Found this on the web with a google search :-))



Carrots, Eyesight, and Radar
Speaking of information warfare.

I can't find a primary source right now, but Google certainly asserts that
carrots aren't as good for your night vision as we've been taught.

During the Second World War, the Allies didn't want the Germans to find out
about radar (but see update). They needed a way to explain how RAF pilots
could "see" in the dark. Someone came up with the story that the pilots had
a diet high in carrots, and this allowed them to see in the dark.

Update: Propaganda, propaganda everywhere, and nary a drop to drink :-).

As with all stories, the truth is a little muddier. The Allies, Germans, and
Russians all had radar before the war (as Jeff comments). However, for the
usual political reasons, only the Allies developed it for tactical use,
building a network of radar stations blanketing the coast. Intel from
several sources, including the radar net, was relayed "within minutes" to
fighter squadrons. This rapid use of intel, combined with a tight command
and control structure, is what tipped the balance in favour of the Allies
during the Battle of Britain; radar was a relatively small component of this
system.

Germany had better technology at the start of the war, but failed to
capitalise:

Hitler and Göring disdained [radar] as a mainly defensive weapon. Besides,
they harbored a deep mistrust of scientists and engineers. Interservice
rivalries and the hidebound traditions of the officer corps also hampered
progress. It was not until 1944 that an air defense system as effective as
Dowding's went into operation in Germany.
There are ironies in the situation, too. The Germans tried to determine the
purpose of the giant radio towers on the British coast, but since German
scientists had discounted HF as "useless for radar", they never figured it
out. On the other hand, the Allies lost far more planes than they should
have during the late part of the war. The Germans had finally started using
radar defensively, but the Brits continued to deny German radar
capabilities, and sent unescorted bomber squadrons straight into German
defensive radar.

The fact remains, however, that the whole carrot story was deliberate
mis-information to protect the secret of the British use of radar.

Some more references:

A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives
(actually a book review, not primary source material).
Deflating British Radar Myths of World War II
404 words posted at 12:25 AM in Random Thoughts , Science and Technology
Comments (2)
Trackback URL: http://blog.cfrq.net/chk/cgi/mt-tb.cgi/324

Comment from jok on September 29 at 8:39 AM.
That's total and complete hogwash. The Germans were heavily into radar
before and during WWII.

http://www.radarworld.org/germany.html

Comment from jok on September 29 at 9:30 AM.
If you search http://www.lakesgc.co.uk/news9901/news9901.html for "carrots"
you will see that it was a story concocted for fooling Brits, not Germans.
There's probably more to this story, but off to work I go.

Here :-))


http://blog.cfrq.net/chk/archives/000447.html

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 12:12:47 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"Mike" wrote in message
...

Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

Confusing tenses ...

and utter ********, RAF pilots used radar to see in the dark.

On 28 Mar 2004 13:01:29 GMT, emon (Rhiannon S)
wrote:

Subject: Better to shoot cats...
From: "Alan Gabriel"
Date: 28/03/2004 02:53 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:


"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
.. .
Air Force pilots kept their own eyes as far as it was possible, and
cats' eyes were relegated to guiding benighted motorists.



Catseyes were invented by Percy Shaw. He was a clever man who invented them
after he was walking home one night and his torch light was reflected by a
cat's eyes.

If the cat had been facing the other way he would probably invented the
pencil sharpener.


See, this is why I don't drink coffee and read URG anymore.

and your monitor is fitted with wipers?

Found this on the web with a google search :-))



Carrots, Eyesight, and Radar
Speaking of information warfare.

I can't find a primary source right now, but Google certainly asserts that
carrots aren't as good for your night vision as we've been taught.

During the Second World War, the Allies didn't want the Germans to find out
about radar (but see update). They needed a way to explain how RAF pilots
could "see" in the dark. Someone came up with the story that the pilots had
a diet high in carrots, and this allowed them to see in the dark.

Update: Propaganda, propaganda everywhere, and nary a drop to drink :-).

As with all stories, the truth is a little muddier. The Allies, Germans, and
Russians all had radar before the war (as Jeff comments). However, for the
usual political reasons, only the Allies developed it for tactical use,
building a network of radar stations blanketing the coast. Intel from
several sources, including the radar net, was relayed "within minutes" to
fighter squadrons. This rapid use of intel, combined with a tight command
and control structure, is what tipped the balance in favour of the Allies
during the Battle of Britain; radar was a relatively small component of this
system.

Germany had better technology at the start of the war, but failed to
capitalise:

Hitler and Göring disdained [radar] as a mainly defensive weapon. Besides,
they harbored a deep mistrust of scientists and engineers. Interservice
rivalries and the hidebound traditions of the officer corps also hampered
progress. It was not until 1944 that an air defense system as effective as
Dowding's went into operation in Germany.
There are ironies in the situation, too. The Germans tried to determine the
purpose of the giant radio towers on the British coast, but since German
scientists had discounted HF as "useless for radar", they never figured it
out. On the other hand, the Allies lost far more planes than they should
have during the late part of the war. The Germans had finally started using
radar defensively, but the Brits continued to deny German radar
capabilities, and sent unescorted bomber squadrons straight into German
defensive radar.

