The arrival of the V-2 rocket in September 1944 was initially met with no potential response.
The missiles flew too high and too fast to be detected during their approach, leaving no time even for an air raid warning to be sounded.
Their supersonic speed meant that the explosions occurred without warning before the sound of their approach reached the target.
The government initially tried to pass them off as explosions in the underground gas mains.
However, it was clear this was not the case, and eventually, examples of the V-2 falling in its final plunge were captured on film.

In response, several CH stations were re-organized into the "Big Ben" system to report the V-2s during launch.
No attempt was made to try to find the location of the launch; the radio-goniometer was simply too slow to use.
Instead, each of the stations in the network, Bawdsey, Gt.
Bromley, High St, Dunkirk and Swingate (Dover) were left set to their maximum range settings and in the altitude measuring mode.
In this mode, the radar had several stacked lobes where they were sensitive to signals.
As the missile ascended it would pass through these lobes in turn, causing a series of blips to fade in and out over time.
The stations attempted to measure the ranges to the target as they flew through each of these lobes and forwarded that by telephone to a central plotting station.

At the station, these range measurements were plotted as arcs on a chart, known as range cuts.
The intersections of the arcs defined the approximate area of the launcher.
Since the missile approached the target as it climbed, each of these intersections would be closer to the target.
Taking several of these, in turn, the trajectory of the missile could be determined to some degree of accuracy, and air raid warnings sent to likely areas.

Success in this task was aided by the missile fuselage profile, which acted as an excellent quarter-wave reflector for 12 M band HF radar.
RAF Fighter Command was also informed of the launch in an effort to attack the sites.
However, the German launch convoys were motorized, well camouflaged and highly mobile, making them extremely difficult to find and attack.
The only known claim was made by Supermarine Spitfire pilots of No.
602 Squadron RAF squadron came across a V-2 rising from a wooded area, allowing a quick shot of unknown result.
The arrival of the V-2 rocket in September 1944 was initially met with no potential response. The missiles flew too high and too fast to be detected during their approach, leaving no time even for an air raid warning to be sounded. Their supersonic speed meant that the explosions occurred without warning before the sound of their approach reached the target. The government initially tried to pass them off as explosions in the underground gas mains. However, it was clear this was not the case, and eventually, examples of the V-2 falling in its final plunge were captured on film.
In response, several CH stations were re-organized into the "Big Ben" system to report the V-2s during launch. No attempt was made to try to find the location of the launch; the radio-goniometer was simply too slow to use. Instead, each of the stations in the network, Bawdsey, Gt. Bromley, High St, Dunkirk and Swingate (Dover) were left set to their maximum range settings and in the altitude measuring mode. In this mode, the radar had several stacked lobes where they were sensitive to signals. As the missile ascended it would pass through these lobes in turn, causing a series of blips to fade in and out over time. The stations attempted to measure the ranges to the target as they flew through each of these lobes and forwarded that by telephone to a central plotting station.
At the station, these range measurements were plotted as arcs on a chart, known as range cuts. The intersections of the arcs defined the approximate area of the launcher. Since the missile approached the target as it climbed, each of these intersections would be closer to the target. Taking several of these, in turn, the trajectory of the missile could be determined to some degree of accuracy, and air raid warnings sent to likely areas.
Success in this task was aided by the missile fuselage profile, which acted as an excellent quarter-wave reflector for 12 M band HF radar. RAF Fighter Command was also informed of the launch in an effort to attack the sites. However, the German launch convoys were motorized, well camouflaged and highly mobile, making them extremely difficult to find and attack. The only known claim was made by Supermarine Spitfire pilots of No. 602 Squadron RAF squadron came across a V-2 rising from a wooded area, allowing a quick shot of unknown result.
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