Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: FTJR on February 20, 2007, 10:42:53 PM

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: FTJR on February 20, 2007, 10:42:53 PM

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/mustang/combat-reports/78-landers-19march45.jpg

Never heard of it before, would someone enlighten me please.

TIA

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: Treize69 on February 20, 2007, 10:55:35 PM

I'm still looking for a pic for you, but late war aircraft like the P-51D and P-38L sometimes carried a system that would alert the pilot if an aircraft passed behind them. Both an audible warning and a light on the control panel. Was called the AN/APS-13.

However this would usually go absolutely haywire in formations and was usually removed or unhooked. About its only use was to tell the weaver or tail-end charlie that he was about to get his butt shot off.

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: Murdr on February 20, 2007, 11:03:38 PM

ahh trieze beat me to it...its probably an APS-13.  First used in P-38L, but installed on other allied planes also late in the war.

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: FTJR on February 20, 2007, 11:52:27 PM

Thanks for the quick replies, I guess I could've googled it, but there are more reliable sources here.

RGDS

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: Guppy35 on February 20, 2007, 11:53:38 PM

Image of 506th FG Mustangs on Iwo with tail warning radar.  You can see the shadow of the antenna on the tail
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/861_1172037120_lineup2.jpg)

Restored 51D with tail warning radar in place.
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/861_1172037136_tailwarningradar.jpg)

Diagrams of placement of the antenna on the 51
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/861_1172037103_tailradar.jpg)

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: FTJR on February 21, 2007, 12:03:03 AM

Wow,

 tks Dan

RGDS

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: mussie on February 22, 2007, 12:30:27 AM

Imagine the fun you could have with your squadies if we had this LOL

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: Treize69 on February 22, 2007, 07:52:20 AM

we do mussie, its the ' key.  :D

Title: Tail Warning System in P51
Post by: Wilbus on February 23, 2007, 04:49:50 PM

Brittish night bombers used tail warning radar aswell.

After some time the germans constructed a radar that would home in on the signal of the bombers tail warning radar.

Believe the electronic war was far more advanced then many people believe or would like to admit. Makes for a very interesting read though.

And then there was the not so electronic warfare (http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/COMMS/ear/ear.htm) but kind of cool... and funny looking.