No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia, chiefly Norfolk.
The group was a pioneer in countering the formidable force of radar-equipped Luftwaffenight fighters, using a range of electronic 'homers' fitted to de Havilland Mosquito fighters which detected night fighter radar and radio emissions and allowed the RAF fighters to home in onto the Axis aircraft and either shoot them down or disrupt their missions against the bomber streams. Other Mosquitoes would patrol around Luftwaffe fighter airfields ready to attack night fighters as they landed.
This constant harassment had a detrimental effect on the morale and confidence of many Luftwaffe crews and indirectly led to a high proportion of aircraft and aircrew wastage from crashes as night fighters hurried in to land to avoid the Mosquito threat (real or imagined).[citation needed]
From 1944–45, the Mosquitos of 100 Group claimed 258 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down for 70 losses. The gradually increasing threat from the RAF fighters also created what the Luftwaffe crews nicknamed Moskito Panik as the night fighter crews were never sure when or where they may come under attack from the marauding 100 Group fighters.
A Lancaster with Airborne Cigar (ABC) radio jamming equipment - the two vertical aerials on the fuselage
The bomber squadrons of 100 Group utilised various specialist electronic jamming devices to disrupt German radio communications and radar. During 100 Group's existence over 32 different devices were evaluated and used. Specially equipped 100 Group aircraft would fly in the bomber stream. Much of this equipment was developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE).
Special equipment used included Airborne Cigar (ABC) jammer, Jostle (jammer), Mandrel (jammer), Airborne Grocer (jammer), Piperack (jammer), Perfectos (homer), Serrate (homer), Corona (spoofer), Carpet (jammer) and Lucero (homer), used against German equipment such as Lichtenstein, Freya, and Wurzburg radars.
The combination of the Pathfinders' operations, the activities of No. 100 Group, the British advantage in radar, jamming and Window techniques, combined with intelligent attacking tactics, as well as the discipline and bravery of the RAF crews, have been remarkable. We had our (sic) severe problems in trying to defend Germany in the air
— General der Jagdflieger, Adolf Galland., Lancaster - the Biography[3]
No. 100 Group was headquartered at Bylaugh Hall, Norfolk from January 1944, a central location from which to administer the group's airfields in north Norfolk. No 100 Group operated from eight airfields with approximately 260 aircraft, 140 of which were various marks of Mosquito night fighter intruders with the remainder consisting of Handley Page Halifaxes, Short Stirlings, Vickers Wellingtons, Fortresses and Liberators carrying electronic jamming equipment. The group also operated the Bristol Beaufighter for a short time.
^Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 37. ISBN0-7100-9339-X.
^Delve, Ken (2005). Bomber Command 1939-1945 : a reference to the men - aircraft & operational history. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 174. ISBN1-84415-183-2.
Bond, Steve & Forder, Richard Special Ops Liberators 2239Bomber Support0 Squadron, 100 Group and the Electronic War. Grub Street 2011 ISBN978-1-908-11714-4.
Bowman, Martin W. 100 Group (Bomber Support): RAF Bomber Command in World War II. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2006. ISBN1-84415-418-1.
Bowman, Martin W. and Tom Cushing. Confounding the Reich. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword/Leo Cooper, 2004. ISBN1-84415-124-7.
Iveson, Tony, DFC; Milton, Brian (2009). Lancaster - the Biography. London: Andre Deutsch. ISBN978-0-233-00270-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Moyes, Philip J. R. (1976) [1964]. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (rev. ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN0-354-01027-1.
Peden, Murray. A Thousand Shall Fall: the True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Stoddart Publishing Co. Ltd., 1988 (reprinted in 2000). ISBN0-7737-5967-0.
Streetly, Martin. Confound & Destroy. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishing) Company Ltd., 1978. ISBN0-354-01180-4.
External linksEdit
Website RAF 100 Group Association
Website RAF bomber Command
Yoxall, John (16 November 1944), , Flight, archived from the original on 2 November 2012
"The Illusionists" a 1945 Flight article
August 27, 2023
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No 100 Bomber Support Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation The group was responsible for the development operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia chiefly Norfolk No 100 Group RAFActive1943 1945CountryUnited KingdomBranchRoyal Air ForceRoleElectronic countermeasuresPart ofRAF Bomber CommandMotto s Confound and Destroy 1 Royal Air Force EnsignCommandersNotablecommandersEdward AddisonInsigniaGroup badgeThe head of Medusa azure or sable The group specialised in electronic countermeasures so used the head of Medusa who confounded her enemies 2 Aircraft flownElectronicwarfareBoeing B 17 Flying Fortress Consolidated B 24 Liberator Handley Page Halifax Short Stirling Vickers WellingtonFighterBristol Beaufighter de Havilland Mosquito The group was a pioneer in countering the formidable force of radar equipped Luftwaffe night fighters using a range of electronic homers fitted to de Havilland Mosquito fighters which detected night fighter radar and radio emissions and allowed the RAF fighters to home in onto the Axis aircraft and either shoot them down or disrupt their missions against the bomber streams Other Mosquitoes would patrol around Luftwaffe fighter airfields ready to attack night fighters as they landed This constant harassment had a detrimental effect on the morale and