[Milsurplus] R-648/ARR-41 Background History

Thu, 30 Jan 2003 17:43:38 -0700

Hi Mike, Jay and the group,
I can say with certainy, that the ARR-41 was used in just about every SP-2E
& SP-2H Navy anti-sub aircraft both in the regular Navy and in the USNR.
They were always situated in the radio operators section right above the
ARC-38's and right below the antenna tuner for the '38.  I know this to be
true, since I have spent many sweltering hours here in the Desert, pulling
both units from these planes that were destined to become tomorrows beer
cans or fire bombers.  I would agree with Mike that the ARR-41 was never
used by the Navy as a replacement for the BC-348 as I have never seen a
situation that would indicate a retrofit was completed, nor have I seen any
documentation to that effect.
Hope this brings a little clarity to the issue.
Bruce

----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 5:26 PM
Subject: RE: [Milsurplus] R-648/ARR-41 Background History

> Mike and Breck and Group,
>  Very interesting.I imagined it might have been used on the B-36 as a
replacement for the BC-348.(note keyword "imagined"!)
>  Jay
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Morrow, Michael A. [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 3:54 PM
> To: '[email protected]'
> Cc: '[email protected]'
> Subject: RE: [Milsurplus] R-648/ARR-41 Background History
>
>
> Breck wrote:
>
> > I personally have never seen the R-648/ARR-41  installed in
> > an aircraft or a fixed station anywhere in the USAF/ARMY areas.
> > I have had the opportunity to look at a lot of aircraft and sites.
> >
> > There is some mention of the ARR-41  on the web as being used in
> > transport aircraft and US Navy antisubmarine warfare and maritime
> > patrol aircraft.
> >
> > Does anyone have any personal observations and information on the
> > receiver that they could pass on to me.
>
> I *believe* that the history of AN/ARR-41 development and use likely runs
as
> follows:
>
> (1)  Post-WW2, long-range HF communication was commonly provided
>      by the AN/ARC-8 (AN/ART-13A and AN/ARR-11 (BC-348)) in the
>      USAF, and by the AN/ART-13 and AN/ARR-15 in the USN.  The
>      receivers in these sets were direct- and continuous-tune units.
> (2)  In the early 1950s the RCA AN/ARC-21 began replacing the AN/ARC-8
>      in the USAF, and the Collins AN/ARC-38 began replacing the
>      AN/ART-13 and AN/ARR-15 in the USN.
> (3)  The USN's AN/ARC-38 could be tuned in 0.5 or 1 kc increments,
>      depending on the frequency, between 2 to 25 mcs.  BUT...the
>      frequency could only be entered by turning several code wheels on
>      the main control box to positions selected from a frequency vs.
>      code wheel setting book that was stored in the bottom on the control
>      box.  Direct NUMERICAL dialup of the frequency was NOT possible.
>      Setting a frequency was awkward and error-prone.  Most or many
>      AN/ARC-38 installations were installed along side an AN/ARR-41
>      auxiliary receiver, whose frequency was continuous-tune and directly
>      indicated between the same 2 to 25 mcs range of the AN/ARC-38.  Mode
>      switch selections were the same also.  Also, apparently the AN/ARR-41
>      was often used to copy FSK.
>
> I believe that practically speaking, the AN/ARR-41 was used only by the
USN,
> and that its purpose was to provide a direct-tune auxiliary receiver to
the
> AN/ARC-38 (which also seems to have been used only by the USN).
>
> Thus it would be surprising to find an AN/ARR-41 on USAF/USA aircraft.  It
> also makes sense that the AN/ARR-41 and AN/ARC-38 would be found in larger
> USN aircraft on the 1950s and early 1960s, such as the long-range patrol
> craft you mentioned.
>
> I'm tempted to say that the USN AN/ARR-41 filled a role for the AN/ARC-38
> similar to that which the USAF AN/ARR-36 auxiliary receiver provided for
the
> AN/ARC-21.
>
> In the USN, the Collins AN/ARC-38 was modified in the early 1960s by RCA
for
> USB operation to become the AN/ARC-38A.  In the USAF, the AN/ARC-21 was
> replaced by the physically similar USB-capable AN/ARC-65, but no
> corresponding USB mods were made for the associated AN/ARR-41 or AN/ARR-36
> auxiliary receivers.
>
> The contract numbers on the several AN/ARR-41 and AN/ARC-38 sets I have
run
> from 1952 to 1957, IIRC.  Thus, these sets both appear in service at the
> same time.
>
> The most common falsehood about the AN/ARR-41 is that it was used as a
> replacement for the BC-348.  I would bet that, other than in ham shacks,
the
> AN/ARR-41 was never used in place of a BC-348 anywhere in military
service.
>
> If others find any supposition above to be erroneous, or have further
info,
> I would enjoy hearing about it.
>
> 73,
> Mike / KK5F
>
>
>
>
>
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