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  History :: FIDO for fog dispersal

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Updated: 27 Mar 05

Fog, mist and clag is a perennial problem in Bomber County. FIDO was an ingenious method of dispersing fog for short periods of time in the immediate vicinity of a runway to enable the night bombing mission aircraft to land safely. FIDO stood for, variously, 'Fog, Intensive Dispersal of' or 'Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation'.

FIDO was based around a network of pipes filled with petrol which were laid along the edges of the runway. The system worked by igniting the petrol so that the heat generated dispersed the fog. It allowed aircraft to land in fog and snow but used enormous amounts of petrol. The system contained 500 000 gallons of petrol when full.

When lit in a combined wind, low stratus and drizzle situation FIDO was capable of clearing the runway up to 300 ft, with the wind carrying the clearance zone out into the approach. With FIDO pilots could land safely in these bad conditions but were required to fly an oval orbit and beam approach procedure.

FIDO was also put to use against snowfalls in attempt to keep operating surfaces clear. As long as the petrol burners were lit early on it was possible to melt the snowfall before it hit the runway and thus keep the airfield open and eliminate the need for mechanical or mandraulical clearing.

In Lincolnshire, RAF Ludford Magna, RAF Fiskerton and RAF Metheringham were amongst the 15 airfields to be FIDO-equipped. Ludford Magna was to be the first FIDO station in Bomber Command and employed it for possibly the first time on 10 Mar 1944. RAF Sturgate was reportedly selected for installation but its late construction and the absence of operational squadrons until Jun 1945 may have led to the non-installation.

 

 

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