Navigation of figthers and wind in high altitude

[Jenisch]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering how Allied fighters in Western Europe conducted missions unaccompanied from bombers or other multi-crew aircraft in regard to the high speed winds which can be found in high altitude. In other words: how the pilotos managed to calculate their ground speed and thus their position in such condition?

Thanks since how for the attention,

Marcelo Jenisch

 

[bobbysocks]

they probably used the sameold style hand calculators and tools as flying VFR today...but an E6B and the dial computer. they knew their heading home, and last winds aloft ( speed and direction )...it wasnt an exact science. a lot of times when they came across the channel they were not very high.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

 

[vikingBerserker]

I believe they could also get ground fixes by using ground control radios.

 

[bobbysocks]

when they got close to home there was a "beam" signal...iirc one was a daw dit......the other a dit daw. it was a very primitative VOR/ADF kind of thing. remember hearing my dad say how they used it but i am nore sure i remember correctly. drgondog probably knows what it was and how it worked.

 

[bobbysocks]

yeah...them thingies. i have 2 of the original computers ( just the left side calculator ) but none with the wind speed slider.