[Milsurplus] Naval Aviation Navigation

[Unserviceable but Repairable]

>I would like to talk to an airman that actually used it and remembers the
 details.

Wil I did, one Lt Dusty Banks who flew TBMs in combat in Pacific in
late '42 thru late '43 - then instructed @ Pensacola for rest of war

He's the man with ASB experience & remembered how scope was bungeed in
place under gunner's dash... and wud be dropped if it gun work was
needed.  CAF's TBM done that way.

On recollection of ZB he replied... "sure - YG/ZB."  Dusty was island-based
& they used system to get home.  But on carriers Dusty said each 
squadron had 2 planes with ZB.  Said a little tricky because letter/az
table would change each day & gud morse skills req'd.

System remined top secret 'til declassified in '62... sez av adm Ted ---,
W4-V-.  Was one heck of a stroke of genius modulating that then-bleeding
edge UHF+ sig with a BCB MCW signal (today called a SUBordinate carier)

If an enemy sub picked up the YE, he'd only get one blip per revolution, 
probably couldn't determine WTF was there because BCB modulation, & he 
sure dint have day's letter/az table.

System was never believed broken by same av. adm.  It's guessed morse reqmt. 
sacked it.  Same thing happening to hams today

Ya know it's rumored the YGs were used on D-day beach.  A few LSTs were 
equipped with ZB/ARR-1 BC-946/R-24.  Now there's an example of 
av-gear use down on the surface

  'rm