The rear of the 30 foot sound mirror at Denge, Romney, Kent, England, UK.
The acoustic mirrors, known as listening ears , on the English coast of Denge, Kent, England UK. The mirrors were built in the 1920s as an experimental early warning system for incoming aircraft, developed by Dr William Sansome Tucker. Several were built along the south and east coasts, but the complex at Denge is the best preserved. Acoustic mirrors did work, and could effectively be used to detect slow moving enemy aircraft before they came into sight. They worked by concentrating sound waves towards a central point, where a microphone would have been located. However, their use was limited as aircraft became faster. Operators also found it difficult to distinguish between aircraft and seagoing vessels. In any case, they quickly became obsolete due to the invention of radar in 1932. The experiment was abandoned, and the mirrors left to decay.
Size: 4430px × 5562px
Location: Denge, Romney, Kent, England, UK.
Photo credit: © Tony Watson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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