AMES radar units overseas

[Fatboy Coxy]

Hi all

I'm trying to understand what British radar units were in use overseas and their capabilities, especially around 1940-42. Searching on the web, I find a variety of sites offering their take on it all, but they seem to raise more questions than answer for me.

They deployed COL (Chain Overseas Low), which was a version of Britain's home defence CHL (Chain Home Low), with I think had a capability of identifying an aircraft at 500 feet, 25 miles out. I'm not sure of the height of the towers they used, or of what construction, but the units were deployed in permanent locations.

However, it's a bit murkier for me with the overseas version of CH (Chain Home). The two designations I've found used are TRU and MRU.

TRU (Transportable Radio Unit) seems to be a version of CH, but could be broken down for transportation, but I can't really be sure of that, or its performance

MRU (Mobile Transportable Radio Unit) is, I think, mounted on the back of a Crossley IGL3 truck, and may be a latter mark of the TRU, and I think had a 100-foot mast that could be erected relatively quickly. Again, performance is something I'm very unsure of.

If anyone out there can shine a bit of light, I'd be grateful

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

 

[EwenS]

Hi all

I'm trying to understand what British radar units were in use overseas and their capabilities, especially around 1940-42. Searching on the web, I find a variety of sites offering their take on it all, but they seem to raise more questions than answer for me.

They deployed COL (Chain Overseas Low), which was a version of Britain's home defence CHL (Chain Home Low), with I think had a capability of identifying an aircraft at 500 feet, 25 miles out. I'm not sure of the height of the towers they used, or of what construction, but the units were deployed in permanent locations.

However, it's a bit murkier for me with the overseas version of CH (Chain Home). The two designations I've found used are TRU and MRU.

TRU (Transportable Radio Unit) seems to be a version of CH, but could be broken down for transportation, but I can't really be sure of that, or its performance

MRU (Mobile Transportable Radio Unit) is, I think, mounted on the back of a Crossley IGL3 truck, and may be a latter mark of the TRU, and I think had a 100-foot mast that could be erected relatively quickly. Again, performance is something I'm very unsure of.

If anyone out there can shine a bit of light, I'd be grateful

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

Did you ever find the information you were looking for?

I have this on radar in Malaya in 1941. Scan down to p14 (p15 of the .pdf)

https://www.malayanvolunteersgroup.org.uk/uploads/1/0/7/3/107387685/mvg_newsletter_edition_47.pdf

And some info here

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/40004695.pdf

Radar

Ex-RAF Aerial Erectors Association Website

RAAF Radar Association

www.raafradar.org.au

Radar Pages Home page

Radar systems Information

Free essays, homework help, flashcards, research papers, book reports, term papers, history, science, politics

studylib.net

https://www.blunham.com/Radar/SignalsMuseum/PDFs/ShoreRadars.pdf

Hope it helps

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

Thank you EwanS

My word, who ever answers to a two year old post, and with such detail, thank you

I have some bits, but nothing definite about their performance, so much was dependant on the location of each unit, interference from hills limiting some performance.

I'll have a good read through these, with some excitement, you've made my day today, so thank you again

PS your moniker sounds very familiar, I think I've met you on other forums

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

 

[EwenS]

Thank you EwanS

My word, who ever answers to a two year old post, and with such detail, thank you

I have some bits, but nothing definite about their performance, so much was dependant on the location of each unit, interference from hills limiting some performance.

I'll have a good read through these, with some excitement, you've made my day today, so thank you again

PS your moniker sounds very familiar, I think I've met you on other forums

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

Yes we have met elsewhere. I've only recently joined here. Seems our interests overlap quite a bit!

I hope the links are of some use. I had them all saved anyway so it was easy to do.

One point worth highlighting about the Far East Radar system compared to the U.K., which hadn't occurred to me before I read it, was the lack of a developed telephone system "up country" into which they air defence network could tap to quickly pass information to control rooms. All that had to be laid almost from scratch.