wartime-airfield-operations

Flight Lieutenant Basil Deveraux meets Alan, a young officer newly posted to a highly technical RAF unit responsible for operating an experimental radar-based landing system called Ground Controlled Descent (GCD). Deveraux introduces Alan to the vast airfield, the largest runway in the world, and the challenges of landing damaged aircraft safely, emphasizing the importance and novelty of the GCD system. The chapter ends with Alan reflecting on a formative childhood memory involving Miss Hadley, signaling a major turning point in his life.

Alan undertakes a month-long aerial tour of British airfields to plan the installation of Ground-Controlled Approach Devices (GCD), gaining experience and witnessing the realities of wartime operations, including bomber missions and innovative technologies like FIDO for fog dispersal. Upon returning to St. Erryn, he observes the large-scale FIDO installation and its dramatic test, while also navigating his increasing responsibilities and personal relationships. The chapter explores Alan's growing awareness of war's harshness, technological advancements in aviation, and his evolving role within the RAF.