Baker, George Malcolm: my Air Force recollections (March 20, 2012) ...

• Main Author: Unav
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: University of Victoria Libraries 2022
• Subjects: Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force; United States. Air Force; Korean War 1950-1953; Cold War 1945-1989; Military history; United Nations Emergency Force; Canada, Northern > Maps; Reconnaissance aircraft; Air defenses > Canada; Airplanes, Military > Maintenance and repair; Air-to-air missiles; Baker, George Malcolm, 1933- > Interviews; Consolidated aircraft; Lancaster Bomber > Modifications; Douglas DC-3 Transport plane; Aerial photography; Airborne warning and control systems; DEW Line; Canso Seaplane; North American Air Defense Command; Canada > Royal Canadian Air Force > Squadron, 408; Meteorological stations; Sovereignty > Canada; Cold War; Airplanes, Military > Radar equipment; Altitude, Influence of; Electronics in navigation; Canada > Royal Canadian Air Force > Squadron, 408 > History; Radar defense networks > Canada; Ballistic missile early warning system; Geographical positions; Canada > Royal Canadian Air Force > Military life; Airplanes > Motors; Photographic surveying; Canada > Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys; Canada > Surveys; Canada > RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ont.; Tracking radar; Thule Air Base Greenland; Aviation ground crews; United States > Air Force; Airplanes, Military > Modification; Pinetree Line; Whitehorse Yukon; Photographic reconnaissance systems; Flight navigators; Geological Survey of Canada; Korean War, 1950-1953 > Influence; Canada > Royal Canadian Air Force > Aerial reconnaissance; Dakota Transport plane; Arctic; Yukon; Canada; Greenland; Thule Air Base; Canso; Thule Air; Thule; Whitehorse
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.58066/6y8n-5m61; http://vault.library.uvic.ca/concern/generic_works/336ca798-baab-4605-b6b6-3c1a02eb9623

Interviewer: Schade, Dan ... : ABSTRACT: Lieutenant Colonel Baker’s Interview focussed exclusively on 408 Squadron’s work in the SHORAN survey of the North an sub-arctic up until 1957. The discussion covers many of the technical details of the survey from a Navigator’s perspective, as well as various other important details about the survey itself. LCol Baker (then a Flying Officer) flew as a navigator aboard the Canso flying boat, and many of his recollections are of these flights. Finally, Baker offers a very thorough analysis of what life was like in 408 Squadron during the survey work, including the feeling of institutional neglect from the rest of the Air Force at the time. 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Joining the R.C.A.F 4:00 Navigator training at the time 8:10 Entrance to 408 Squadron 11:10 Learning of his role in the Arctic 13:10 Flying the Canso and installing SHORAN ground stations 15:35 Ken Brown and the division between senior and junior officers 18:15 Common perceptions of 408’s work at the time 18:50 Challenges of Navigating in ...