made automatic, the range information being fed electronically directly into the gunsight, with the navigator's "running commentary" only being retained for the benefit of the rest of the crew. The gunner simply maneuvered his guns to place the "blip" in the centre of the gunsight's reticle and opened fire when the range was appropriate. Windage, bullet drop, and other factors were already calculated by the gunsight. The first squadron to use Village Inn operationally was No. 101 Squadron RAF, based at Ludford Magna, in the autumn of 1944, followed soon afterwards by No. 49 in the attack on Darmstadt on September 11/12, 156 and 635 Squadrons. Village Inn was eventually produced in four Marks: AGLT Mark I — initial design — Airborne Radio Installation (ARI) 5559. AGLT Mark II — modified, improved, Mark I — soon discontinued — ARI 5561. AGLT Mark III — scanning aerial mounted remotely from turret. Scan independent of turret's movements — ARI 5562. AGLT Mark IV — ARI 5632 The system was also fitted to the Rose turret on at least one Avro Lincoln B.Mk II, although how many is not known. Some Lincolns fitted with the Boulton Paul Type D tail turret also incorporated the equipment. A similar type of system was produced in the US by the Emerson Electric Company of St. Louis, Missouri when an Emerson Model III tail turret was equipped with the Emerson APG8 Blind Tracking Radar and fitted to the Canadian-built Lancaster KB805. The system was found to have no advantages over the British system and the project was subsequently dropped. See also Telecommunications Research Establishment RAF Defford List of World War II electronic warfare equipment References External links A photograph of a Village Inn-equipped 635 Sqn Lancaster Illustration of a 460 Sqn Lancaster I/III fitted with Village Inn [http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/7800L-4.jpg A photograph of a Village Inn-equipped Rose Rice turret on an Avro Lincoln [http://www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk/people/at_war/ww2/production/turret A photograph of a Village Inn-equipped twin .5 in turret on a Handley Page Halifax Village Inn (PDF) Eyewitness account of Village Inn testing on 460 Squadron Aircraft radars World War II British electronics World War II radars Military radars of the United Kingdom