Peacetime payoff

Author: Mathieu Vidal

After world war one, peacetime payoff was mainly known for his reconstruction time because of the multiple destruction of bomber aircraft. But England took a chance to be more efficient against ennemies attacks. They started to build radars down Britains coast forming a line a defence.

The question is how does the mathematics take a part in the defence and reconstruction of the Great Britain for the 20th century ?

First of all, we will present you formals radar of 50s. In a second part, we will talk about computer that afraid enemies from England.

The model radar masts were constructed before 1939, the beginning of World War Two. These are iron tower sitting on the Britain’s cost, they intercepted and transmitted signals from especially German aircraft bombers. These models show masts used to house transmitters in Britain's first coastal radar system.

Radar worked by bouncing radio signals of approaching enemy aircraft, giving time to sound warnings and scramble British fighter aircraft.

The location of masts, the effects of weather, radio interference, enemy jamming - these and a host of other complicating factors made the job of operating the radar network immensely hard.

But mathematicians developed an answer. Their statistical method ot making quick decisions in a hi-tech military campaign changed the course of the Second World War.

The Ferranti Atlas computer console was built in 1964. It revolutions the world of sciences. Ferranti Atlases were the most powerful computers in the world when first released in 1962. This is the console from the University of London's machine.

The computer itself occupied two large rooms. It has the size of our current fridge.

The university's Atlas was partly funded by British Petroleum, which used it to calculate routes for its oil tanker fleet. The problem of finding the shortest route involved great complexity. There are millions of different routes. Mathematical techniques developed during the Second World War made the problem manageable. All of this help European and countries from all over the world to increase their power and their influence. Moreover, it transformed peacetime science and commerce too.

Ferranti Atlas computer console	Model radar masts