captain G. E. Watt, a New Zealander who helped Sir Frank Whittle develop the jet engine during the war, has been appointed regional representative in New Zealand for Rolls-Royce, Ltd. He was born in Hamilton in 1908 and graduated in civil engineering from the Auckland and Canterbury University Colleges. Group Captain Watt was a New Zealand Rhodes Scholar and studied at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1933 and served on the staff of the experimental establishment at Farnborough. During the war he became deputy-director of turbine engines at the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and chairman of the high temperature materials panel. Group Captain Watt was one of the principal collaborators in the development of jet and gas turbine aero engines. After the war he returned to New Zealand, and from 1947 to 1950 he was Director of Technical Services for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He joined Rolls-Royce in 1954 as chief test facilities engineer of the aero engine division at Derby. In 1956 he became manager of the new altitude test facility, and in 1960 was appointed general manager of the Rolls-Royce Test Establishment at Derby. PRESS, 2 AUGUST 1968 From Colin Hanson’s B y Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999 : W ATT, Group Captain George Ernest, CBE, AFC, LofM(US), RAF. 05232; Born Frankton, 10 Feb 1908; NZAF 21 Nov 1927 to 27 Feb 1933; RAF 28 Feb 1933 to 19 Jul 1954; Pilot, Engineer. On loan to the RNZAF 10 May 1947 to 16 Mar 1950. Citation Air Force Cross (1 Jan 1942): [Ministry of Aircraft Production] W ing Commander Watt was the pilot who tested the apparatus for the Flying Personnel Research Committee at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He did over 100 ‘blacking-outs’ in the air over the period of a year to assess the value of positioning and various appliances. It was due to his courage and determination, often a great personal risk, that these tests were concluded satisfactorily.Citation Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) (US) (24 Jan 1947): For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service rendered to the Government of the United States in the United Kingdom as Deputy Director of Special Projects, Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1943-44, and as Head of Turbine Engine Development, Directorate of Engine Development, M.A.P. (now Ministry of Supply) from March 1944 to date. Group Captain Watt as the officer immediately responsible for the development of all aviation turbine engines for the British Government has been in the closest possible contact with the United States Naval Air Attaché, his technical staff together with the many engineering officers from the Navy Department, and representatives of naval contractors who visit the United Kingdom in order to study the design of turbine engines and jet propulsion in general. Group Captain Watt and his staff were continuously escorting American officers to the various centres of jet propulsion activity in England, and furnishing technical information on the subject. In his efforts to assist the American authorities Group Captain Watt has made several visits to the United States. By his wholehearted co-operation with American plans to undertake the design and production of aviation gas turbines, Group Captain Watt has made a very high contribution to the common war effort.Citation Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (16 Jun 1949): Not available. For services as Director of Technical Services, RNZAF, May 1947-Feb 1950 and for his research and development work on jet engines. Gp Capt Watt was one of the first 10 pilot trainees recruited for the NZAF in Nov 1927 and learned to fly at Wigram. Following service with 18 Sqn RAF (Hart) in 1933-1936 he began to specialise in engineering, taking courses at the RAF School of Aeronautical Engineering and at the Imperial College of Science and Technology. Gp Capt G E Watt, CBE, AFC, LofM(US), BE, DIC, CEng, FRAeS, as a New Zealander in the RAF, was the first officer to hold the post of Director of Technical Services, RNZAF. He was also a Past President of the NZ Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society. The Society’s Group Captain Watt Award was established in commemoration of the close association of members of the RNZAF with RAF technical teams who were engaged on the research and development of the jet engine during WWII. The citations above make mention of this wartime research. The purpose of the Group Captain Watt award is to recognise outstanding technical merit which enhances the efficiency of the RNZAF. Died Howick, Auckland, 9 Nov 1990. Errol
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