YE Homing Beacon: Date of Introduction?

[elbmc1969]

I haven't been able to find the date of introduction of the U.S. YE/ZB homing system. Does anyone know where to look?

Thanks!

 

[MiTasol]

There are several good aircraft radio (boat anchor) sites out there but I cannot remember the name of the best.
One good one goes by the name of boat anchor manual archive but I cannot find it on line right now - did the diagnostics but it would not connect. Possibly another NBN failure
This site can't be reached
bama.edebris.com's server IP address could not be found.

Try:

• Checking the connection
• Checking the proxy, firewall, and DNS configuration
• Running Windows Network Diagnostics

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED


If I remember the name of the other I will post it.

 

[Peter Gunn]

https://www.aafradio.org/

and

https://www.aafradio.org/docs/YE-ZB.pdf

They are a little skittish as they are unsecure but there's a lot of info it seems.

**EDIT***
According to the PDF in the second link, the first experimental unit was installed on board U.S.S. Saratoga in 1937, with earlier experimental types installed around 1928.

 

[MiTasol]

Murphy strikes again.
Ten seconds after spending half an hour trying to remember their name and posting above I remembered Radionerds.com

BAMA info BoatAnchor Manual Archive - BAMA

 

[R Leonard]

I haven't been able to find the date of introduction of the U.S. YE/ZB homing system. Does anyone know where to look?

Here, this overview notes that the system was first installed aboard USS Saratoga (CV3) in May 1938.
http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/Docs/YE-ZB Presentation.pdf. Also see this which repeats the wording on the 1938 Saratoga installation https://www.nrl.navy.mil/system/files/content/75awards.pdf

The RN had a similar system first tested in 1934 and first installed on a carrier in 1936, see:
https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/pdf-hell/article-part3a-1947-Quinn.pdf

Robert Cressman's USS Ranger 1934-1946 notes on page 157 with regard to a yard period in 1941: "The Ranger shifted to the Norfolk Navy Yard on the morning of 12 July, and her air group assumed shore-based status. Soon, the usual tumult of a yard overhaul would be familiar to the ears of the ship's company, as the ship began to undergo repairs and alterations which included installation of 1.1-inch quadruple-mount antiaircraft machine guns to replace the 3-inch/.50-caliber guns, a CXAM-1 radar and YE homing gear."

Can't pin down when Yorktown (CV5) had her system installed. My father, who went aboard, a F4F-3 driver, with VF-42 in June 1941, to remain aboard until the bitter end in June 1942, said that they did not have it installed then but did have it when they left for the Pacific in mid-December 1941. Yorktown received the CXAM installation in May 1940 at Pearl Harbor and an IFF modification at Norfolk in the days immediately before heading west.

Can't pin down Enterprise either, but the VB-5 action report for the raid on the Marshalls of 1 February 1942 notes: "The YE-ZB equipment proved invaluable. Without this aid planes may have been lost and it is certain much valuable time would have been wasted."

I'd suggest that after mid to late 1941 the YE/ZB installations were complete aboard existing carriers and standard installation on new ones coming off the ways.

 

[elbmc1969]

The RN had a similar system first tested in 1934 and first installed on a carrier in 1936, see:
https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/pdf-hell/article-part3a-1947-Quinn.pdf

While the both YE and the Type 72 used a rotating reflector, the Type 72 sent a simple constant signal and put a heavy workload on the aircrew. So heavy that RN fighters carried a second crewman to use the homing system! (Yes, some of the backseaters were Observers; no, the vast majority were TAGs (Telegraphist/Air Gunners), a title that became silly when the Fulmar was introduced and the TAG no longer had a gun!).

 

[R Leonard]

Which I believe is why the RN later adopted the USN system/equipment.

 

[elbmc1969]

No, they bought Martlets, which couldn't use the Type 72. The other US carrier aircraft theoretically could have, but the modifications would have been a pain. The RN CVs ended up with both beacons on board, at least for a while. Not sure if the Fulmars were ever modified to operate with YE.

The Sea Hurricanes and Seafires were so short-ranged that they didn't need a beacon.