[ARC5] P-38J-10 Radios

[Robert Eleazer]

The BC-1206 and Detrola Model 438 radios (some of which are marked BC-1206) were intended to enable aircraft not equipped with SCR-274-N or ADF sets to use the A-N ranges in the United States.  Those sets were also used to receive control tower instructions where VHF comm was not available. 

There was a standard control tower frequency covered by those little radios, 278 KHZ, which was changed as required to prevent conflict with other nearby airfields.

The BC-1206/Detrola typically was installed in fighter aircraft in a manner that allowed  easy insllation and removal.  Some of the sets have a label that says, "Not to be removed by the ferry pilot without the approval of the installation commander."  It is not clear to me if any of the BC-1206/Detrola sets made it overseas.  I have read numerous references to USAAF fighters in the ETO homing in on a beacon at their home airfields in the UK.  But since they did not have ADF and it would seem likely that a VHF beacon would not be of much use, I do not understand this aspect.

The only fighter aircraft I have seen with a "permanent" installation of the BC-1206/Detrola is the P-80A.  It has a instrument hole in the Right console used for that purpose.  The rest of them have it tacked on in some rather out of the way spot.  In the P-61 it was actually behind the pilot's Right shoulder and he had to tun and look behind him to tune it.   

Postwar, when they referbed the P-51's and installed ARC-3 they took out the BC-1206/Detrola and mounted a BC-453 up high in the bubble canopy to serve the same purpose and it no doubt did a much better job.

Wayne
WB5WSV          

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