The fact remains, however, that the whole carrot story was deliberate
mis-information to protect the secret of the British use of radar.

Some more references:

A Radar History of World War II: Technical and Military Imperatives
(actually a book review, not primary source material).
Deflating British Radar Myths of World War II
404 words posted at 12:25 AM in Random Thoughts , Science and Technology
Comments (2)
Trackback URL: http://blog.cfrq.net/chk/cgi/mt-tb.cgi/324

Comment from jok on September 29 at 8:39 AM.
That's total and complete hogwash. The Germans were heavily into radar
before and during WWII.

http://www.radarworld.org/germany.html

Comment from jok on September 29 at 9:30 AM.
If you search http://www.lakesgc.co.uk/news9901/news9901.html for "carrots"
you will see that it was a story concocted for fooling Brits, not Germans.
There's probably more to this story, but off to work I go.

On 28 Mar 2004 13:02:33 GMT, emon (Rhiannon S)
wrote:

Subject: Better to shoot cats...
From: "Mike"
Date: 28/03/2004 10:38 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:


Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

And oysters so there was something to look at...?

mind boggling

Are you confused by the word "joystick"?

Here :-))


http://blog.cfrq.net/chk/archives/000447.html

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 12:12:47 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"Mike" wrote in message
...

Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

Confusing tenses ...

and utter ********, RAF pilots used radar to see in the dark.

On 28 Mar 2004 13:01:29 GMT, emon (Rhiannon S)
wrote:

Subject: Better to shoot cats...
From: "Alan Gabriel"
Date: 28/03/2004 02:53 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:


"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
.. .
Air Force pilots kept their own eyes as far as it was possible, and
cats' eyes were relegated to guiding benighted motorists.



Catseyes were invented by Percy Shaw. He was a clever man who invented them
after he was walking home one night and his torch light was reflected by a
cat's eyes.

If the cat had been facing the other way he would probably invented the
pencil sharpener.


See, this is why I don't drink coffee and read URG anymore.

and your monitor is fitted with wipers?

On 28 Mar 2004 13:02:33 GMT, emon (Rhiannon S)
wrote:

Subject: Better to shoot cats...
From: "Mike"
Date: 28/03/2004 10:38 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:


Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

And oysters so there was something to look at...?

mind boggling

Are you confused by the word "joystick"?

The message
from "Mike" contains these words:

Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

Story put out by Allied Disinformation to explain how night raiders were
intercepted so easily - we didn't want the enemy to suss that we had a
working radar detection system.

If - and it's a big *IF* - carrots have any beneficial effect on
eyesight, it could only be minimal.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "Mike" contains these words:

Never was no good at English, I blame the schools, they never learnt me
proper ;-}

You're old enough to be responsible for your own actions and not put the
blame on others.


I wasn't brung up proper like what you was. Alright for you posh people what
had the crusts cut of yer sandwiches. We had doorsteps with a bit of cheese.
Bet you had a bed to yerself :-((

I certainly had a bed to myself, but then, I used to cook baked beans in
my shed......

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Mike" wrote in message
...



"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
et...

"Mike" wrote in message
...

Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

Confusing tenses ...



sorry:-(

Royal Air Force pilots ate carrots in WWII so they could see in the
dark..

Never was no good at English, I blame the schools, they never learnt me
proper ;-}



I didn't know the comprehensive "experiment" had been running that long Mike
:-))

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Mike" contains these words:

Never was no good at English, I blame the schools, they never learnt
me
proper ;-}

You're old enough to be responsible for your own actions and not put
the
blame on others.


I wasn't brung up proper like what you was. Alright for you posh people
what
had the crusts cut of yer sandwiches. We had doorsteps with a bit of
cheese.
Bet you had a bed to yerself :-((

I certainly had a bed to myself, but then, I used to cook baked beans in
my shed......

I didn't. I used to sit next to my bike in candlelight writing letters to my
future husband.

Mary

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 15:54:12 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from "Mike" contains these words:

Air force pilot had cats eyes during 2nd. world war

Air Force Pilots eat carrots in WWII so they could see in the dark ;-}

Story put out by Allied Disinformation to explain how night raiders were
intercepted so easily - we didn't want the enemy to suss that we had a
working radar detection system.

If - and it's a big *IF* - carrots have any beneficial effect on
eyesight, it could only be minimal.

They don't. Even the stupid Germans knew that. The stupid Germans also
had radar in their night fighters no doubt their pilots were fed
sauerkraut.