[Milsurplus] DC-3 Radio Operator Position

[Mike Morrow]

John wrote:

>Can anyone direct me to a website or any other source with a
>good picture of the Radio Operator Position in the DC-3 circa
>the 1950s. I'm particularly interested in the area with the BC-348
>installed.  I've looked until I was blue in the face but no pix of the
>RO position.  I know that it was just inside the bulkhead leading
>into the cockpit area.


I have the 1C-47-1 Flight Manual for the C-47/C-117/R4D aircraft, dated
15NOV63.  It shows the radio operator position for the C-47/C-117
immediately ahead of the aft cockpit bulkhead on the starboard side.  There
is a shelf outboard the forward-facing radio operator's seat, with a CW key
at the forward end.  The AN/ARC-8 [AN/ART-13A and AN/ARR-11] is in an
avionics rack facing aft toward the radio operator.  The AN/ARR-11 (BC-348)
is mounted there mid-level, and the T-47A/ART-13 is mounted on a shelf above
the BC-348.  Outboard the BC-348 is an AN/AIC-3 intercom control panel.
That's about all there is for the radio operator to play with.

The manual also mentions "some SC-47" aircraft as having the AN/ARC-8
replaced by the USB/RATT AN/ARC-65.  The picture of that installation shows
the big (135 lbm!) pressurized drum containing the RT-400/ARC-65 mounted
where the radio operator's seat had been.  The racks that contained the
AN/ARC-8 are empty.  The CW key is gone (but you can still see its
impression on the shelf), and the only controls are on the main control box
for the AN/ARC-65, the C-451A/ARC-21.  I suppose it is possible that some of
these aircraft in the 1950s may have had the earlier AM/CW/RATT
RT-128A/ARC-21 installed.  No radio operator would have been required for
the auto-tune AN/ARC-21 or -65 sets.

Some other interesting gear can be seen:

(1)  The cockpit pictures for the USN R4D shows a control box for the
AN/ARN-7 ADF, and a control box for the RC-103 (BC-733) and AN/ARN-5 ILS
system.

(2)  The manual does NOT mention any USN-type HF gear for the R4D, like a
AN/ART-13 and AN/ARR-15 combo, or the later AN/ARC-38 or -38A sets.  I
suspect that is a simple error of omission.

(3)  Other *pilot* operated radio gear in the USAF C-47 are shown:  AN/ARC-3
VHF, AN/ARC-27 UHF, AN/ARN-14 VOR, AN/ARN-21 TACAN, AN/APX-6 IFF, AN/APN-9
LORAN A, AN/APN-1 altimeter, AN/ARC-44 VHF-FM, BC-453 LF beacon, BC-1333
marker beacon, in addition to the AN/ARN-6 or -7 ADF and the RC-103 and
ARN-5 ILS system.   The AN/ARN-11 (official military name for the Bendix
MN-26) is shown as an alternate manual ADF system.

That's a lot of electronics in an old cargo-utility aircraft a half-century
ago!

Send me your address and I'll send you a copy of these photos from the "-1"
manual.

73,
Mike / KK5F