[ARC5] Usage of large command set racks?

[Mike Hanz]

No claim to authority here.  I can only speculate on their usage.  The 
1939 RAV set used for ELINT work early in the war used a pair of 4 Rx 
racks so you could have the whole spectrum covered in one compact 
installation, similar to the Navy's RAX-1 triplets.  Why you would need 
four or eight *transmitters* in a single installation is beyond me 
unless it would be for coordination work - but I haven't found any 
mention of an airborne command post used in the broader sense of 
multiple squadrons an frequencies, even over Europe. 

I've been fortunate enough over time to find both the 4 Tx and 3 Tx 
racks with their shock mounts for the ARC-5 set, but have only one four 
FT-331Tx rack (bare aluminum) for the SCR-274N set.  Found that one at 
Dayton holding up four *highly* modified command transmitters that had 
been turned into VFOs.  Everyone else passed it by for two days because 
the sets were so hammed up and looked like they were just jammed 
together in a row.  I took a closer look the last afternoon before 
leaving  and almost dropped my teeth - not bad for $10...

The FT-331 seems to be relatively numerous - I know half a dozen or so 
folks who have one - though they seem to be predominantly black wrinkle 
versions for some unknown reason.  The shock mounts and 4 Rx racks of 
any flavor seem to be non-existent, though.  Never heard of anyone who 
had one except Gordon White, who had an RAV version.

Strangely enough, the FT-* and MT-* racks have different junction boxes 
on the rear.  The ARC-5 version uses a single long box, while the 
SCR-274N version essentially pieces together two dual transmitter or 
receiver racks, along with their separate boxes, using 3/8" tubing to 
connect the two. 

73,
Mike

Mike Morrow wrote:

>Mac wrote:
>
>
>>FT-264     Four receiver rack
>>FT-278     Four receiver shock mount
>>FT-276     Three transmitter rack
>>FT-262     Three transmitter shock mount
>>FT-331     Four transmitter rack
>>FT-332     Four transmitter shock mount
>>
>
>Hi Mac,
>
>
>T.O. 12R2-3SCR274-2 of 25 July 1956 indicates that the three transmitter
>racks and mounts were not (yet) manufactured at the time of publication.
>I'll bet there were precious few of the four-receiver racks/mounts either.
>
>
>>MT-66     Four receiver shock mount
>>MT-67     Four receiver rack
>>MT-72     Three transmitter shock mount
>>MT-73     Three transmitter rack
>>MT-74     Four transmitter shock mount
>>MT-75     Four transmitter rack
>>
>
>
>I would think all of these to be great rarities, if even all were ever
>actually manufactured.
>
>I suspect Mike Hanz is our best authority on these and may even have a few.
>The only one of any of these that I've ever seen (in photos) is the
>FT-331-A.
>