Hello guys, I'm new to this beautiful forum but like all of you , I like very much ww2 aviation history and planes.My favourite plane is the B-17 and these days i was wondering if anyone of you could know how did B-17 communicate with the others [others b17s in formation]. I mean , the squadron leader would be in touch with the other elements all the time or like in :Memphis Belle movie ,he will open the famous "C" channel to adress them?And if so, when would he do it? Could the B-17 squadron leader even communicate with the fighter escort? Any help will be very appreciated .Thank you for all.
WW2 U.S. bombers communication
- Thread starter Cpt. John
- Start date
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Welcome to the forum. There were systems for the mission commander to speak to the others in the formation (B17 and B24) an also to speak to escorts, there are several experts post here on the forum who I am sure will explain, there have been several references to bombers calling for help in threads here.
I would be interested to know if any other form of communication like flash lamps or hand signals were formally approved for use.
I would be interested to know if any other form of communication like flash lamps or hand signals were formally approved for use.
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mikewint
Captain
The B-17 contains equipment for long and short-range two-way voice and code communication, intercommunication between crew members, emergency transmission, directional indication, and reception of marker beacon signals.
Interphone
The interphone system provides for communication between crew members. Command radio, liaison radio, and radio compass signals are audible over the interphone system at all crew stations. Any crew station can talk over the command transmitters. Only the pilot, copilot, navigator, and radio operator can transmit over the liaison radio.
Interphone equipment includes a dynamotor and amplifier located under the radio operator's table, and 12 jackboxes located throughout the airplane: 3 in the nose (for the navigator, bombardier, and forward gunner), 3 on the flight deck (for the pilot, copilot, and top turret gunner) , 2 in the radio compartment, 3 in the waist compartment, and one in the tail compartment.
Command Radio
The command radio is for short-range communication with aircraft and ground stations.
Voice transmission over the command set is available to all crew stations, but code transmission is limited to the pilot and copilot, who alone have a transmitting key. It is on the remote control box on the ceiling of the pilot's compartment.
The command radio consists of 3 receivers and 2 transmitters on the right forward bulkhead of the radio compartment. Remote controls are on ceiling of pilot's compartment.
Remote Control Units: The transmitter control box has an on-off toggle switch which turns on either transmitter, and a transmitter selector switch which selects either of the 2 transmitters. (Positions are provided for 4 transmitters, should the 2 extras be installed.) A wave selector switch turns on voice, CW (continuous wave) or tone as desired.
The receiver control is divided into 3 control units, one for each receiver. The low band receiver covers 190-550 Kc, the intermediate band from 3000 to 6000 Kc, and the high band from 6000-9100 Kc. Each receiver control unit has 2 switches to operate it.
The A-B switch selects either jackbox or control unit. Use "A" if plugged into jackbox; use "B" if plugged directly into control unit. A tone selector switch which can select "TONE," "CW," or "MCW" should be turned to modulated CW with "A" and "MCW" on. Then you can tune to desired frequency by means of a small handle which turns a calibrated dial.
The reliable transmitting range of the command set is 25 miles or less. Under good atmospheric conditions greater range may be obtained.
RADIO COMPASS (SCR 269-G)
The radio compass is a multi-purpose receiver designed primarily as a navigational instrument.
The power for this set comes from the airplane's batteries and inverters. The various relays and switches operate on the direct current supply, and the receiver and motors for rotation of the loop operate on the inverters.
This set has 2 antennas: a sensing (whip), or non-directional antenna, and a loop, or directional antenna.
The radio compass is a multi-band receiver and, as installed in B-17 aircraft, may be remotely controlled from either of 2 identical control boxes. One of these boxes is above and between the pilot and copilot; the other directly above and slightly to the left of the receiver itself in the navigator's compartment.
LIAISON TRANSMITTER
This transmitter, on the aft bulkhead of the radio compartment, insures communication with aircraft in flight and ground stations over distances up to 3000 miles, depending on atmospheric conditions and method of transmission. The usual reliable distances are 250 miles on voice, 500 miles on tone and 750 miles on CW. Only 4 jackbox positions (radio operator, pilot, copilot and navigator) can transmit on the liaison set.
This set has 7 interchangeable turning units covering frequencies from 360-650 Kc and 1500-12,500 Kc, and including a low band from 200-500 Kc in some models. For tuning this set, see communication section of B-17 T.O.'s.
The liaison receiver on the radio operator's table covers a frequency range from 1500-18,000 Kc. It uses the same antenna as the transmitter: the skin of the airplane. This is connected to a throw switch on the left side wall. This switch can change over to the trailing antenna (also on left side wall). The trailing antenna is operated from a control box to the right of the change-over switch.
Interphone
The interphone system provides for communication between crew members. Command radio, liaison radio, and radio compass signals are audible over the interphone system at all crew stations. Any crew station can talk over the command transmitters. Only the pilot, copilot, navigator, and radio operator can transmit over the liaison radio.
Interphone equipment includes a dynamotor and amplifier located under the radio operator's table, and 12 jackboxes located throughout the airplane: 3 in the nose (for the navigator, bombardier, and forward gunner), 3 on the flight deck (for the pilot, copilot, and top turret gunner) , 2 in the radio compartment, 3 in the waist compartment, and one in the tail compartment.
Command Radio
The command radio is for short-range communication with aircraft and ground stations.
Voice transmission over the command set is available to all crew stations, but code transmission is limited to the pilot and copilot, who alone have a transmitting key. It is on the remote control box on the ceiling of the pilot's compartment.
