"The first book to be published since 1950 to tell the story of the early development and employment of anti-aircraft and coast artillery radars during the Second World War. The principle of radar was first demonstrated by Sir Robert Watson-Watt at Orfordness in 1935 leading to the development of the Chain Home air defense system which was in service by 1939. The development of radar to support anti-aircraft fire control and coast defence was initiated by the Army cell at Bawdsey Research Station on the Suffolk coast in 1936. When war was declared, this moved to the Air Defence Research and Development Establishment at Christchurch from which emerged the first metric wavelength sets for gun laying, searchlight control and coast artillery. Amongst the detailed topics covered, this book examines the arrival of the magnetron valve in 1940 and the subsequent development of microwave radars and in parallel the development of Identification, Friend or Foe, the radar proximity fuze, and comparable US and German radar. It also looks at the conduct of AA and Coast operations; the part played by service and civilian support organisations. Technical appendices explain how early radars functioned.".--Adapted from back cover.

Introduction --British beginnings -- The metric air defence radars -- Centimetric radar and the Tizard mission -- United States radars -- German radars -- Identification friend from foe -- The proximity fuze -- Air defence operations -- Metric coast defence radar -- Microwave coast radar -- Coast operations -- Field army radar -- Organisation -- Reflections -- Appendix 1 GL1 - a technical description -- Appendix 2 GL2 - a technical description -- Appendix 3 SLC, Radar AA No 2 Marks 2-7, technical description -- Appendix 4 Radar AA No 4 Mark 6 - a technical description -- Appendix 5 Radar AA No 3 Mark 2 - a technical description -- Appendix 6 Radar AA No 3 Mark 5/SCR584-technical description -- Appendix 7 Radar AA No 3 Mark 7 - a technical description -- Appendix 8 A radar primer - index -- Appendix 9 Summary table of AA radars -- Appendix 10 Characteristics of AA and coast artillery.