Fighter Command | Secrets of the Filter Room (1944) The Movie

[@johntrottier1162]

Really an excellent film. The speed and precision the WRAFs that manipulated the markers and switched them as the situation changed was amazing. How they all worked together to keep up with the flow of information is stunning and a tribute to the ladies who almost exclusively did this job. This film needs to be shown to our present generation, who could not conceive of doing a job like this without a roomful of computers.

[@annteve]

My late uncle was in the RAF. Trained in Canada; served with the Burma Bombers. Lost in ‘44. Out of interest, I tried to follow and make sense of what everyone was doing in this movie. Seems like chaos. Amazing people implementing a complex analog solution.

[@earlyriser8998]

agree it was hard to tell the roles of each person and we never did follow one person for more than a few seconds....except for the headliners... but the fact that it went from experimental radar in 1937 to a system like this in 1940 is amazing and all due to Hugh Dowding...this was called at the time "The Dowding System"

[@41708]

amazing yes, at that time we wouldn't want to give details publicly I suppose, hence confusing content, maybe.@@earlyriser8998

[@20chocsaday]

Not chaos but an analogue system in operation. We can more easily trace binary systems where we have Y/N outputs at each process. But when there are many outputs going to different places it is more like how we think, and that is not so easy to explain. We just act.

[@welshparamedic]

@@earlyriser8998 YEP, And they treated him terribly, In November 1940 removing him from fighter command, he was-side tracked to some obscure position in the RAF! It was to much and so Dowding the man responsible for setting up Britain's 'Home Chain Guard' Radar Network, the Man who had to stand up to Churchill literally enforcing a Stopping of sending Hurricanes to France, rapidly depleting Britain's defensive fighter squadrons putting the country in a grave state It was years later that people eventually came to realize what a visionary Dowding actually was!, and the pivotal role he played in stopping Hitlers 'operation Sea-lion . The code word for the planned invasion of the United Kingdom!.

[@matthewnewton8812]

Amazing. These people were literally involved in saving their country, in this very moment. They never ever capitulated to that swine dog hitler and his gang of mobsters.

[@charlesarmstrong5292]

This is utterly amazing. The cleverly worked out system, the dexterous accuracy of the ladies plotting. Just mind boggling. What an amazing generation of people they were. I`m grateful that you made this dramatisation, it has helped me in understanding what the Fighter Control Section had to accomplish.

[@frankeimer3906]

Thank you for the fine uploads. From a older Canuck viewer.

[@DavidJordan-l4p]

Excellent! Much better than fictional war films.

[@roywinchel3620]

Fantastic historical story showing the complex system developed during WWII.

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day AC, Thanks so much for this video. It's absolutely fascinating. I'm ex-RAAF (many years ago) and I've been a military historian for quite some time. It's fantastic to see this old, morale boosting, film again. Only a few years before this was made, in mid-1944, every image would have been classified as Secret. By the time this film was released, basically, the Luftwaffe was 'kaput'. Britain and Belgium were still getting clobbered by V1s and 2s. I suspect the main 'propaganda' aim of this film was to show the public how hard the RAF had been working to keep the damage by German air raids, in the recent past, to a minimum. Most, but not all, of the flying footage was spot-on, however, the intention was to illustrate how the 'Chain Home' air defence system worked. And, it had worked well, considering this was a totally analogue age, dependent on Morse Code, telephone and radio contacts, in real time. This impressive communications system, dreamt up by many clever types who worked for 'Stuffy' Dowding was, in concept, way ahead of its time. It looks like 'chaos' down there on the plotting, or 'filter' table but what we are seeing here is a well 'oiled machine' at the cutting-edge of communications technology for that time. It is interesting to note that, even recently in the 'totally digital' world, USN aircraft carriers still use little plotting tables to keep track of the physical presence of every aircraft on their flight decks, and that they use similar 'nuts & bolts' symbols and labels to show the status of aircraft leaving, arriving and waiting to move on, or off, the real carrier deck. I've read that they tried doing this job with computers but no electronic system worked as well as this totally manual, and 'eye-ball' system of attentive, well trained, people using little symbols, just as the RAF did all those years ago. Even before the 'Battle of Britain' and right up to the end of the war; the Luftwaffe was certain the RAF had many more aircraft defending Britain than they ever did in reality. All thanks to this brilliant system. It was never just the incompetence of Hitler or Göring that stopped the bombing of the Chain Home radar towers. Their open style of construction actually made them difficult to destroy with one or two air attacks. Any damage done to them could be quickly repaired. Repeated attacks to take out the towers themselves could be defended, in advance, by the very system they were a part of; eventually the Luftwaffe lost interest as the rest of the RAF and the Observer Corps had 'eyes' on them, one way or another, often before they even started to cross the Channel, on a heading for the UK. The unsung heroes of this air defence system were the WRAFs who did most of the filter room work plus other communications/signals roles; some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. It was also important that we saw the major contribution of the RAF's SAR boats that plucked many fliers from the Channel and coastal waters so they could get back in the fight. While, for most of the war, the RAF had sufficient aircraft; they were always short on trained pilots and aircrew. Thanks again, AC, for this important, historic upload. Cheers, Bill H.

