[ARC5] Aircraft B-18A Bolo and other stuff

[Michael Tauson]

Much to the chagrin, dismay and disappointment of at least two members here,
I have not become a silent key.  Sorry about that, guys.  Better luck next
time.  OTOH, I've had nothing real to contribute or even say in passing so
I've not said it.  When I've finished this, I'll be back in lurk (or ignore,
dependent on how one views it) mode off doing things important to me which
obviously does not include participating on the lists or groups for the
greater part.

-----Original Message-----
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:37:54 -0500
From: Mike Hanz <aaf-radio-1 at aafradio.org>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Aircraft B-18A Bolo
> According to the various websites on the aircraft, production began in 
> January 1936, so the early aircraft might well have had the same 
> equipment we have discussed for the B-15, with the BC-AA-191 as the 
> transmitter and earlier versions of the SCR-**-183.  

I'd have to go with this.  The SCR-AB-183 and SCR-186(?) that used the
BC-AA-191 and BC-AD-219 (same Rx as in the BC-AB-183) were around when the
aircraft was first built so early construction aircraft would most likely
carry it much as the XB-15 did.  (Early construction B-117s would have had
the same mix.)  The SCR-187 and later versions of the SCR-A*-183 would have
followed as soon as they became available and would have been the most
numerous liaison and command sets installed.  Which version of the command
equipment really didn't matter since it was all pretty much interchangeable
from the AG model on.  Replacement pieces would have been from available
stock so the exact model of each unit - Rx, Tx, antenna relay etc - could
vary widely after time.

On the other hand, the aircraft was in use through *1943*, so a later 
(and much more easily obtained) 1941-43-ish suite of equipment would be 
just as valid, and would certainly prove the point the museum will be 
trying to make with a more accessible exhibit.  Only one in a hundred 
thousand people touring through the museum would know the intricate 
differences between the sets (and most of them are on this reflector...) 

Here's a problem.  The B-18 was a 12v aircraft and to convert it to 24v
would be a major undertaking since everything from starters, generators and
regulators down to light bulbs, electrical instruments and fuel level
senders would have to be changed out.  However, swapping out one generator
for a 24v one to handle later radar etc equipment wouldn't be that difficult
although its more likely that the liaison & command equipment was never
changed to 24v versions throughout the B-18's service life.  An alternative
mentioned - a 400 cycle inverter - is another possibility for handling the
radar etc equipment added and, to me, the more likely one although I'm not
aware of any 12vdc to 115vac 400 cycle units made.  There probably were some
and I've just not come across them.  Anyway, this allows the original
electrical system to remain intact and just adds the power equipment needed
to operate the additional units.  These being AAF aircraft, I can't imagine
them being quipped with the Navy's 800 cycle inverters although weirder
things have happened.

Dave: Re the XP-59.  My father was on the design team for that aircraft when
he was with Bell and I had a lot of the original engineering docs for it,
the P-39, P-63, and Models 45 & 47 helicopters and a few other things before
I moved here.  They all went to a collector I knew who had been bugging me
for them for years.  They're in a good home now.

When the XP-59 was being test flown during the war, the AAF had P-51s flying
ready to jump unwary pilots who weren't being careful about keeping their
heads outside the cockpit and flying defensively - i.e., staying straight 'n
level when they should have been weaving etc.  One afternoon, one of the
XP-59's test pilots was doing single engine tests and a P-51 pulled along
side noting the airplane "didn't look right."  The XP-59's pilot saw the
P-51, lit up the 2nd engine and casually walked away from the Mustang.  The
P-51's pilot's report was not accepted since nothing at the time could
outrun a Mustang.  

In the meantime, the folks involved in the XP-59 project realized they had a
problem since no one was supposed to know about the plane however those
patrols were going to see it again and that Simply Would Not Do.  After a
little discussion and probably more than enough beer, a solution was found.
The pilots would wear a gorilla mask & top hat and be smoking a cigar - or
at least have one jammed in their mask.  The Mustang pilots still caught
them now and then but who's going to report an airplane flown by a gorilla
in a top hat smoking a cigar?

Best regards,
 
Michael, WH7HG, A&P 1803851
The primary reason I am not an expert on anything is because I haven't
invented my own field. 
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NTH/index.aspx
http://wh7hg.blogspot.com/
http://kludges-other-blog.blogspot.com
Hiki Nô!