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Mosquito Talk For Aviation Group
Our commander, David A, convened the meeting Our commander, David A, convened the meeting at 1930hrs on Monday 6th June and reported that at 1930hrs on Monday 6th June and reported that the Chairman had sent apologies for his absence. the Chairman had sent apologies for his absence. He had a sort of excuse; he went fishing in France.He had a sort of excuse; he went fishing in France. Apologies were also made for the absence of a Apologies were also made for the absence of a speaker this month but, to compensate for this an speaker this month but, to compensate for this an arrangement has been made by John B to visit arrangement has been made by John B to visit the Bentwaters Cold War Museum next month. the Bentwaters Cold War Museum next month. There was a universal vote of acceptance among There was a universal vote of acceptance among the crew for this opportunity; details will be posted the crew for this opportunity; details will be posted on the website: on the website: https://sites.google.com/view/wnas-uk/homehttps://sites.google.com/view/wnas-uk/home To compensate further for the disappointments, To compensate further for the disappointments, the commander announced that a number of the commander announced that a number of film recordings had been made available. The film recordings had been made available. The most popular choice was the story of the WW2 most popular choice was the story of the WW2 Mosquito, a rival in popularity to the Spitfire, the Mosquito, a rival in popularity to the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Lancaster. Some would say it Hurricane and the Lancaster. Some would say it out-performed the latter three challengers; the film out-performed the latter three challengers; the film certainly demonstrated the Mosquito’s versatility: certainly demonstrated the Mosquito’s versatility: with a lightweight wooden fuselage, twin Merlinwith a lightweight wooden fuselage, twin Merlin engines, and a two man crew, the aeroplane engines, and a two man crew, the aeroplane duelled as a bomber and a fighter. duelled as a bomber and a fighter.
A taxiing Mosquito which featured in a film at WNAS this month
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It had the ability to fly higher, lower and faster than It had the ability to fly higher, lower and faster than its contemporaries: higher and faster to escape its contemporaries: higher and faster to escape enemy threats and lower to avoid radar detection enemy threats and lower to avoid radar detection when flying at ground level and releasing bombs when flying at ground level and releasing bombs directly into many Nazi headquarters throughout directly into many Nazi headquarters throughout Europe. Archive footage showed that much of Europe. Archive footage showed that much of this destruction occurred in 1943; an interesting this destruction occurred in 1943; an interesting experience for one or two of our members who experience for one or two of our members who were born in the same year; a touch of fake were born in the same year; a touch of fake nostalgia perhaps. (It’s interesting to note that nostalgia perhaps. (It’s interesting to note that in a recent Google/Android blog by Botany One in a recent Google/Android blog by Botany One there are limited citations recording evidence of there are limited citations recording evidence of the types of wood used for the manufacture of the the types of wood used for the manufacture of the Mosquito fusilage; there’s a tease. It could be that Mosquito fusilage; there’s a tease. It could be that some of our crew are old enough to remember). The film was a joy to watch and to listen to, Ear Irrigation 1/8 Ad.qxp_Layout 1 24/01/2020 09:11 Pa some of our crew are old enough to remember). The film was a joy to watch and to listen to, particularly since Steve C had procured a new particularly since Steve C had procured a new
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At a recent meeting of Thetford Probus, Mike At a recent meeting of Thetford Probus, Mike Wickens discussed the Allies’ response to Wickens discussed the Allies’ response to the Nazis’ use of Enigma machines to send the Nazis’ use of Enigma machines to send encrypted messages between their forces during encrypted messages between their forces during World War 2. Although Allied listening stations World War 2. Although Allied listening stations heard the messages, they needed decryption heard the messages, they needed decryption before giving useful information. The simplest before giving useful information. The simplest encryption is to change A to B, B to C, etc or A encryption is to change A to B, B to C, etc or A to C, etc, so that CITY would become DJUZ or to C, etc, so that CITY would become DJUZ or EKVA. If you know what had been done, the EKVA. If you know what had been done, the message can be read, but you can also use trial message can be read, but you can also use trial and error as there are only 25 alternatives. and error as there are only 25 alternatives. Enigma was much cleverer: an electric typewriter Enigma was much cleverer: an electric typewriter with 3 rotors, chosen from a group of 5, each of with 3 rotors, chosen from a group of 5, each of which could be set in 26 positions, with a current which could be set in 26 positions, with a current flowing from the key through the rotors to light flowing from the key through the rotors to light a lamp showing the first letter of the encrypted a lamp showing the first letter of the encrypted message. The rotors moved as each letter was message. The rotors moved as each letter was typed, eventually encrypting the whole message. typed, eventually encrypting the whole message. There are now over 1 million possible setups, There are now over 1 million possible setups, making trial and error virtually impossible. Extra making trial and error virtually impossible. Extra wiring attached to the machine’s circuits and extrawiring attached to the machine’s circuits and extra rotors could increase the figure to almost 160 rotors could increase the figure to almost 160 million million million. Trying each possibility for million million million. Trying each possibility for just 1 second would take longer than the Universe just 1 second would take longer than the Universe has existed! At Bletchley Park, Alan Turing and has existed! At Bletchley Park, Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman knew that machines like Gordon Welchman knew that machines like their Bombe were the only way to decrypt these their Bombe were the only way to decrypt these
Mike Wickens (right) with Speakers Secretary Bob Hurle
messages and Tommy Flowers, Bill Tutte and others developed Colossus, “the world’s first computer” for the same purpose, reducing the length of the war by an estimated two years. Do you fancy joining us at Probus? Contact our Secretary at: john.bet@btinternet.com
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