[@cliffbird5016]

They missed out the secret weapon as it was still top secret till the 1980's. Chain home was connected to a computor via data link the forunner to the internet that gave all the info to the filter room. Even the ppl in the filter room didnt know they were getting the info from computer very few knew it existed. they had 1 at bletchly park for code breaking but the RAF had 1 as well to use to track the enemy planes coming in and guide the fighters to them. It was setup in 1938.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@cliffbird5016 Are you referring to the "Colossus" that was used in Bletchley Park? If so, then there was NO "Colossus" in 1938.

[@hawnyfox3411]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 = Reading back Cliff Bird's comments.... I think HE means that Bletchley Park WAS 'set up in 1938' & NOT meaning the behemoth "Colossus" Just my take on his remarks, which don't seem to match with yours

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@hawnyfox3411 Possibly, but my perception is that by mentioning that "the RAF had one as well" seems to suggest he is referring to the "Colossus".

[@tectorama]

I used to do some jobs for a chap who went out on the rescue launches. He had some stories to tell, many of them quite sad.

[@baystgrp]

Visited the filter room (or possibly a smaller version) at Duxford. Interesting to see it fully manned and going full out in this film. About as human and analog as you could imagine but effective.

[@phillipdoorbar1615]

Not a filter room, - a Sector Control room. The Filter Room was at HQFC Bentley Priory. Their information was passed to 12 Group HQ at Watnall, and then on to Duxford who controlled 5 fighter squadrons.

[@mmeijer635]

No balconies at Duxford. But very impressive nevertheless.

[@ianmcclellan7695]

@@phillipdoorbar1615 not true by 1944. What you’re describing is now it worked in 1940. After the BofB the flow of information was revised and lower level filter rooms were introduced. It made the system more efficient, logical and allowed Sectors to reduce false tracks.

[@phillipdoorbar1615]

Although reluctant at first, Dowding did accept the creation of lower level filter rooms would increase the efficiency of the system and lessen the chance of false tracks. Filter rooms were eventually established at the 6 Group Headquarters, making 7 in total. The room at Duxford is a Sector Control Room, not a Filter Room.

[@Caktusdud.]

I see want a game like this. Where you have a 2D (maybe 3D) map of the country. You can see all the radar stations, airfields and whatever. From there you do missions of management the whole thing to protect the airspace and manage all the assets. As we saw in this video we had CAP, bomber interceptions, coastal patrols and SOS missions happening and in this dream game we could be at centre of it all. Actually that sounds pretty cool especially if we can have cinematics of the tactical situation where we can watch spitfire's attacking HE 111s in real time.

[@phillipdoorbar1615]

You are in luck, - such a game exists !! It’s called ‘Battle of Britain’ and is made by PSC Games. The Imperial War Museum at Duxford stock it.

[@m.brizzy5407]

wow, I never knew that so much stuff was happening connected with Radar. My mother worked on Radar during the war and she NEVER spoke about it.

[@philwhitelaw3111]

Just incredible.

[@stevepacker9592]

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting.

[@tonyfranks9551]

Excellent....thank you.

[@ianbell5611]

Very good Thanks for posting.

[@bradchristy5002]

Nicely done. I am learning a great deal from your approach. Thanks for the work.

[@simonf8902]

Never was so much done; for so many; by so few. Churchill.

[@susanbeaumont6063]

Thank you.

[@linusgoh3365]

It would be like we were there if the films are in colour.

[@johnclarke2553]

I like the roundels on the JU88 at 17:16!

[@martinnermut2582]

The operator in detail at 5:10 has headphones with broken wires, hahaha :-D

[@crumplezone1]

These guys and gals were the best

[@NineInchTyrone]

AMAZING

[@simonf8902]

Still the Hun. Excellent.

[@earlyriser8998]

fasntastic movie I had not seen before

[@buckshot704]

One of a kind video inside Fighter Command. However, beginning around 27:00, and even later, these are clearly American B-17 bombers, escorted by P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. As far as I know, these formations were after German targets on the continent, nowhere near the British Isles. Combat footage is hardly the best in photography, but one would wish the content stayed consistent. Station Home radars, and the Observer Corps, were clearly concerned with interception of the Luftwaffe.

[@annoyingbstard9407]

You’d understand if you listened.

[@twotone3070]

Where do you think the US bombers took off from and more pertinent were coming back to in the film?

[@earlyriser8998]

I agree that it was a little jarring to see b17 under attack in a film about the 'battle of Britain' and the radar plotting rooms

[@annoyingbstard9407]

@@earlyriser8998 I hate to mention it but the Battle of Britain was four years earlier. The plotting rooms in 1944 were looking at all traffic over the North Sea, channel and continent…especially threats to bomber formations.

[@tristacker]

It seemed clear to me that the radar plotters were looking for both hostile aircraft as well as homecoming bombers both US and British and monitoring damaged and ditching aircraft so rescue services might be sent to them. The stock footage was incidental. You should pay more attention.

