This page may need some updating - see the new longer RCAHMS report.

:)

Fire in, this is collaborative authoring, and you have the first hand info - I'll worry about wifying and styling if needed.

Bear in mind the RCAHMS restrictions regarding Crown Copyright on their text - click the link at the end of the excerpt if you haven't already, for details, but main point is the 250 word limit.

I was a bit surprised to see them tie it in with the ROTOR system, but I suppose that the batteries were indeed part of the overall system. It's just that in my mind I've always thought of the ROTOR side of things as being the radar and intercept side of the programme, with the AA batteries and AAORs (Operating Rooms) that controlled the guns in their area as separate entities.

If you have a look at this very potted history of the ROTOR system, it might give an idea of what I mean (I'm not arguing that I'm right and RCAHMS are wrong in any way, just that I have been reading about ROTOR for years, and never really thought of the guns as part of it as such, albeit they would ultimately have been called up as a result of a ROTOR intercept).

Ultimately, the guns were redundant anyway, almost as the concrete of their emplacements was drying, since the bombers, then the ICBMs were flying out of their range, they became redundant overnight, and the ROTOR/radar function became one of early warning, and to trigger the deployment of interceptors (RAF Phantoms - two jet engines bolted together with a seat strapped on top! ).

I have added a summary of the new report to this page and to Houston for which they have added a new section.

Good stuff, I'll amble across soon and have a look, and see what RCAHMS did with the info too ;)

"... two jet engines bolted together with a seat strapped on top! ".

I like this Apollo. It is an accurate description of the Canadian fighter, the CF105, the "Arrow", on which many millions of dollars were spent back in the 1950's, just to have the aircraft scrubbed and destroyed by the government.

I think that description was first used for the Lightning!

Thank you Fox, I stand corrected, and should not think only of the last place I looked at.

I was actually thinking of the operation of Leuchars in the early Cold War days, when the aircraft concerned was indeed the English Electric Lighting. However, the Phantom latterly performed the same task as a high speed interceptor, whisking itself, its pilot, and its weapons, up to altitude at over 41,000 fpm (the Lighting did 50,000 fpm)

If you dial up the Phantom F4, you'll see why I made the naming error - the Phantom added a few bits to the engines and seat, but it was the shiny Lighting that I had in mind.

I do not think this will be there much longer in fact it may have gone already.  There is a huge commercial park being built around there now including a large roundabout on the dual carriageway.  The whisky warehouses to the south are long gone and the new site covers the north side of the dual carriageway too.  It was impossible to see the site of the battery as there are stilll a lot of tall bushes obscuring the view.

One for the Watching Brief file!

Maybe a wee email alert of the works to whoever you were in touch with at RCAHMS - they might volunteer what they know if they are already aware.

I drove round the 2 new roundabouts and section of new road that crosses the site and can confirm that the  battery no longer exists.  The area of accomodation camp to the north is untouched so far.

RCAHMS have been informed.

Ah well...

At least we have the pics :(

...........and the history sorted out!