Cavity Magnetron Valve
1940
Original cavity magnetron
- Made:
- 1940
- maker:
- John Turton Randall and Henry Boot
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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
License
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Original cavity magnetron, developed by John Randall and Henry Boot in 1940, with spare anode block.
This is the original magnetron, which made it possible to build radar sets small enough to fit into aircraft. The earliest radar was ground-based, employing massive 100 metre masts in the celebrated 'Chain Home' system, which helped win the Battle of Britain. But, to counter submarines and night bombers, radar had to be miniaturised to be carried on aircraft. John Randall and Harry Boot's cavity magnetron was the first practical device for producing the ultra-short radio waves at adequate power to enable the system to work. Magnetrons later formed the heart of microwave ovens.
