To add to the above, Chameleon Patrols were intelligence based operations.
Intelligence reports suggested that on moonlit nights when the Luftwaffe attacked South Wales or South West England, E-Boats would leave Cherbourg, rendezvous fifty miles south of the English coast then lay up about ten miles off Dartmouth acting as Air-Sea Rescue launches for any crews forced down into the sea. It was proposed to attack these E-boats with three Whirlwinds, but due to the specific nature of the intelligence, the operation had to be disguised as a routine patrol. The obvious inference is that this was to protect ULTRA. The aircraft were to climb to 15,000 feet over Dartmouth, head out over the Channel on a bearing of 117 degrees and gradually loose height to 3,000 feet at a point fifty miles out to sea, then return to Exeter. They were forbidden to orbit as though searching, the idea being that they should appear to happen upon the E-boats by chance. If the visibility was below five miles or the clouds were below 3,000 feet the operation was not to be flown. In addition, at least one of the aircraft was to carry a loaded cine camera gun and R/T silence was to be maintained at all times. S/L Munro, F/L Pugh and F/L Crooks were ordered to stand by daily between 1530 and 1700, and the first Chameleon Patrol took place on 9 January 1941. Despite the meticulous planning however, nothing was seen. Two further patrols on 13 and 15 January also failed to find their quarry.
It is fair to say that the Chameleon Patrols were not an outstanding success and were abandoned thereafter.
Some broadly similar missions were flown against E-boats later in the war, but simply as armed reconnaissance, with no special mission name.
Intelligence reports suggested that on moonlit nights when the Luftwaffe attacked South Wales or South West England, E-Boats would leave Cherbourg, rendezvous fifty miles south of the English coast then lay up about ten miles off Dartmouth acting as Air-Sea Rescue launches for any crews forced down into the sea. It was proposed to attack these E-boats with three Whirlwinds, but due to the specific nature of the intelligence, the operation had to be disguised as a routine patrol. The obvious inference is that this was to protect ULTRA. The aircraft were to climb to 15,000 feet over Dartmouth, head out over the Channel on a bearing of 117 degrees and gradually loose height to 3,000 feet at a point fifty miles out to sea, then return to Exeter. They were forbidden to orbit as though searching, the idea being that they should appear to happen upon the E-boats by chance. If the visibility was below five miles or the clouds were below 3,000 feet the operation was not to be flown. In addition, at least one of the aircraft was to carry a loaded cine camera gun and R/T silence was to be maintained at all times. S/L Munro, F/L Pugh and F/L Crooks were ordered to stand by daily between 1530 and 1700, and the first Chameleon Patrol took place on 9 January 1941. Despite the meticulous planning however, nothing was seen. Two further patrols on 13 and 15 January also failed to find their quarry.
It is fair to say that the Chameleon Patrols were not an outstanding success and were abandoned thereafter.
Some broadly similar missions were flown against E-boats later in the war, but simply as armed reconnaissance, with no special mission name.