The command radio consists of 3 receivers and 2 transmitters on the right forward bulkhead of the radio compartment. Remote controls are on ceiling of pilot's compartment.
Remote Control Units: The transmitter control box has an on-off toggle switch which turns on either transmitter, and a transmitter selector switch which selects either of the 2 transmitters. (Positions are provided for 4 transmitters, should the 2 extras be installed.) A wave selector switch turns on voice, CW (continuous wave) or tone as desired.
The receiver control is divided into 3 control units, one for each receiver. The low band receiver covers 190-550 Kc, the intermediate band from 3000 to 6000 Kc, and the high band from 6000-9100 Kc. Each receiver control unit has 2 switches to operate it.
The A-B switch selects either jackbox or control unit. Use "A" if plugged into jackbox; use "B" if plugged directly into control unit. A tone selector switch which can select "TONE," "CW," or "MCW" should be turned to modulated CW with "A" and "MCW" on. Then you can tune to desired frequency by means of a small handle which turns a calibrated dial.
The reliable transmitting range of the command set is 25 miles or less. Under good atmospheric conditions greater range may be obtained.
RADIO COMPASS (SCR 269-G)
The radio compass is a multi-purpose receiver designed primarily as a navigational instrument.
The power for this set comes from the airplane's batteries and inverters. The various relays and switches operate on the direct current supply, and the receiver and motors for rotation of the loop operate on the inverters.
This set has 2 antennas: a sensing (whip), or non-directional antenna, and a loop, or directional antenna.
The radio compass is a multi-band receiver and, as installed in B-17 aircraft, may be remotely controlled from either of 2 identical control boxes. One of these boxes is above and between the pilot and copilot; the other directly above and slightly to the left of the receiver itself in the navigator's compartment.
LIAISON TRANSMITTER
This transmitter, on the aft bulkhead of the radio compartment, insures communication with aircraft in flight and ground stations over distances up to 3000 miles, depending on atmospheric conditions and method of transmission. The usual reliable distances are 250 miles on voice, 500 miles on tone and 750 miles on CW. Only 4 jackbox positions (radio operator, pilot, copilot and navigator) can transmit on the liaison set.
This set has 7 interchangeable turning units covering frequencies from 360-650 Kc and 1500-12,500 Kc, and including a low band from 200-500 Kc in some models. For tuning this set, see communication section of B-17 T.O.'s.
The liaison receiver on the radio operator's table covers a frequency range from 1500-18,000 Kc. It uses the same antenna as the transmitter: the skin of the airplane. This is connected to a throw switch on the left side wall. This switch can change over to the trailing antenna (also on left side wall). The trailing antenna is operated from a control box to the right of the change-over switch.
- Thread starter
- #4
keep an eye on the thread some posters here have written books on the subjectHello guys, thank you very much for your replies.The infos are magnificent. I knew that this would be a very good forum.
MiTasol
2nd Lieutenant
Welcome Cpt. John
If you want more detail than covered in Mikewints excellent summary do an internet search for "pilot training manual" +b-17 as that will give you more detail on both the equipment and duties of the crew. There are several versions of most PTMs because new versions of the aircraft required new manuals to reflect the changes and the manuals are often available is not only originals but also as PDFs and as Print-on-Demand paper copies
Prices range from free such as from B-17. Pilot training manual for the Flying Fortress B-17. Contents (though the free ones are often butchered with no graphics or other information missing) to US$1200. You can also find print on demand copies for many PTM's from as little as $5 on bookfinder.com
Some of the paid for copies are also butchered - eg zenos. In particular I avoid Mach one manuals, military-aircraft-photos.com and flight-manuals.com as all the pubs from this source that I have seen are overprinted with a heavy watermark and a header and are not good quality - sample below.
As extreme examples of what appear in the adverts to be good copies you can try
Happy hunting
If you want more detail than covered in Mikewints excellent summary do an internet search for "pilot training manual" +b-17 as that will give you more detail on both the equipment and duties of the crew. There are several versions of most PTMs because new versions of the aircraft required new manuals to reflect the changes and the manuals are often available is not only originals but also as PDFs and as Print-on-Demand paper copies
Prices range from free such as from B-17. Pilot training manual for the Flying Fortress B-17. Contents (though the free ones are often butchered with no graphics or other information missing) to US$1200. You can also find print on demand copies for many PTM's from as little as $5 on bookfinder.com
Some of the paid for copies are also butchered - eg zenos. In particular I avoid Mach one manuals, military-aircraft-photos.com and flight-manuals.com as all the pubs from this source that I have seen are overprinted with a heavy watermark and a header and are not good quality - sample below.
As extreme examples of what appear in the adverts to be good copies you can try
Happy hunting
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cameron shaw
Recruit
- 5
- Jan 17, 2017
cool topic....mike if you can you go to my photobucket and scroll down thru the pics, you will find that there are a couple pics of some ww2 communication items from an estate I cleared out...I found 4 of these "RT19/arc4" units still in the original boxes and foil bags, from the research I found they came out of bombers in 1944 or so,complete with manuals...Im trying to find somebody who knows anything about them and the perfect fit would be a guy restoring a plane I can donate one too his project, I'd like to find homes for them, any help would be appreciated...thanks,cameron...
http://s199.photobucket.com/
http://s199.photobucket.com/
mikewint
Captain
Thanks Cameron but you might want to PM Capt. John post #1. He requested the info
- Thread starter
- #9
cameron shaw
Recruit
- 5
- Jan 17, 2017
no swet, it just seemed like you knew your stuff on radio info- i just hate to throw this stuff in the trash and would love to find a home for it...I will keep searching for somebody needing it...cool forum guys!
