First Radar Mystery. Mystery Antenna on B-24's.
Just above and to the left of 'Alice'. They appear as 4 dipoles on either side, just below the flight deck of some B-24's in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. (PTO) in service with American forces. I have two pictures of them on B-17's. But BY FAR they are seen on B-24's. Images of some 300 B-24's are with them installed are known so far.
Some sources describe them as Sea-Search Radars. Some sources describe them as part of an identification - friend and foe (IFF) system. Sadly, nobody knows what they were for. Some quite elaborate theories abound. But if you think you know - or you have a relative who was there who does know then I want to hear from you.waldo.pepper@hotmail.com
Second Radar Mystery.
Radar equipped Hurricane Nightfighters.
Radar equipped Hurricane Nightfighters.
This one is really a search for a picture rather than a true mystery. Some A.I. (Airborne Interception) Mark VI sets were installed on 12 Hawker Hurricane Mark IIC fighters by the British.
When fitted with these Radars, these 12 aircraft did not see any actual combat though they were assigned to, No.247 (China-British) Squadron initially. These cast-off aircraft were then transferred to 176 Squadron flying out of Calcutta. 176 Squadron stripped them of their Radars and used them as conventional day fighters.
Based on a description of the radar Installation I created this diagram of what they looked like.
Here is a picture of one of these elusive aircraft in service with 176 Squadron. Sadly the image is of too poor a quality to show the antenna. Or perhaps 176 had the equipment removed by the time the image was created.
If you have an actual picture showing the Radar installation on these aircraft, or other information, please contact me.waldo.pepper@hotmail.com
