WesWorld

[SIZE=3]Top Secret-only for top level security clearance[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Defence Situation at Home Fleet Anchorage, Trondheim.[/SIZE]

1) Coastal Batteries

The Coastal Artillery Batteries defending Trondheim either side of the entrance of the Fjord at Brekstad, are presently being expanded to include new twin 15inch gun turrets plus other weapons of lesser calibre. While it would be desirable to replace some of the older guns, they are still in serviceable condition, and will remain in place. The Committee advises that the Coastal Artillery investigate the possibility of developing new 16+inch guns for mounting in these fortresses, in order to provide even more powerful protection to the entrance to the Fjord. Also to be considered here is the lack of provision of machine guns for use in repulsing any amphibious assault.

2) Air Defence

Presently there are only 2 Fighter squadrons employed in the air defence of Trondheim and the fleet anchorage. Both of these are based at the Malvik aerodrome, and are not in suitable position to provide patrols of fighter interceptors in defence of the base, and are considered as a last resort. In order to better provide fighter cover it is proposed that another 2 Squadrons are established at a new airfield near Snillfjord, and are among the first to be equipped with the new Sopwith Odin when it enters service.
Of vital importance also is early warning of the approach of hostile aircraft, and it is thus proposed that a number of different methods of aircraft detection, including those using radio, will be set up on the Island of Hitra.

3) Ships

Attached to the home fleet are a number of patrol vessels and torpedo boats whose primary task is the defence of the fleet anchorage. These ships are considered too few in number and thus it is determind that a number of new torpedo boats, to be laid down next year will be allocated to harbour defence duties at Trondheim.
Also of concern is the threat of attack by Submarine, the reality of which has been the subject of a number of trials using an S-class Sub. These have shown that a submarine could sneak into the fjord undetected and potentially cause damage and confusion amongst the fleet. One way to solve this would be the installation of an anti-submarine barrage across the fjord at it’s narrowest point, opened and closed by a Navy patrol vessel or tug. This would to some extent slow the flow of civilian shipping in and out of the port but that is considered a worthwhile sacrifice.

4) Conclusion

While the Fleet is relatively safe in Trondheim, much more can, and must be done to ensure that this continues to be the case. It is considered that the recommendations in this report should be taken to heart by the armed services responsible, and acted upon swiftly.

Um isn't it a little to early for Radiolocation (aka Radar) yet? Watt's hasn't been tinkering around in Suffolk to discover if radio waves work to detect aircraft at this point in time.

Historically there were very rudimentary forms of Radar being used on land in the early 30's.

And a patent was given to a German engineer, Christian Hülsmeyer, in 1904 for a Telemobilscope, which was a very primitive radar set (in concept, at least). Another German, Scherl, developed the Raypointer (without knowledge of Hülsmeyer) and proposed it to the German Navy in 1916. See here for more details.

You look at the historical pace of development and that's astonishing enough, but when you start digging and find out just how many things could have easily come about much earlier... o_O

And throughout the 1930's a great amount of work was done at a house known as Swiss Cottage (outside my home town, Leighton Buzzard), on the development of radar.

Radiolocation - triangulating a position from radio intercepts.

Getting a practical, working system would be much harder, especially in Norway given the temperature extremes.