[ARC5] Antennas (VHF Comms, Homing, IFF)

[Mike Morrow]

Dave wrote:

>I came across this site concerning aircraft wrecks and their missing
>crews, which has significant contributions by our own Taigh Ramey:
>
> http://www.missingaircrew.com/trip/american2/
>
>Reference the Hellcat at the N.A.S.M. in Washington-
>While the radio-related photos can't be enlarged, you can see the AN-104
>just behind the cockpit, followed by what I'm pretty sure is the ARR-2
>antenna...

I wrote:

>The AN/ARR-2 antenna would be the AT-5/AR.  I don't think that's what is
>on the pictured aircraft.  The AT-5/AR (246 MHz) is a thin uncapped rod
>only 11.5 inches long.  The one in the picture appears considerably longer.
>I don't know what it could be except perhaps an antenna for the ABK or
>AN/APX-2 IFF (190 MHz).

I just found my example of the after topside rod antenna displayed on the
restored F6F shown at the website referenced above.  It is in fact an IFF
antenna, AS-32/APX-1.  It's 16.0 inches long, and was used with several
late Mark III IFF systems, including the AN/APX-1, -2, and -2A.

I had the nomenclature incomplete on the antenna used for the AN/ARR-1 and
AN/ARR-2.  It is not AT-5/AR, but rather AT-5/ARR-1.

Mike / KK5F