Test Your Air Defense Skills
Operate a Chain Home Radar Station
This simulation recreates the experience of using an AMES-1 Chain Home station, Britain's early warning radar system during the Battle of Britain. Between one and five German aircraft are approaching England's coast, and it's your job to locate them.
How to Use the Radar
Watch the CRT screen for aircraft echoes, which appear as peaks in the horizontal line
Use the Goniometer Angle slider to sweep back and forth until you find these echoes
Sweep back and forth and watch the echo shape. When an echo reaches its maximum height, note the goniometer angle - this gives you the bearing
Record the range by reading the horizontal scale across the top of the CRT
Reporting to the Dowding System
By determining both bearing and range, you're providing crucial information that the entire air defense network needs to coordinate fighters and antiaircraft defenses.
Realistic Limitations
This simulation includes authentic limitations of wartime radar:
Aircraft may initially be invisible due to range or altitude constraints
Raiders will gradually appear on the trace as they approach your station
Some aircraft may remain undetected if flying too low
Click "See what the RDF is seeing" to view a table and map of the incoming raids and compare with your findings.