[Milsurplus] BC-375 in C-53 Skytrooper

[Chris Kepus]

Curiosity compels me to ask the members of this group some questions about
the subject aircraft and it's typical radio complement.

I was recently walking through an ancient C-53's central cargo area towards
the flight deck.  (C-53 is parked in the outdoors display area at the
Sacramento Aerospace Museum).  I was walking through a bulkhead door as one
leaves the troop transport section when I came face to face with a BC-375 on
the co-pilot (right) side of the forward cabin.  It was placed on an
aluminum table top (the radioman's desk (?). Once seated on the radio
operator's aluminum bench, one is facing the BC-375 (and the bulkhead behind
it) straight on and one is facing forward just as the co-pilot position is
oriented.  Just around the corner of the bulkhead to which the desk was
attached and on the way to the flight deck is a storage area of sorts.  I
finally recognized the many rectangular boxes stored there was a complete
complement of TU's.  They were not immediately recognized due to the fact
that every front panel on each and every TU was disguised by large areas of
black wrinkle paint which were curling up from the bright aluminum....Most
as large as Aspen leaves (1" X 1 1/2").  Anyway, once my eyes filtered out
the "leaves" and looked at the panels, all the TU's were in really nice
shape (paint excluded) and I saw TU's in there I was not aware even existed.
No sign of a receiver although there was a pair of headphones hung securely
near the BC-375. 

Was the BC-375 the transmitter in all the C-53 (and C-47) aircraft?  Was the
BC-348 - (X) the typical receiver?  And lastly, was it common for aircraft
using a BC-375 to carry *all* the TU's?  Man, that's a lot of weight and
space!

I took a lot of photos.  If anyone is interested receiving copies of these
photos, please contact me directly.

73,
Chris
W7JPG