R.A.F. MASTERS FOG

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24582, 2 June 1945, Page 2

R.A.F. MASTERS FOG

ARTIFICIAL HEATING OF AIR

BIG PART IN REPULSE OF ARDENNES DRIVE

<N.Z. Press Association -Copyright) (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 31. It was revealed to-day that Fido has mastered the airman’s greatest enemy—fog. Fido stands for fog investigation dispersal operation, and as a result of its work British scientists and technicians, together with many private firms, have evolved a method of dispersing fog in bulk by artificial heating of the air. The Royal Air Force in the later stages of the war was able to run a bombing service to schedule. When there is fog the Royal Air Force can now turn on smokeless petrol-filled flame-burners which enclose selected runways. Heat is thrown off which evaporates the fog, and planes coming in at 100 miles an hour see where to land. There are now 15 Fidoequipped airfields stretching from the soulh-easi to the north-east of England, and within their fog the sky reappears six to 10 minutes after the apparatus is turned on. In spite of the enclosing box of flames burning with a fierce glare no single plane of the large number of Fido landed has caught fire from the lines of burners. Grateful air crews refer to Fido affectionately as the “Grand Canyon.” This describes the strange appearance from.the air of a great hole carved by flame-burners in the solid-looking white cliffs of fog and moisture. . Commenting on Fido’s big part in the repulse of the Germans' Ardennes offensive. Air Vice-Marshal Bennett said; “Had it not been available the war might have continued another two years." In 1942 it was found »that fog was considered to be of more danger than the flak encountered in raids. It is estimated that 2500 bombers and their crews, numbering about 10,000. have been saved by this measure.