Britain's Secret Weapon

Here are ten facts you may not know about radar.

1.  Radar was first developped in the 1930's in Bawdsey, England.

2.  Radar is similar to a bat using sound to see in the dark.

3.  Radar operators during World War II were able to spot objects up to 200 miles away.

4.  A semiconductor crystal was a key component of radar.  Certain universities worked to perfect this crystal including Purdue, Bell, MIT and University of Chicago.

5.  Radar was the secret weapon used by the British during the Battle of Britain.

6.  Radar operators were sworn to secrecy, not even revealing their work to their parents.  They often said they were doing "wireless" work.

7.  British Commandos raided a Nazi radar station in Belgium in 1942.  They dismantled the system and brought it back to Britain to study.

8.  During World War II, radar was able to detect the location of aircraft, vessels and even V-1 rockets.

9.  Over 4000 personnel were involved in radar operations in Britain.

10.  At its height, radar operators could see almost 2000 aircraft on their screens at one time.

Note:  For more information, read Gwen Arnold's book Radar Days (http://www.amazon.ca/Radar-Days-Memoirs-WAAF-Operator/dp/1873203497).

Canadian radar operators courtesy www.hmcssackville.ca.  

Lend Lease

Here are ten facts about Lend Lease program, an American aid program which helped the Allies.

1.  The Lend Lease Act was passed in March of 1941.

2.  The program helped the U.S. transfer war materiel to a beleaguered Britain during World War II.

3.  Industrial machinery, raw materials, fuels and food products as well as transportation were the main components of Lend Lease.

4.  In 1943-1944, about a fourth of British munitions came through the Lend Lease program.

5.  After World War II, large amounts of Lend Lease materials were sold to Britain at ten cents on the dollar to be paid off over 60 years at 2% interest.

6.  The last British payment on Lend Lease materials was on December 29, 2006.

7.  Lend Lease supplies were transported by American ships with British military escorts.  It was the greatest and most dangerous sea lift in history.

8.  Lend Lease brought the United States that much closer to entry into the Second World War.

9.  The Neutrality Act of 1939 banned European belligerents from purchasing American supplies.  Lend Lease was a way of getting around this Act.

10.  While most of the aid went to Great Britain, some was extended to the Soviet Union as well.

FDR signs Lend Lease Act courtesy usembassy.gov.

The Spitfire

Here are ten facts about the World War II aircraft, the spitfire.

1.  The Spitfire was the only British aircraft to be in continuous production throughout World War II.

2.  R. J. Mitchell designed the Spitfire at Supermarine Aviation, starting in 1938.

3.  The name Spitfire comes from Old English meaning strong or fiery.  Other names considered for the bomber were Snipe and Shrew.

4.  The plane weighed 2400 kilos and had a top speed of 582 kph.

5.  There were 20,000 Spitfires built and they remained in service until 1955.

6.  The Spitfire helped Britain win the Battle of Britain even though they were outnumbered in aircraft capacity 2000 to 700.

7.  The Spitfire has been mentioned in movies like Battle of Britain, Malta Story and Reach for the Sky.

8.  There remain 50 Spitfires in the world in operation.

9.  Many pilots were unfamiliar with the Spitfire's innovative retractable undercarriage.  Early accidents were often the result of pilots forgetting to the lower the wheels before landing.

10.  Rather than carrying bombs, some of the Spitfires were modified to house two small barrels of beer.

Source:  primaryfacts.com

mardenhistory.org.uk

Thomas' First Driving Lesson

It seems like just yesterday that I attended my first in class driving lesson.  It was February of 1983.  I remember that my brother Bill had brought home chicken pox from school and given them to me. But I was bound and determined not to miss any of my driving lessons.  So I went anyway.  Luckily, I had a moderate case.  By April, my sister Lisa took me for my first in car driving lesson.  I drove around the parking lot of Limeridge Mall in our family station wagon.  

Now it is Thomas' turn.  Sunday morning I took him to Lynden Park Mall and he drove our Focus around the back parking lot three times.  He was so proud of himself that he didn't make any mistakes.  Tonight, I drove him downtown for his first in class lesson.  Mike, a nice man with a cowboy hat, registered Thomas.  I peeked into the classroom -- it was packed!  Most of Thomas' classmates are boys.  I don't know whether that's a coincidence or not.

So, he's officially started down the road to his licence.  I don't know whether I'm ready for the questions:  "Mom, can I have the car for school?"  "Mom, can I have the car for a date?"  I don't know if I'm ready to sit in the passenger seat, pressing on an imaginary brake as Thomas narrowly misses a curb.  I don't know if I'm ready for the worrying, the staying up late waiting for him to come home.

But getting your licence is a rite of passage.  All of my siblings and I started at 16.  We loved it!  And the younger you learn to drive, the easier you pick it up.  I know too many people who started later in life and turned out to be nervous drivers.  So,buckle up, Brantford, Thomas is coming!

Note:  Visit http://fatherhood.about.com/od/dadsandteens/a/teach_driving.htm for tips about teaching your teenager how to drive.

The Tree Canopy

1.  Tree canopy in autumn.

2.  Tree canopy in spring courtesy datumdezign.com.

3.  Tree canopy in autumn courtesy 1ms.com.

4.  Tree canopy in Northern California courtesy staticflickr.com.

5.  Autumn tree canopy courtesy roadschooled.com.

6.  Blue sky tree canopy courtesy desktopnexus.com.

7/  Road canopy courtesy wordpress.com.

8.  Black & white canopy courtesy dreamstime.com

9.  Japanese Maple canopy courtesy japanesemaple.jpg.

10.  Palm tree canopy courtesy shutterstock.com.

Moist Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine sugar and oil.  Add eggs, beating well.  Combine flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves.  Add egg mixture alternating with pumpkin.  Transfer to greased 10 inch Bundt pan.  Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before inverting on a wire rack.  Dust with confectioner's sugar.  Yields 12 to 16 servings.

www.tasteofhome.com

November for Beginners

Snow would be the easy
way out -- that softening
sky like a sigh of relief
at finally being allowed
to yield.  No dice.
We stack twigs for burning
in glistening patches
but the rain won't give.

So we wait, breeding
mood, making music
of decline.  We sit down
in the smell of the past
and rise in a light
that is already leaving.
We ache in secret,
 memorizing

a gloomy line
or two of German.
When spring comes
we promise to act
the fool.  Pour,
rain!  Sail, wind!
with your cargo of zithers!

Rita Dove

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/323/8/9/november_for_beginners_by_iampoetry-d5lk9at.jpg