Carrier planes radar

[maxs75]

Hi,
I'd like to know about radars aboard carrier planes of Japanese and US Navies. At the beginning of the war none had radar, but USN started to use ASB at the end of 1942, at first with SBD-4 Dauntless and TBF-1C Avenger.
Did some ASB (or other types of) radar planes took part in the carrier battles of the end of 1942 (Santa Cruz, maybe eastern solomons)?



In mid 1944, at the time of the battle of Philippine Sea, I believe that many US planes were radar equipped. For sure Hellcat and Corsair night fighters had AIA radars, while the day fighters had not. But what about the attack planes? Did they still have the ASB? The type aboard US carriers were SBD-5, SB2C-1C and TBF/TBM-1C or TBM-1. AFAIK the more powerful ASD and ASH were not fitted in those models. Is it correct?

And were all the SBD-4/-5/-6 equipped with ASB, or only part of them?
Were all SB2C radar equipped? The -3E/-4E with ASH, all other with ASB?
And what about TBF/TBM-1C?

Thank you in advance
Max

[net_sailor]

Hi!
Here you got interesting article about carrier-borne radar equiped units:
Night Birds of the Big E

[maxs75]

Thanks.
Anyway this is a specifical night air group. I'd like to know about day CVGs.

Max

[CliffyB]

IIRC SBD's and TBM/TBF's began carrying "Yagi" antennae in the middle of the war. Usually under one of the wings near the tips. It's purpose though eludes me. Don't know if they were simply navigational aides or full blown search sets. Anyone else know?

[net_sailor]

If you are reefering to ASB radar there were usually two Yagi antennas installed (each one under middle section of the wing). It was fully operational ASV radar. For more details look here:
HyperWar: U.S. Radar: Operational Characteristics [ASV--Air-To-Surface Search Sets]

BTW on the tip of left wing the Pitot tube was mounted

[fjray]

For part of your question I believe you’re asking did each carrier have squadrons that were radar equipped.

From what I know the answer is, well, yes and no. Navy policy changed a couple of times during the war. At first special night fighting/torpedo squadrons would be established. Then each of these squadrons would be divided among a task force. Carriers would get 4 radar equipped night fighters. I haven’t seen numbers for an authorized number of Avengers. I’ve read about carriers having from 1 to 3. However not all carriers got their full complement of aircraft, so not everybody had radar birds.

Then efforts changed to establishing specific night air groups that would operate off specific carriers. These groups made up of VF(N) and VT(N) radar equipped squadrons, focusing on night operations.

Due to attrition as much as anything, at the end of the war, early 1945 - on, carriers could have a mix. The CVE’s and CVL’s would have VC (composite) squadrons that had both radar and non-radar aircraft. On the CV’s, VF(N) and VT(N) detachments were absorbed into ‘daytime’ squadrons.


The first Navy night kill occurred in 1943 by VF(N)-75 operating from New Georgia. Later in ’43 carrier based radar Avengers worked with day F6F’s attempting night intercepts but no kills.

The first ground/ship attacks by radar birds I’ve read about occurred in early 1944 against Truk. This was done by a night air group. Most of the Avengers attached to ‘day’ carriers spent their time doing ASW.

From what I’ve read only a few Helldivers were fitted with radar. More for testing than operations.

[freebird]

An interesting thread guys.

Were the early radars put into TBF's & SBD's first because it was more difficult for the single pilot in a Wildcat/Hellcat to operate the radar effectivly without a second crewman? Was the weight of the gear a problem as well?

[CliffyB]

I just packed up all of my books since I'm moving soon but I will try to root through my collection of "Detail & Scale" books and see what they say about radar. I have ones on the PBY Catalina, SB2C Helldiver, TBF Avenger, F6F Hellcat, and the AD Skyraider. I'll post what I find this weekend after I unpack.

[CliffyB]

EDIT: Sorry, double post thanks to my crappy wireless net >:O

[Jan7]

Dear Maxs75:

Many monhts ago, I discover in a post writed by a Moderator of this Forum, Micdrow an amazing source. Its a archive who compiles more technical documentation of matters about the WW2. I search inside, and found this link: REPORTS OF THE U.S. NAVAL TECHNICAL MISSION TO JAPAN.

If you will go this link, you found a lot of interesting PDFs of interest....



Jan.

[Micdrow]

Dear Maxs75:

Many monts ago, I discover in a post writed by a Moderator of this Forum, Micdrow an amazing source.

Thanks though Im just an average joe who likes to find new things.