[ARC5] What the ZBX was?

[MARK DORNEY]

The ARR-1, ZB-2,and ZB-3 were interchangeable. The ZB-1 ( and presumably the ZB ) used different antenna/switching control coax connectors than the later ARR-1, ZB-2 and ZB-3. The ARR-1, and all the ZB models do look very much alike. The ARR-2 incorporates the broadcast band radio type of the ARA/ARC-5 system and a ZB homing adapter in a single receiver that looks very much like an ARA/ARC-5 receiver, and installs in a regular ARA/ARC-5 mount, without the need of the additional switch gear that the earlier ZB/ARR-1 needed. Most aircraft the used the RCA made ARB receiver would have used the ZB/ARR-1 because the receiver itself was designed to also accept the ZB type homing device without the need for the extra switching gear that an ARC-5 type receiver required ( the ARR-1/ZB mounted on studs on top of the ARB receiver, much like the earlier Western Electric RU receiver did )  I say MOST aircraft with the ARB radios.  The RCN Avengers that served Canada in the 1950s show both the ARB and ARR-2 receivers installed in the aircraft ( along with the ARN-6 Radio Compass ). What I’ve discovered researching USN aircraft of the WW2 era ( and beyond ) is that equipment included in any Table of Table of Equipment and Allowances is a good guide, but is not the absolute Bible as far as what was actually was installed in service aircraft.  The only way to really know what any particular aircraft had in it’s comms or avionics package is to either have pictures of the equipment in the aircraft, to have the service and maintenance records of the aircraft that show that the equipment was installed in the aircraft, or to have some report of what equipment was found in the wreckage of an aircraft. The TO&E is a good guide if restoring an aircraft and there is no other historical records to use in that restoration. Just be aware of what was also ALLOWED to be used ( In Lu Of ). Restorers doing a “Vanilla” restoration will find things easier to find and restore if they have choices that are authentic for the aircraft type and year of service the aircraft is being restored to represent ( also resulting in less hair loss due to pulling one’s hair out due to frustration, as the equipment from this or any time in the past is getting harder to find ). 

Mark D. 
WW2RDO



“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 22, 2024, at 10:09 AM, Michael Hanz <aaf-radio-1 at aafradio.org> wrote:

I recall seeing the term used loosely to describe the entire ZB variation family, sometimes with ZB* or ZB-* (or ZBX or ZB-X).  If you'll take a look at the pdf on my website - https://aafradio.org/docs/ZB-3&ARR-1.pdf - you'll see that the ZB-* went through five different versions:   ZB, ZB-1, ZB-2, ZB-3, and AN/ARR-1.  The AN/ARR-2 was enough of a revamp that I'm not sure it would include it, but I've been wrong before.  The term could also refer to the developmental model (X denoting experimental) described in https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA084225.pdf - though on page 271 in that book NRL used the simple nomenclature "ZB" in describing the development of the system.

73,

Mike  KC4TOS

On 3/22/2024 4:53 AM, zakariya.abu at yandex.com wrote:
> I would like to ask if someone knows what the ZBX was? Was it a particular type name of the ZB aircraft carrier landing system that operated in VHF? If yes, in what dimension: was that the AN/ARR-1 or AN/ARR-2?
> 
> The ZBX term was used in the Navy's report on the disappearance of Flight 19 five TBM Avengers in December 1945 off Florida.
> 
> 73
> 
> Jan SP5XZG
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-- 
Michael Hanz - KC4TOS

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