Albacore instruments 1943
- Thread starter WATU
- Start date
AFAIK these were just standard Albacores. The type was flown extensively at night from shore bases around the Med from 1941, so the FAA had plenty of experience with these and with Swordfish flying at night. There are cockpit photos and diagrams of the layout around on the net. Part of the original Spec was for an aircraft that could fly at night, which was part of normal FAA operations, so no need for anything special.
Typical bomb loads - 6 x 250lb GP with 0.025 sec delay or 12 x 100lb AS bombs (2 per underwing carrier. Flares on the outboard light bomb carriers).
No torpedoes were carried as the target were enemy light craft like E-boats, R-boats etc. They kept the torpedo sight (a curved metal frame ahead of the cockpit with lights spaced along its length). Clearly shown in most photos.
They were flown as two seaters (no TAG) with the Observer navigating, operating the ASV.II set and the radio as required.
ASV.II aerials are very hard to see on Albacores and may have changed over time. There were technical difficulties getting it to work on the Albacore to begin with, so it was the end of 1941 before it began to be fitted. The original configuration had two Yagi transmitting aerials low down on the fuselage sides between the cockpit and the engine. These were angled slightly outwards. On aircraft that were fitted they don't show up very well, whether due to the censor's hand or black under surfaces..The receiving aerials were on the outboard interplane struts, about midway between upper and lower wings and angled outwards. It is possible that later aircraft were fitted with a later model of ASV.II that had combined transmit / receive modules allowing the fuselage aerials to be dispensed with.
According to Hobbs in "The Fleet Air Arm And The War in Europe", using intelligence from a number of sources, a pair would be sent up to patrol offshore, either side of an enemy port using a zig-zag pattern at an altitude of 2,000-3,000ft (which gave the best conditions for the ASV to detect a target). They were most successful in bad weather. They would be vectored to a target either by a ground controller at a coastal radar site (usually to within a couple of miles) or the Observer detecting a target on the ASV set. The detecting aircraft would dive and drop a flame float to mark the target, while requesting back up from the second aircraft and any aircraft held on standby ashore. Bombing runs were generally made in 50 degree dives resulting in a stick length of 175ft.
Plenty of photos here including those of 841 squadron that was flying these operations. It main base was Manston with detachments sent up the North Sea coast or along the Channel as required. The aircraft were handed over to 415 squadron at the end of 1943.
I hope that this helps
- Thread starter
- #3
Hi Ewen That does help, thanks. I have images of the torpedo sight somewhere. Pretty crude as I recall. Hobbs book is on my coffee table, good source on operations. I have seen no evidence for a radio altimeter on the dashboard. As they largely went out of front-line service by the end of 1943 that is not surprising. Equally I have seen no sign of a bombsight and I suspect they relied on pilot judgment.
Cheers, Paul
Cheers, Paul
ThomasP
Chief Master Sergeant
FWIW
I have run across a number of photos showing reflector gun sights mounted in Albacores, along with one mention of these being used as an aid for dive bombing, but I have no idea what Squadrons the images were from or where or when.
I have run across a number of photos showing reflector gun sights mounted in Albacores, along with one mention of these being used as an aid for dive bombing, but I have no idea what Squadrons the images were from or where or when.
"Wings of the Navy" by Eric Brown has a cutaway diagram of the Albacore and a cockpit diagram.
The Albacore had a fixed Browing 0.303in MG in the lower starboard wing and controlled by the pilot. This was aimed through a gunsight ring on the external face of the centre panel of the pilot's windscreen and aligned with a "gunsight bead" on a short pylon mount on the carburettor intake fairing, just aft of the cowling. See below.
The torpedo sight that should be right in front of the cockpit seems to be missing in this photo. Both can be seen on the surviving Albacore in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.
The circle on the windscreen for the rear sight is just visible behind the torpedo sight on the FAA Museum aircraft in this photo (you may need to zoom in a bit to see it).
If that was replaced by a reflector sight, some cockpit reorganisation must have taken place because the upper cowling of the cockpit, where you would have expected to mount the sight, was occupied in the cockpit diagram by the mouthpiece and forward end of the speaking tube used by the pilot to communicate with the crew in the rear cockpit. That tube ran down the sloping starboard edge of the windscreen where there appear to be clips securing it to the fuselage about half way down and then back along the fuselage side under the various bomb selector switches. Unfortunately the speaking tube does not appear in most of the Albacore cockpit shots I can find.
The Albacore had a fixed Browing 0.303in MG in the lower starboard wing and controlled by the pilot. This was aimed through a gunsight ring on the external face of the centre panel of the pilot's windscreen and aligned with a "gunsight bead" on a short pylon mount on the carburettor intake fairing, just aft of the cowling. See below.
The torpedo sight that should be right in front of the cockpit seems to be missing in this photo. Both can be seen on the surviving Albacore in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.
The circle on the windscreen for the rear sight is just visible behind the torpedo sight on the FAA Museum aircraft in this photo (you may need to zoom in a bit to see it).
If that was replaced by a reflector sight, some cockpit reorganisation must have taken place because the upper cowling of the cockpit, where you would have expected to mount the sight, was occupied in the cockpit diagram by the mouthpiece and forward end of the speaking tube used by the pilot to communicate with the crew in the rear cockpit. That tube ran down the sloping starboard edge of the windscreen where there appear to be clips securing it to the fuselage about half way down and then back along the fuselage side under the various bomb selector switches. Unfortunately the speaking tube does not appear in most of the Albacore cockpit shots I can find.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Thread starter
- #6
ThomasP
Chief Master Sergeant
re the speaking tube
I have read that during the war the radios were upgraded and the speaking tube was replaced by a reliable RT intercom system.
I have read that during the war the radios were upgraded and the speaking tube was replaced by a reliable RT intercom system.
- Thread starter
- #8
The Gosport Speaking Tube was still in widespread use during WW2, especially on primary training aircraft on both sides of the Atlantic. Aircraft like the De Havilland Tiger Moth and the US Steadman trainers.
A few links about it here.
Voicepipes & Speaking Tubes
The Douglas Self Site, voicepipes, voice pipes, Speaking-Tubes
www.museum.alibaba.sk
Gosport Speaking Tube
By Dick Leighninger Can you imagine taking flying lessons in an open cockpit military trainer with the instructor in the back seat giving you instruction through a rubber tube connected to the...
www.cafmn.org
special ed
1st Lieutenant
- 7,086
- May 13, 2018
A quick rememberance - The Gosport mentions brought to mind a Civil Air Patrol trip to a summer encampment, mid 1950s, on a C-119. While in the air, a senior member, definitely a ground pounder type walked to the rear of the cargo area and used the relief tube to attempt to talk to the pilot, which brought much laughter to the air minded cadets.
