Nice shots!
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The "thing" is called ENDFIRE ANTENNA and is part of the AN/APG-13A-Falcon radar system for the 75mm-canon. I've seen it usually mounted on PBJ-1H, not on B-25H though.Whats that thing on the nose?
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The only USMC unit to take the PBJ-1H into combat was VMB-613 which arrived on Kwajalein in Dec 1944. Plenty of info on their operations and more photos here:-The "thing" is called ENDFIRE ANTENNA and is part of the AN/APG-13A-Falcon radar system for the 75mm-canon. I've seen it usually mounted on PBJ-1H, not on B-25H though.
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P.S. I found an interesting description I've saved in my archive many years ago, explaining the Falcon-radar system:
"Not long ago the fixed 75mm cannon, in the nose of the B-25H, was regarded as a handy anti-shipping weapon that ought to be handier. With a range of over 5000 yards, the B-25H and its 763 lb. cannon represented a unit of highly mobile artillery that could stay clear of the light flak thrown up by Jap shipping while hammering away at the target.
But the cannon had no way of getting accuracy at long range; instead it had to be fired on the optical judgment of the pilots, which is a particularly tough ASV assignment. As a result, B-25H pilots worked mostly at short distances where optical range errors were small but the danger of getting shot down high. What was needed was something to give range data to the gunsight so that the necessary superelevation correction, allowing for the gravity drop of the 15-lb. projectiles, could be accurately applied.
The answer was AN/APG-13 (Falcon), radar range finder introduced early in 1944.* Falcon eliminates guesswork all the way from 5100 down to 300 yards, keeps the gunsight continuously corrected for range.
It turns out that pilots take readily to Falcon, and ring up good scores with little or no training in 75mm firing. Their performance isn't surprising, since their job,--providing the gunsight is fed correct data by the radar operator sitting alongside--is stripped down to flying so that the hairlines in the sight window are properly positioned on the target and then pushing the firing button as fast as the cannon is loaded.
AN/APG-13 was the crash-built, pre-production Falcon; test data mentioned in this report refer to that. The production model, incorporating several refinements, but essentially the same equipment, is designated AN/APG-13A.
Falcon now has been theater tested by the 5th, 13th and 14th Air Forces. Only the 14th was able to give it a real workout. Its performance in China (mainly along the Yangtze) resulted in a heavy requirement, fulfillment of which has been affected by the critical China base problem, though Jap river traffic still offers targets from existing westward bases. The 5th and 13th just didn't have the shipping to pit it against. But a Marine squadron fitted with Falcon now is in the Pacific and 6 more will follow."
Great find!
Ooo, that one might be interesting for YvesView attachment 694024
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Yep, this is the famous "Desert Warrior" in the same nose configuration as discussed in your modelling thread. At that point (of the photos) it was not a battle plane anymore but pure advertisement.Ooo, that one might be interesting for YvesCATCH 22 and me.