[@JGCR59]

What sort of accent does the girl at 32:58 have? The one calling out the SOS on the bomber?

[@hawnyfox3411]

^^^ Believe it or not Johannes, she is ENGLISH (native, like me) The reason she is "over-pronouncing" the word "Fife" (FIVE) is to increase clarity over the R/T system They (WAAF operatives) were taught to "over-pronounce" due to avoid possible audible misinterpretation For you (& others) as casual observers, it might then seem like a foreign dialect, but it's not ( Laughs ! ) Hope that clears it up...... ( I was expecting to hear South African accents, as I clicked your time slot)

[@georgielancaster1356]

If you are refering to the pronunciation of FIVE, that was brought in because certainly, early on, the lines were so bad, that FIVE and NINE were often indistinguishable, and nobody wanted to be yelling NINE OR FIVE, with nobody sure. So what was brought in was FIFE as in the Scots town, and NIN-UH (long I, and the short u finish) for NINE. The other famous change brought in, was bombaimer to pilot, when directing course to line up to drop bombs. The bad lines often meant left and right were often confusing, so bombaimer nearly always said RIGHT, as a long drawled out word. R-I- I- GHT, but for left, they said a fast, clipped, LEFT-LEFT. And straight on, was a drawled STEADY... STEADY... The idea was that even if you cannot make out the exact word, you can pick the drawl from the staccato. Even now, you often catch men in military or air communications, saying NINE - AH. It really does make a difference on bad lines.

[@georgielancaster1356]

I have listened a few times. There is a difference in two women around that time. The senior officer speaks clearly, but does not have a real, 'plummy' accent, and one of the young women sounds like she does have possibly a slight foreign difference under her fairly well spoken English - but to my shame, I cannot pick the likely influence. But she has certainly adopted the FIFE and NINE - AH :- )

[@kidmohair8151]

the narrator sounded like he'd taken a mild sedative.... to calm his nerves.

[@thomasrotweiler]

another excellent find. Such weird english accents - very plummy.

[@blockheadgreen_]

I think the narrator may be (very posh) Scottish.

[@twotone3070]

De rigueur, round here old boy.

[@simonf8902]

They needed to have very clear diction.

[@simonf8902]

And all the pilots barking dogs too. ❤

[@prof.heinous191]

One can never have too many plums!

[@richardschaffer5588]

👍 Looks like a propaganda film more than training. I’m amazed at how crowded busy & noisy the filter room is! Like the pits in the commodities exchange in Chicago. Women are far better at this: quieter, smaller and less rowdy! All manual, non electronic and non automatic. 👍 OMG Typhoons intercept!

[@richardvernon317]

Typhoons were used as interceptors in 1943 to deal with low level FW-190 raids, the Spit V's were not fast enough.

[@martinnermut2582]

The filter room can be often seen in war movies, but alway is less crowded and more calm, I think this is overacted. And the man in begining has headphones with broken wire 😀

[@hawnyfox3411]

^^^ Interesting to see & note the brief footage @ 43:05 onwards shows an "Armstrong Whitworth Whitley" RAF Bomber Easily identifyable by it's canopy framing (lit up during that brief filming) - made to look like "it's flying" I wuz broken hearted back in 1971, as I didn't have enough money to (then) buy the "Triang/Rovex/FROG" Whitley Was "gifted one" some 30+ years later - Then AIRFIX bought out their new release, circa 2016 = Typical !! Gotta expect some abnormalities on a Wartime film, where the film/video editor is clueless about continuity

[@hawnyfox3411]

Futhermore to my Whitley comments, regarding the "pi$$ poor editing" - Freeze frame @ 26:53 for an RAF Me.110 The "1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight" Me.110's RAF roundel, can be seen clearly as it's banking to starboard.... Freeze @ 27:19 for 450th B.Sq = 322nd B.G Martin Marauders from Gt.Saling ("Andrews Field") in ESSEX They didn't start offensive operations until long after the A.W.Whitley had been retired as an RAF Bomber !!!! Throw in the He.111 in pre-June 1940 markings, with the "Box Formation" B.17-'G's & it's all out of kilter, time wise At the end of the day, Joe Public wouldn't have a clue (anyways) Bit like doing Steve McQueen's 1968 "Bullitt" Mustang with 1973 "Mach.1" flared wheel arches & fluted trunk !!!!! But it DOES illustrate that clueless film-editors could just string together random aged footage & get away with it .

[@ArmouredCarriers]

It was made in 1944. During the war. From available footage.

[@hawnyfox3411]

@@ArmouredCarriers = well they sure used some random patterns & often mismatched... Not that 'Joe Public' would know, anyway. Love your uploads BTW, especially Coastal Command & also the British Pacific Fleet

[@nigelmorris]

I think the Whitley was on a navigator flight.

[@davedixon2068]

If you had listened the Whitley was a navigation training flight that overshot the turn point at Selsey Bill, not part of a bombing sortie. As for the comments about me110 with roundels it is reasonable that there was film of that as several aircraft were captured after forced landing and were tested by the RAF to see what their performance was compared to Allied aircraft, they would use the film to provide the correct aircraft type in the movie. Simple.