Johnny .45
Airman
I see that the SB2C-4E was fitted with AN/APS-4 radar, and was curious what a daytime fair-weather aircraft needed with radar anyway. I don't find any mentions of them being used on night ops, and the weather was rarely bad in the Pacific, even if they were willing to launch a/c into bad weather. So was the radar used simply to expand search range during daylight? Could it "see" targets over the horizon, maybe pick up small targets like a periscope better? The APS-4 was a small but relatively effective radar set, but it was capable of air-intercept use as well. I'd just always thought of radar as a night/bad weather aid, but it must have been used for daylight searches as often as night searches. Unless they did fly Helldivers and Avengers at night?
For example, here is an excellent bunch of information on the APS-4 and radar in general (HyperWar: Tactical Uses of Radar in Aircraft (RADTWOA) [Part II]), but it only talks as if it was used to improve tracking and navigation in poor visibility. When did Helldivers fly in poor visibility. It DOES give good range information, which would be a help.
For example, here is an excellent bunch of information on the APS-4 and radar in general (HyperWar: Tactical Uses of Radar in Aircraft (RADTWOA) [Part II]), but it only talks as if it was used to improve tracking and navigation in poor visibility. When did Helldivers fly in poor visibility. It DOES give good range information, which would be a help.
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