[Milsurplus] Fwd: 1950's Navy airborne HF question

[Mike Hanz]

I spent quite a few hours researching the avionics lineup and helping 
with acquiring the right pieces for an SNJ-5C owner in California, 
Robert.  He wanted to restore it to the 1952ish condition, though 
nothing remained of that installation when he acquired the airframe.  
The -C (carrier) version had been updated from HF to VHF as a result of 
the pressures you mention, and a letter from an Admiral directing the 
-5C to have the same radios as the then current carrier combat aircraft 
reinforced the change to VHF AN/ARC-5 equipment.  You can see the shots 
of the interior that resulted at 
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=319050  
In the Smithsonian's SNJ-4, there is an SCR-283 set (WWII training 
aircraft were traditionally way behind the times from an equipment 
standpoint) and I can send you photos of that set in the interior of the 
aircraft if it will help jog your memory.  The SNJ-* was a funny animal, 
coming from AAC/AAF contracts that installed Signal Corps equipment into 
what would become a Navy owned airframe.  The Navy didn't seem to mind 
too much - it was just for training, after all... :-) I don't believe 
the SNJ's ever received the USAAF SCR-274N HF equipment - except for the 
range receiver it was obsolete by the Korean War.
.
I feel your pain on the AN/ARC-1 and AN/ARC-27...they are pretty heavy 
for a helicopter.  You can see both at http://aafradio.org
.
73,
Mike  KC4TOS


Nick England wrote:
> I figure some of you guys can maybe help Bob out.
> Nick
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Robert Morris <remorris4 at triad.rr.com>
> Date: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 3:06 AM
>
>
> Hi Nick, My name is Bob Morris over in Greensboro. I got interested in
> a site talking about the Piasecki HUP-2 helicopter that we had in a
> navy squadron during my tour  1952-1955. I have been corresponding
> with the author and was remembering the communications equipment we
> had. In our squadron WWII SNJ( army AT-6) we had what I remember as an
> SCR type MHF transmitter and receiver. I remember the tower at NAS
> Lakehurst getting on our case to get rid of that stuff and at least
> get VHF so they wouldn't have to monitor the MHF. Do you have any idea
> what frequency the   MHF was?Even later ,they and the fleet, got on
> our case to change from the ARC1 vhfs to UHF ( at that time there was
> achange-over to the ARC27 UHFin a lot of the fleet). The ARC1 was a 10
> channel VHF crystal controlled vacuum tube transceiver and the ARC 27
> was UHF , still 99% vacuum tubes, but was synthesized with many
> channels. I looked over your site but didn't find anything on aviation
> communications equipment. Our biggest problem was the weight problem.
> At that time our choppers were so marginal that every pound meant less
> fuel and less time in the air. Both radios I mention were pretty big
> and heavy mainly due to the pressurized case needed for high altitude
> with high voltages. I'm sure  that in the next few years
> thereafter,with the advent of the transistor, radios really shrank in
> size and weight. Would like to hear from you.
>