[Milsurplus] AN/ARC-39 etc ... was: RE: Post-WWII Aircraft Radio

[Kludge]

-----Original Message-----
From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Morrow
> My goodness...I see in my earlier posting on this subject that I forgot
the
> A.R.C. RT-437/ARC-39 12-channel crystal-controlled AM set.  Now that
> is one cute piece of work.  Most components are easily recognizable as
> products from the good old days at A.R.C.  Unfortunatly, no CW capability.

This was kind of a natural follow on to the AN/ARC-5 HF command equipment,
or it was in someone's eyes.  Its heritage is fairly obvious when you look
"under the hood."  At one point in one of the lists it was stated
unequivocally that it was used for liaison service.  Okay, let's see.  A
liaison set from a company whose strength is in command equipment, low power
(10-15w out) vs. 100w for the typical Navy liaison set of the era, AM only
when the Navy was actively pursuing SSB, 12 crystal controlled channels
across 2-9.1 MC when they were also looking for frequency agile radios that
can go to 25 MC ... yep, definitely a liaison rig.  :-D 

> I think only a few hundred were purchased, so it wasn't a major player.

My notes on it were lost in a computer blorf but from memory, only around
150-200 were made by ARC and SunAir combined.  This was in the mid-50s when
ARC was struggling to stay in business - selling 3rd party business band
radios, as an example - and I believe the contract was let more as a "keep
alive" contract than anything else.  (This was also when Cessna first
invested in ARC [1955] and later acquired controlling interest [1958.])  

The AN/APR-9 was from the same period and was either built or modified by
ARC.  This is another thing I need information about, both the equipment and
how ARC was involved.  The AN/APR-9 shock mount was also used by the
AN/ARC-39 which was convenient if nothing else.

One of the "dream rigs" to continue the ARC command set lineup for display
is a complete RT-427/ARC-39 with all the trimmings.  Era-wise, it would fit
with the Type 12 navigation & communications equipment also used by the
various services in various combinations.  (Another is a complete AN/ARC-5
system to match the currently all but nonexistent ARA/ATA system I'm trying
to assemble but that will happen around the time I perform neurosurgery.
Successfully.)  

Which reminds me, does anyone happen to know which *Navy* aircraft used the
Type 12 & Type 15 equipment?  Training aircraft perhaps?

Also, I've seen reference to an AN/ARN-72 (or close to that) being built by
Cessna-era ARC but I haven't seen any real information on it.  

Best regards,
 
Michael, WH7HG ex-K3MXO, ex-KN3MXO, WPE3ARS, BL01xh ex-Mensa A&P PP BGI 
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