[Milsurplus] [ARC5] New topic: History of the GO-series of USN and other radios

[Mike Morrow]

Jay wrote:

> Anyone know what radios were in the Buffalo? My guess would be early RU/GF.

Jay and all,

The Brewster Buffalo was not a particularly early aircraft, WRT the radios.  The F2A-1 entered operational service in 1938, and the F2A-3 entered service in 1941.

The radio set would indeed likely be a 1938 (or later) GF-*/RU-* model of some sort, from this list:

1938  GF-5 /RU-7  (with CBY-46051A receiver, 1.5:1 tuning range, 14 vdc)
1938  GF-6 /RU-8  (with CBY-46064  receiver, 2.0:1 tuning range, 14 vdc, USNR only)
1938  GF-7 /RU-9  (with CBY-46064  receiver, 2.0:1 tuning range, 14 vdc, USNR only)
1939  GF-8 /RU-13 (with CBY-46051A receiver, 1.5:1 tuning range, 14 vdc)
1939  GF-9 /RU-14 (with CBY-46051A receiver, 1.5:1 tuning range, 28 vdc)
1939  GF-10/RU-15 (with CBY-46064  receiver, 2.0:1 tuning range, 14 vdc, USNR only)

For the F2A series, only the GF-5/RU-7 or GF-8/RU-13 sets above are probable.

Mike Hanz' website has this 1943 document that lists typical radio installations:  

  http://aafradio.org/docs/Navy-radio-gear-2.GIF

It confirms the F2A-2 as using the GF-5/RU-7, and the F2A-3 as using the GF-8/RU-13.

The GF-8/RU-13 is the very last/latest in the series of A.R.C.-made GF/RU sets...so that's not an early GF/RU set.

> By the way, what preceded RU/GF...

The GF/RU-series goes all the way back to 1932 with the GF and the GF/RU-2:

Aircraft Radio Set GF, consisting of:
Transmitter GF    CBY-52004 [A1 or A2 or A3]
Receiver    GF    CBY-46006 [A2/A3-only, AGC, but no CW oscillator] 

The same installation with a different receiver and receiver control box is:

Aircraft Radio Set GF/RU-2, consisting of:
Transmitter GF    CBY-52004 [A1 or A2 or A3]
Receiver    RU-2  CBY-46012 [A1 or A2/A3, CW oscillator, but no AGC]

Pre-1932, aircraft radio installations on **small** aircraft were largely rare and experimental.

> ...and what was in the B-10 and B-12, B-18?

The B-10 entered service in 1934.

There are three 1934 command set candidates, in chronological order:

SCR-AC-183:  Receiver BC-AB-199, transmitter BC-AB-200
SCR-AD-183:  Receiver BC-AD-199, transmitter BC-AD-200
SCR-AB-183:  Receiver BC-AD-219, transmitter BC-AD-219.

There is one 1934 liaison set candidate:

SCR-AA-187:  Receiver BC-AD-219 and CW oscillator BC-**-183, transmitter BC-AA-191.

> Also the Army had  a plane called the "Shrike" which had radio
> capability. I wonder what those radios were?

You refer to the Curtis A-12, a 1933-entry aircraft.  In 1933, the likely command set would be the 1932 SCR-AA-183 (first of 21 different SCR-A*-183/283 sets):

SCR-AA-183:  Receiver BC-AA-179, transmitter BC-AA-180.

> All these early radio developments of the late '20's and early '30's
> brought us into the technology that was available when war broke out.

Well, 1930's technology anyway.  I think the one item that comes closest to reflecting late 1920's technology within the radios sets above is the GE BC-AA-191 transmitter in the SCR-AA-187.  Yet, after it was developed into the BC-191-A in 1937 and paired with the magnificent BC-224-A in the SCR-187-A, it set the pattern for SCR-287-A sets that the USAAF used by the tens of thousands in WWII.

> The GO thread has been most informative thanks to Mike and all those
> who have chimed in. I think the cutaway PBY was discussed a few years
> back and it was determined that a GO-2 was in place...

I could not rule out a GE GO-4 or -6 until I got to see George's GO-6 panel photo that I posted here yesterday.  A close inspection of the panel name plates on the panel here

 http://tlbigley.com/Cutaway%20PBY/int-07.html

seems to show that the manufacturer's name at the bottom of the plates is two words...like "General Electric" or "Western Electric".  Since the G.E. GO-4/5/6 have been ruled out, that leaves only the GO-2 made by Western Electric.  So...I too believe it to be a GO-2.  The listings here seem to indicate the GO-2, which replaced the canceled GO-1, was commonly found in 1930s patrol aircraft.
 
  http://aafradio.org/docs/Navy-radio-gear-1.GIF

> If the Navy built a training aid for the PBY aircraft, it only had to
> have major components ,not actual for the type, A training aid is to
> familiarize trainees on the overall layout of the aircraft

Quite true...it could explain a 1935 GO-2 in a 1940 airframe.

73,
Mike / KK5F