NavList:

Yesterday I swtched on the TV and the channel was part way broadcasting a documentary about the Sunderland flying boat. Servicemen who had flown on the Sunderlands were interviewed. Given their age and the shade of colour I suspect that the interviews were made sometime in the 1970s.

I switched on just in time to hear a chap discussing navigation. He said that there were no radio aids and navigation was by astro and DR.There is nothing unexpected in that. But then he said that if a marine sextant was being used the boat had to fly at 20 feet. Was there a shortage of bubble sextants or was it tradition - the Sunderlands were referred to as boats by those being interviewed?

If the radio operator was not pre-warned he was likely to loose the aerial traling underneath the boat. Radio was receive only.

Sorry,  I did not take note of the name of the program.