Washington, D.C.: Tizard Mission reveals radar tech
On September 19, 1940, British inventor Henry Tizard's delegation met US officials in Washington to share details of Chain Home radar systems detecting Luftwaffe bombers. They later disclosed the cavity magnetron, boosting Allied tech cooperation in WWII.
Background
Event Details
On September 19, 1940, Henry Tizard led a secret British team to Washington, D.C., meeting Vannevar Bush and Alfred Lee Loomis from the US National Defense Research Committee. They shared specifics on Britain's Chain Home early warning radars, which tracked approaching Luftwaffe aircraft during the Battle of Britain.
Key Exchanges
The US reciprocated by presenting their Navy's CXAM longwave radar, noting limitations in transmitter strength. On October 6, Edward George Bowen and John Cockcroft introduced the cavity magnetron, a compact device generating 10 kilowatts at 10 cm wavelength for superior direction finding.
Participants and Context
Team included military experts like Brigadier F.C. Wallace, Captain H.W. Faulkner, and Group Captain F.L. Pearce. Mission arrived via ship after Halifax stop, setting up at Shoreham Hotel. This occurred amid Britain's isolation, aiming to leverage US industrial power despite neutrality.
Significance
Exchange paved channels for jet engines and atomic research, catalyzing WWII Allied tech alliance. Sources: Wikipedia 'Tizard Mission'; Buderi's The Invention That Changed the World (1996).
Connections
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