Mystery Antenna on B-24. - Mystery antenna.jpg (0/1)

[Waldo.Pepper[_2_]]

I have come across a bit of a mystery that I am hoping that someone
could help solve.

I am including a picture of a B-24 that has an odd (partial Yagi)
antenna just below the flight deck that I cannot ID. I have seen them
on the occasional B-24, only, serving in both the ETO and the Pacific.
Only seen them on US operated planes, never Commonwealth aircraft.
Seen the antenna on 'ordinary' B-24's and also they are included on
some of the Ferret conversions.

A fellow researcher suggested that it is associated with an early war
IFF unit. pre IFF Mark III, but I don't think so. Another suggestion
was that is was somehow associated with an ASV radar set - but again I
do not think that this can be so for various reasons.

Does anyone know what this is?

Waldo.

[Penguin[_2_]]

The short answer is no, some very knowledgeable avionics specialists have
given this a lot of thought and queries of suriving B-24 crews have shed no
light on it.

However the of the part of the array is mounted on the rear fuselage sides
(Dinky_rear aerials.jpg). The 4 antenna array is mounted on both sides of
the forward fuselage and location varied from low down to just below the
cockptit.

The system has not been confirmed outside of the Pacific area and to date
nearly 300 aircraft have been identified with it. The breakdown of installs
is:

5AAF 99
7AAF 73
13AAF 90
USN 29

The 5AAF seems to have discontinued the install after the B-24D, but it
appears on some 44-4xxxx serial numbered B-24Js in the 7th & 13AAFs.

PJ


"Waldo.Pepper" > wrote in message
...
>I have come across a bit of a mystery that I am hoping that someone
> could help solve.
>
> I am including a picture of a B-24 that has an odd (partial Yagi)
> antenna just below the flight deck that I cannot ID. I have seen them
> on the occasional B-24, only, serving in both the ETO and the Pacific.
> Only seen them on US operated planes, never Commonwealth aircraft.
> Seen the antenna on 'ordinary' B-24's and also they are included on
> some of the Ferret conversions.
>
> A fellow researcher suggested that it is associated with an early war
> IFF unit. pre IFF Mark III, but I don't think so. Another suggestion
> was that is was somehow associated with an ASV radar set - but again I
> do not think that this can be so for various reasons.
>
> Does anyone know what this is?
>
> Waldo.

[Anyolmouse]

"Waldo.Pepper" > wrote in message
...
> I have come across a bit of a mystery that I am hoping that someone
> could help solve.
>
> I am including a picture of a B-24 that has an odd (partial Yagi)
> antenna just below the flight deck that I cannot ID. I have seen them
> on the occasional B-24, only, serving in both the ETO and the Pacific.
> Only seen them on US operated planes, never Commonwealth aircraft.
> Seen the antenna on 'ordinary' B-24's and also they are included on
> some of the Ferret conversions.
>
> A fellow researcher suggested that it is associated with an early war
> IFF unit. pre IFF Mark III, but I don't think so. Another suggestion
> was that is was somehow associated with an ASV radar set - but again I
> do not think that this can be so for various reasons.
>
> Does anyone know what this is?
>
> Waldo.

I first thought it was for RADAR jamming missions but it was used for
submarine detection according to this page-
http://www.airtoaircombat.com/background.asp?id=61&bg=722

"The RAF Liberator I was the first of the type to see combat. The long
range and heavy bombload made the Liberator I a natural choice for RAF
Coastal Command for use in its battles against the U-boat menace. Upon
arrival in England, they were extensively modified to make them suitable
for the antisubmarine role. They were equipped with early versions of
ASV radars, which included a thicket of Yagi aerials protruding from the
nose and the wings, four stickle-back mast antennae sticking upward from
the ventral fuselage, and a set of towel-rail type antennae attached to
the sides of the rear fuselage. The aircraft looked not unlike a flying
porcupine. For attacks on surfaced U-boats, Liberator Is were fitted
with a pack for four forward-firing 20-mm Hispano cannon underneath the
forward fuselage. These modifications were carried out by Heston
Aircraft Ltd. The normal operating crew was seven."

--
Anyolmouse

[Waldo.Pepper[_2_]]

>They were equipped with early versions of
>ASV radars, which included a thicket of Yagi aerials protruding from the
>nose and the wings, four stickle-back mast antennae sticking upward from
>the ventral fuselage, and a set of towel-rail type antennae attached to
>the sides of the rear fuselage. The aircraft looked not unlike a flying
>porcupine. For attacks on surfaced U-boats, Liberator Is were fitted
>with a pack for four forward-firing 20-mm Hispano cannon underneath the
>forward fuselage. These modifications were carried out by Heston
>Aircraft Ltd. The normal operating crew was seven."

Thanks for trying there Anonylous but this does not describe the
aircraft that I posted. The mystery antenna that I posted has NOT been
seen in any Commonwealth aircraft. And does seem to be unique to the
PTO (I thought I found one in service over Italy recently but I made a
mistake.)

Here is a picture of the aircraft that you suggested. Note the YAGI on
the nose and wings and the further set of antenna on the fuselage
sides.

FWIW re the Mystery Antenna I am lately torn between thinking it is
either an ELINT receiver suite, or a self-protection jammer
installation.

This sort of mystery really bothers me.

Waldo.

[Waldo.Pepper[_2_]]