[ARC5] Aircraft B-18A Bolo

[Michael A. Bittner]

Among other things, radar returns from periscopes are vertically polarized while returns from the ocean surface are mostly horizontally polarized.  Makes periscopes easy to spot with vertically polarized radar.  Mike, W6MAB


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike Feher 
  To: 'Robert Eleazer' ; arc5 at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 4:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [ARC5] Aircraft B-18A Bolo


  Hi -

  I am curious how Radar would be used for ASW work? 73 - Mike

  Mike B. Feher, N4FS
  89 Arnold Blvd.
  Howell, NJ, 07731
  732-886-5960 


  -----Original Message-----
  From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
  Behalf Of Robert Eleazer
  Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 6:59 PM
  To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
  Subject: Re: [ARC5] Aircraft B-18A Bolo

  The B-18 was a medium bomber based on the Douglas DC-2 airliner.  It was
  cheaper to build than the new radical B-17 and so more of them were bought
  than the Flying Fortress in the 1930's.  Fortunately, before the US entered
  the war the B-18 was seen correctly as a comfortable, reliable, and
  inexpensive death trap and so very few were used in combat over enemy
  territory.  Most were used for antisubmarine patrol from the US; some of the
  earliest air to surface radar sets were deployed in B-18's.

  So I would say that Mike Hanz's suggestions are correct.  Normally such an
  obsolete aircraft would have not been a priority for updating and if it had
  been relegated to training might well have flown the whole war with
  mid-1930's radio equipment. But if it was equipped with radar for ASW work
  then good radios would have been very important and you would assume it had
  274-N, BC-223, BC-224 (but note that it probably was a 12V aircraft so I
  don't know about the 274N) and so forth.

  So does the B-18A in the museum have a radome like the radar equipped
  versions?  And is it a 12V airplane?

  Wayne
  WB5WSV
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: <arc5-request at mailman.qth.net>
  To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
  Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 4:38 PM
  Subject: ARC5 Digest, Vol 96, Issue 5




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