I worked on the first C-130's at Eglin AFB during their operational tests in 1956-1957. The radios were the common ARC-27 UHF comm. The VHF nav radios were the also common ARN-14's. Additionally, the radar was an APS-42, maybe with an upgraded banana peel antenna instead of the standard round dish antenna. Intercom was AIC-10.
During that era, comm and nav boxes were pretty standardized. Nearly everything flying had the same stuff then.
The ARN-14 drove an ID-249 and ID-250 in the instrument panel. There might be pictures of those floating around the internet.
During that era, comm and nav boxes were pretty standardized. Nearly everything flying had the same stuff then.
The ARN-14 drove an ID-249 and ID-250 in the instrument panel. There might be pictures of those floating around the internet.
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Thank you for the reply. I got a flight manual of the C-130B, which depicts the radio pedestal as below. I do not know if a similar setup was used on the C-130A. Do you recall if during the tests that you witnessed, these birds were fitted with the ARC-49 VHF command radio (#15 below) and two Collins 618S-1 HF liaison radios (#1 and #5 below)?
To my surprise, the early C-130s seem to have been fitted with the ARC-34 UHF sets (#20 below) rather than the ARC-27 ones.
To my surprise, the early C-130s seem to have been fitted with the ARC-34 UHF sets (#20 below) rather than the ARC-27 ones.
