Page 179
Page 179
R.A.F. and Ministry of Aircraft Pro Iction Decoys.
Enemy attacks
on decoy
sites.
154
The question has been fully discussed with Regional Commissioners and A. R. P., Observer Corps, A.A. and Balloon Barrage authorities. The Balloon Barrage operations room is in a position to satisfy all these requirements, pro- vided that complete telephone communications exist between the Barrage Command and the Flights, the Flights and the individual balloons, and between some of the balloons and individual decoys. In cases where no balloon units exist, or inter-communications are incomplete, special arrangements must be devised according to the circumstances.
The original R.A.F. scheme, to cover the Eastern half of the country, comprised 36K (day dummy aerodrome) sites and 56 Q (dummy night lighting) sites. These have all been completed and are in operation. In the second scheme, covering the Western half of the country, no K sites are being provided, but 36 Q sites have been found and, of these approximately 50% are complete and the remainder under construction. Further Q sites are still being sought,
40
In addition, 17 QF (dummy fire) sites have been provided for various large R. A. F. stations and search is being continued for further sites for this type of decoy.
The construction of four dummy aircraft factories has been completed and 11 dummy fires for the protection of individual aircraft factories have been or are being provided,
50
The following enemy attacks have been recorded up to 19th September, 1940:-
<td>
Ko sates 13 attacks on 11 sites. During this period there have been 27 daylight attacks on 16 of the parent stations provided with K sites. It should also be borne in mind that many R.A. F. aerodromes have not been provided with day dummy sites and some of these aerodromes have been attacked.
The proportion of attacks on K sites to those on parent stations does not show up too well but it has to be appreciated that the K site merely simulates a satellite aerodrome and has no buildings. Very few satellites have been attacked and it is clear that it is the buildings on the permanent stations that are the main attraction to the enemy.
Q sites - 95 attacks on 47 sites. During this period there have been 34 night attacks on 15 of the parent stations provided with Q sites.
Some of the recently completed Q sites have already been attacked.
There have been four attacks on three of the four dummy factories.
To prevent the Q sites, which are more or less standardised, from becoming easily recognisable as dummies, it is intended to carry out improvements to a considerable number of them, by introducing different types of lighting. Minor improvements are also being carried out on the K
Page 179
3
Page 179
Page 179