[ARC5] ATC Radio Use

[Robert Eleazer]

I recall being astonished when I looked at a preliminary flight manual for the SB2C-5 Helldiver and finding that it had the ART-13 transmitter.  That seemed like such a huge radio for a 2 seat airplane that I figured it had to be a mistake.  But it turns out that it did indeed have that set and I think it probably was the first to use it.

>From the Profile Publication on the SB2C:

"In the Spring (of 1942) Curtiss-Wright was informed that 3000 additional SB2C's would be ordered for the Navy....  Meanwhile radar (ASB), IFF (ABD/ABK), and new radio (ATC and ARB) installations were designed and mocked up for approval."

The Profile pub says that in April of 1943 the first unit deployed with the SB2C, VB-17, going to sea on the USS Santee, ACV-29.

So the first deployment of the SB2C was indeed in April of 1943.  First combat was from the USS Bunker Hill on 11 Nov 1943.

If anyone want a copy of the SB2C Profile Pub, I have it in PDF form and can e-mail it to you, about 4.3 MB, or can tell you where to find it on the Internet.

Wayne
WB5WSV