# RADAR before the war, not just in Germany and the UK?



## Marcel (Aug 3, 2008)

Just found out that my country had RADAR in 1940 as well, independently developed from Germany and the UK, which is totally new to me. Seems like some of the equipment have been in operational use in May 1940 as well. Drawings reportedly have been brought to England.



> In 1924 (and later!) the newspapers reported repeatedly mysterious incidents, suggested to be due to the existence of a "lethal beam". Subsequently the Dutch Parliament founded a committee presided by a professor of the Dutch University of Delft, Prof.Jhr.Dr.G.J.Elias. The committee named "Committee for the Applications of Physics in Weaponry" had to investigate the phenomena. Members were knowledgeable officers of different military branches and representatives of various scientific disciplines. The Minister of War's instruction to the Committee went beyond the issue of the "lethal beam" by requiring members to incorporate physics principles in military equipment to improve performance as needed and to advise him on the matter. A young scientist, J.L. van Soest graduate of Technical University Delft, was appointed to conduct study and research.
> 
> Prof.Elias discovered soon that the reports about lethal beams were not a reality and it was better to pay attention to more important subjects of interest for defense. The committee wanted a location for investigation under direction of Ir.J.L.van Soest who joined the organization on February 1st 1927. Ir.van Soest and his assistant instrument maker P.D.Groot put this location (100 m2) named the "Meetgebouw" (Measurements Building) into use on December 1st 1927. They shared this building with the Dutch Military Weather Service. This building was situated on the Plain of Waalsdorp in the dunes near the present day TNO building.
> 
> ...


Source: MUSEUM WAALSDORP at TNO location The Hague/Waalsdorp

I'm wondering if there were more such parallel developement of RADAR in other countries?


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## Juha (Aug 3, 2008)

Interesting info, Marcel.
Haven't heard on that before.
Also Soviet Union had primitive radar operational in late 1939, called Rus-1, IIRC.

And I cannot remember when Japan got its very promitive system in use, IIRC it worked like a trip wire or a trip "curtain". It only indicated than a/c crossed a line or in other words flew through the "curtain".

Juha


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## Juha (Aug 3, 2008)

BTW Marcel
can you give the source to your message?

Juha


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## Marcel (Aug 4, 2008)

Juha said:


> BTW Marcel
> can you give the source to your message?
> 
> Juha



You're correct, I forgot. It's corrected.
Very interesting is the book "Illusies en incidenten" about the LVA mobilisation, 1938-1940 which contains a section describing the RADAR. I found this website above while looking for pictures about this RADAR. Don't know if it was published in any other language, though.


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## Juha (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks a lot, Marcel!

Juha


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## stolperstein (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Marcel,

your country get the RADAR allready in 1904...8) 
see please:
Christian HÃ¼lsmeyer â€“ Wikipedia
"downstairs" you can find under the link "No.1" more information in english (pdf file)

The "Telemobiloskop" from Christian Hülsmeyer could detect targets only in the direction without information about the range.


stolpi


...sorry for bad english......


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## Marcel (Aug 4, 2008)

Keine problem, ich kan deutch ziemlich gut lesen.
Sehr vielen Dank für diese information, denn ich habe nie dafon gehört.

Thank you very much! a great find. This is totally new for me.


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## HerrKaleut (May 26, 2009)

Hi Marcel. Very interesting and new!! All I can add is Robert Watson-Watt (a descendant of James Watt who invented the steam engine) and Arnold Wilkins demonstrated a working Radar set on February 26th 1935 and the world's first working radar system was in place and in commision by 1939 giving details of bearing height,speed,direction of travel and approx numbers.


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