[ARC5] Talking to Airplanes From the Ground

[Robert Eleazer]

That use of that USN transmitter for ground to air communication in Burma was just that, and it was portable not mobile.  The Chindits that operated behind enemy lines in Burma relied heavily on air support, mostly had no vehicles, and essentially invented the FAC in the USAAF.  The P-51A's the Air Commandos used were equipped with SCR-274-N and thus were able to talk to the ground troops.  The RAF had gone to SCR-522 in its fighters, had no way to talk to the ground troops they were supporting, and asserted there was no need to do so.

As far as small portable sets, I have read of exactly one instance in which the BC-611 was used to talk to airplanes.  It was in Burma where they were parachuting rescue personnnel to help downed aircrew, and in that case the airplanes (C-47) knew exactly where the people they wanted to talk to were located.  Of course in Europe a ground version  of the SCR-522 was used for FAC work.  Anyone ever hear of BC-611 or MAB or DAV, etc. or other hand held equipment being used to talk to airplanes?  I do not think they had the range.  I think some L-4 aircraft had BC-1000 or BC-1335 or maybe BC-659 installed.

Wayne
WB5WSV  

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