[Milsurplus] Interphone question

[Mike Morrow]

Mike wrote:

>...he was looking at BC-347 usage in a B-29...

Hi Mike,

Was the lowly and simple BC-347 still being used in B-29s?  When did the AN/AIC-1 come into service?

I've always wondered how reliable the BC-347 amp was.  If just one small glass tube or the PE-86 dyno dies, then the bomber's interphone system is gone.  I think there's some mention somewhere that if the aircraft had a SCR-274-N, an unused transmitter position could be selected on the BC-451 and interphone comms could continue by selecting the COMMAND position on the BC-(1)366 individual jack boxes.  But then, only those BC-366 boxes that could key the command transmitter could speak over this backup.

73,
Mike / KK5F