A LOOK inside the war-winning work of a group of radar boffins has received critical acclaim from Britain’s leading aviation magazines.

Top Secret Boeing by Dr Bob Shaw tells the story of airborne experiments carried out by aircraft flown from Defford, near Pershore, to test radar devices created at Malvern's Telecommunications Research Establishment.

We have previously reported on Dr Shaw’s account on the work of “one of the most secret places in Britain” during the Second World War, and the use of the Boeing 247-D plane on-board which much of the radar testing took place.

The work of the TRE cannot be understated, with the automatic landing system – which allows modern planes to touch down safely in any visibility – among the technological leaps they served up, helping to deliver victory against Nazi Germany.

In the latest issue of Aeroplane magazine, reviewer Mike Hooks wrote of the book: “Every now and then a self-published book turns up on a subject which has not been covered before, and this is a good example… a comprehensive and well-illustrated history using many previously unpublished photographs, published at a bargain price.”

Fly Past, Britain’s top-selling aviation monthly, described the book as an “original and scrupulously researched acc-ount, telling the story of an elderly airliner, a gift from Canada, which flew with the RAF during the war, making an exceptional contribution to radar research”.

And Classic Aircraft magazine made Top Secret Boeing its book of the month, saying “exceptionally well-written and produced, this represents one of the best privately-published aviations books this reviewer has seen”.

Dr Shaw, of Broadway and honorary secretary of Defford Airfield Heritage Group, said: “These flattering book reviews are very pleasing, but the important thing is that we are putting on record the efforts of the Malvern scientists and the airmen of Defford, whose achievements have so far not been fully acknowledged.

“What was achieved at Defford Airfield puts Croome Park up there with Bletchley Park in terms of historic significance and national importance.”