[ARC5] Turkey Shoot Radios

[Clarke, Tom AIR4.0P NATOPS]

Probably what is referred to as "Zip Lip Recovery". All visual signals
around the boat with a specific procedure for recovery. Only two
channels does sound like a challenging time! Like operating at Kennedy
or O'Hare - don't speak until spoken to!

73/W4OKW

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Eleazer [mailto:releazer at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 7:20 PM
To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [ARC5] Turkey Shoot Radios

I have been reading a book that is the definitive work on the Great
Marianas Turkey Shoot of June of 1944. It says that the U.S. force
involved, Task Force 58, was at the time in the process of changing over
to newer radio equipment, leaving the ships with only two channels that
they all had in common. And while those two channels were over badly
overworked they managed to do a superb job of fighter direction.

Would this be the changeover from HF Command Sets to VHF ARC-5?

Note that when the inbound Japanese carrier aircraft were spotted TF58
had 82 Hellcats airborne, launched another 140 Hellcats right away, then
recovered dozens of others that had been attacking Guam and launched
them at the attacking Japanese too. And those are only the fighters;
they had some Helldivers and Avengers aloft as well.  That's a lot of
airplanes to control, even with 6 fighter directors, and doing it with
only two channels that worked with all the airplanes must have be a
challenge, to put it mildly.

Wayne

WB5WSV