confidence of many Luftwaffe crews and indirectly led to a high proportion of aircraft and aircrew wastage from crashes as night fighters hurried in to land to avoid the Mosquito threat real or imagined citation needed From 1944 45 the Mosquitos of 100 Group claimed 258 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down for 70 losses The gradually increasing threat from the RAF fighters also created what the Luftwaffe crews nicknamed Moskito Panik as the night fighter crews were never sure when or where they may come under attack from the marauding 100 Group fighters A Lancaster with Airborne Cigar ABC radio jamming equipment the two vertical aerials on the fuselageTop Mosquito ace with 100 Group was Wing Commander Branse Burbridge of 85 Squadron with 21 claims from 1944 45 The bomber squadrons of 100 Group utilised various specialist electronic jamming devices to disrupt German radio communications and radar During 100 Group s existence over 32 different devices were evaluated and used Specially equipped 100 Group aircraft would fly in the bomber stream Much of this equipment was developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment TRE Special equipment used included Airborne Cigar ABC jammer Jostle jammer Mandrel jammer Airborne Grocer jammer Piperack jammer Perfectos homer Serrate homer Corona spoofer Carpet jammer and Lucero homer used against German equipment such as Lichtenstein Freya and Wurzburg radars The combination of the Pathfinders operations the activities of No 100 Group the British advantage in radar jamming and Window techniques combined with intelligent attacking tactics as well as the discipline and bravery of the RAF crews have been remarkable We had our sic severe problems in trying to defend Germany in the air General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland Lancaster the Biography 3 Contents 1 Order of battle 2 See also 3 References 3 1 Citations 3 2 Sources 4 External linksOrder of battle Edit An electronic warfare Fortress III of 214 Squadron with nose mounted H2S radomeNo 100 Group was headquartered at Bylaugh Hall Norfolk from January 1944 a central location from which to administer the group s airfields in north Norfolk No 100 Group operated from eight airfields with approximately 260 aircraft 140 of which were various marks of Mosquito night fighter intruders with the remainder consisting of Handley Page Halifaxes Short Stirlings Vickers Wellingtons Fortresses and Liberators carrying electronic jamming equipment The group also operated the Bristol Beaufighter for a short time The group disbanded on 17 December 1945 During its existence it had one commander Air Vice Marshal Edward Addison 100 Special Duties Group order of battle 4 Squadron Aircraft First 100 Group operation Base192 Mosquito II B IV B XVI Wellington B III Halifax IV December 1943 RAF Foulsham141 Beaufighter VI Mosquito II VI XXX December 1943 RAF West Raynham239 Mosquito II VI XXX 20 January 1944 RAF West Raynham515 Mosquito II VI 3 March 1944 RAF Little Snoring RAF Great Massingham169 Mosquito II VI XIX 20 January 1944 RAF Little Snoring214 Fortress II III 20 21 April 1944 RAF Sculthorpe RAF Oulton199 Stirling B III Halifax B III 1 May 1944 RAF North Creake157 Mosquito XIX XXX May 1944 RAF Swannington85 Mosquito XII XVII 5 6 June 1944 RAF Swannington23 Mosquito VI 5 6 July 1944 RAF Little Snoring223 Liberator VI Fortress II III September 1944 RAF Oulton171 Stirling II Halifax III 15 September 1944 RAF North Creake462 RAAF Halifax III 13 March 1945 RAF FoulshamOther units and stations No 1692 Flight RAF based at RAF Little Snoring No 1699 Flight RAF based at RAF Oulton to train Fortress crews for 214 Squadron No 100 Group Communications Flight at RAF West Raynham and then RAF Swanton Morley No 80 Signals Wing RAF from November 1943 based at Radlett Aerodrome controlled Meacon beacons and other radio counter measures and intelligence work See also EditLight Night Strike Force List of World War II electronic warfare equipment List of Royal Air Force groups 36th Bombardment Squadron Michael RenautReferences EditCitations Edit Pine L G 1983 A dictionary of mottoes 1 ed London Routledge amp Kegan Paul p 37 ISBN 0 7100 9339 X Delve Ken 2005 Bomber Command 1939 1945 a reference to the men aircraft amp operational history Barnsley Pen amp Sword Aviation p 174 ISBN 1 84415 183 2 Iveson amp Milton 2009 p 122 Moyes 1976 p 307 Sources Edit Bond Steve amp Forder Richard Special Ops Liberators 2239Bomber Support0 Squadron 100 Group and the Electronic War Grub Street 2011 ISBN 978 1 908 11714 4 Bowman Martin W 100 Group Bomber Support RAF Bomber Command in World War II Barnsley South Yorkshire UK Pen amp Sword Leo Cooper 2006 ISBN 1 84415 418 1 Bowman Martin W and Tom Cushing Confounding the Reich Barnsley South Yorkshire UK Pen amp Sword Leo Cooper 2004 ISBN 1 84415 124 7 Iveson Tony DFC Milton Brian 2009 Lancaster the Biography London Andre Deutsch ISBN 978 0 233 00270 5 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Moyes Philip J R 1976 1964 Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft rev ed London Macdonald and Jane s ISBN 0 354 01027 1 Peden Murray A Thousand Shall Fall the True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two Toronto Ontario Canada Stoddart Publishing Co Ltd 1988 reprinted in 2000 ISBN 0 7737 5967 0 Streetly Martin Confound amp Destroy London Macdonald and Jane s Publishing Company Ltd 1978 ISBN 0 354 01180 4 External links EditWebsite RAF 100 Group Association Website RAF bomber Command Website RAF 100 Group Museum Yoxall John 16 November 1944 Bomber Support Interceptors Intercepted Reasons for Big Drop in Bomber Command Casualties Flight archived from the original on 2 November 2012 The Illusionists a 1945 Flight article Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 100 Group RAF amp oldid 1085952142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
