Non-USN single engine night fighters

GreenKnight121 said:

From the start the USN used TBMs equipped with the APS-4 radar (underwing pod ) as a fighter-controller to guide radar-equipped F6Fs and U4Us to near the target aircraft where the fighter could get a good picture on his radar set (APS-6, a simplified APS-4).

This led to the later development of AEW Avengers/Guardians/Skyraiders/Tracers/Hawkeyes.

TBM with APS-4 ( https://www.aef.se/Avionik/PDF-filer/PS18_USN_APS-4_Tactical_use.pdf ):

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AN/APS-4 without external housing:

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TBM with APS-3 navigation/night bombing radar ( https://www.aef.se/Avionik/PDF-filer/PS19_USN_APS-3.pdf ):

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With added searchlight and rockets:

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pinehilljoe said:

Great photos. Love the vacuum tubes. APS-4 was also used for anti sub/shipping. the bottom photo looks like the Avenger also has a Light, like the Leigh Light.

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BarnOwlLover said:

I'm aware of the RAF investigating fitting radar to a Hawker Typhoon to make a single seat, single engine night fighter, and some Hurricanes were converted for such a role in the CBI. But were there other known successful conversions of single seat, single engine fighters to being night/all-weather fighters? I also know of the P-51D Mustang that was converted into a two seat night/all-weather interceptor, though I have no idea how well it worked (photos of it are at IWM's site), and some trainer versions of P-38s were converted into P-38M night fighters. The conversion as far as I know worked well, but there was little for them to shoot down in 1945 when it was introduced (the P-51 night fighter conversion was also from 1945).

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