[ARC5] OT The BC-659- what were they thinking?

[Mike Morrow]

Dave wrote:

> Y'all don't forget that the widely available ATA 2.1-3 MC transmitter
> would have been at home in a 274N installation.
> Maybe even a reason for that late production run of them built as ATA
> but on an ARC-5 chassis?

I believe there was only one reason for continued production of ARA/ATA equipment long after the AN/ARC-5 began shipping in 1943...replacement service to the many existing ARA/ATA installations.

There were thousands of ARA/ATA installations in service, none of which would have been removed from an older aircraft simply to install the AN/ARC-5 equivalent.  That large ARA/ATA installed base required service with new ARA/ATA (especially ATA) units as older units failed or were damaged and could not be repaired.

Mike / KK5F