[Milsurplus] TBF radio installation

[Mike Hanz]

Todd, KA1KAQ wrote:

>On Nov 19, 2007 10:02 PM, Mike Hanz <AAF-Radio-1 at aafradio.org> wrote:
>
>>I would certainly agree with Hue's assessment.  Typical construction for
>>radio peripheral mounting was 16 gage formed (on a brake) aluminum
>>channel, attached to similar fuselage stringers or bulkhead
>>reinforcements that were part of the airframe. 
>>
>How about steel channel? 
>

Absolutely!  Sheet steel was an occasional substitute when trying to 
save on aluminum or where some extra strength was needed, especially 
earlier in the war for the radio mounts (as opposed to brackets for 
lighter weight peripherals like the tuning units.) The thickest I have 
seen is about 20 gage, more often thinner than that.  The mid-war 
SCR-274N shock trays are a good example.  I tried to qualify my previous 
note with "typical" and "peripheral" as opposed to all inclusive, but 
maybe I was being too subtle.  :-)    The USAAC seems to have used sheet 
steel more often than the Navy liked to do, perhaps because of the salt 
spray problem, but both Services employed it here and there.  As the war 
wore on and the aluminum industry got geared up, less and less of it 
appears to have been employed in the mounts.


>And while we're on the topic of aircraft mounts, what exactly did
>those early ATC slides fasten to? Knobs on front with little
>tongue-type catches behind, looks like they're supposed to dog into
>something? It's sitting on the kitchen table, Mike - in all its black
>wrinkle glory. Weird (to me) DY-17 dynamotor has no opening on the
>ends, only slots around the edges. The spokes are there where the
>openings are on others, but solid metal instead of the screen.
>

The early ATC slides fasten into mating stainless steel (female) 
channels, which are in turn then bolted to either a desk or pair of 
cross member channels that span between two end supports.  You can see 
the end of one female slide curled over to retain the transmitter mount 
in the PB4Y-2 radio photo on my web page.  I need to fabricate a pair 
for my GP-7, but these female rails are 16 gage, and stainless is 
extremely tough to bend.  I'm hoping the old Niagara bar folder will do 
it with some persuasion, but I haven't had time to try it as yet. 

Your dynamotor is a new one on me, Todd - haven't seen one like that, 
though Robert Downs probably has.

 - Mike  KC4TOS