Oct
23
5:00pm
Virtual Lecture: Attempts to Use Infrared by Fighter Command during the Second World War
By RAF Museum
On Thursday 23 October 2025 at 6pm, Dr Stephen Moore will consider the use of infrared by Fighter Command during the Second World War. This lecture will be hosted virtually via Crowdcast.
Talk Outline
The use of infrared detection as a targeting system in modern air-to-air missiles is generally known, but the potential of using this radiation for military purposes had been understood long before these weapons became commonplace. Infrared radiation was discovered by William Herschel, and thermopile detectors had been used in astronomy since the beginning of the twentieth century. The complex nature of airborne radar meant that when the weapon system was still undeveloped at the start of the Blitz, excessive time and money was wasted on questionable alternatives such as Long Aerial Mines, aerial searchlights, and Free Balloon Barrages, which have been inconsistently documented in the historiography. Almost nothing has been written about the extensive experiments that took place with infrared radiation, which had been under investigation since before the start of the war. Although originally intended to be used in conjunction with AI radar to improve location of enemy aircraft, this application had been abandoned by the end of 1940. For a short time in 1941, trials of an infrared emitter in place of the aerial searchlight took place to illuminate an aircraft with nonvisible radiation, but the reflected energy was too scattered and weak to be detected. Subsequent research concentrated on identification of friendly aircraft to replace IFF equipment rendered ineffective after centimetric radar was introduced in night fighters, which reached an advanced stage before the IFF issues were resolved. Suspicions that German night fighters were using infrared detection led to British bombers being fitted with detectors, but ultimately infrared identification was found to be unnecessary, so neither of these systems became operational. This paper will review experiments into infrared applications for aircraft during the Second World War, which have never been previously documented.
About Dr Stephen Moore
Dr Stephen Moore is a twentieth century conflict historian and as an independent scholar is currently researching a new history of the Battle of Britain, which will draw on different perspectives to present a familiar story in a distinct way. His PhD thesis was entitled “After the Blitz: Luftwaffe Operations over the United Kingdom and the Development of the Defence systems: May 1941 to December 1943”, and was completed at Newcastle University in 2019, where he was also a post-graduate teaching assistant. This study examined the continuing operations of the Luftwaffe and challenged the conventional view that subsequent attacks on the UK were insignificant.
His research interests include the development of strategic bombing, the experience of civilians on the home front under bombing, aircrew training, the air defence of the UK, particularly the Battle of Britain and night air defence, RAF operations during the Second World War, especially the area bombing campaign and Transportation Plan, and the military application of scientific developments such as the establishment of British radar network, command and control systems, development of airborne radar, Ground Control Interception, including mobile systems for the Normandy invasion.
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