Warbird Information Exchange

Just wanted to put the pics of my B-26 radio setup out for you guys to see- I promised to do this a few months ago, but this is my first opportunity...

I included the two pics I found most useful- I only had these for my pattern. Hope you like the results! A couple of these posts are in my "CQ"posting in Off Topics...


This is a real good view of the main radio setup. Compare it to the pic from "Flak Bait" below. I made measurements from the photo, and scaled everything up... Still have to do all the wiring, and add aluminum to the bulkhead. Might add a side panel to hold the lamp(grafted onto top shelf) and a BC-434 Radio Compass controller(which I am still trying to get hold of!)

Here is a farther back view of "Flak Bait" These two pics were all I had to work with! I think my estimates came pretty close...

A little farther away shot of the rack. While I am ver happy for the most part, I am probably going to redo some major sheet metal parts- I know I can do better... Not happy with my lightening holes...

Soon to have its own section, the BC-375-E and associated equipment are yet to be mounted. I will have this done before Reading... BC-306 is not visible under the table, between the tuning unit and the frequency meter SCR-211 Assy. (which itself is ID'd to B-24J 42-51960 Any info re: this tail number?)


I am planning to have all radios fully operational by Reading this year- I now have my Ham license(see "CQ,CQ" thread) and will be working on my CW, so I will be able to transmit voice or CW(Morse)

I'd enjoy hearing what you guys have to say!

Robbie

Awesome work, Robbie. That's an impressive collection of radio gear - and even more impressive on your end to make a working demonstration. When you fire up that BC-375, you might want to bring along a 115 volt a/c converted power supply, as "winding up" one of the original PE-73 inverters on 28 VDC as supplied by batteries makes enough noise to wake the dead, and really puts a load on a couple of batteries.

Watch the antennas there, too - don't wanna brush up against any of that when the system is alive!

Superb interactive display that the public will enjoy. Hard to imagine in six decades we've evolved from monster tubes and power supplies to hand-held systems with computer chips that makes all of this once "state of the art" stuff completely obsolete.

Can't find anything on 42-51960 as marked on the SCR-211. This would have been for a Ford built B-24J-15-FO between the blocks of 42-51826 - 52075, yet I cannot find a reference for it in the 1942 USAAF master s/n inventory. I do see 51959, which was a combat loss, 1945, Austria, and then 51962, which was converted to C-109 configuration and it too was an operational loss in 1944 while in China. Wonder if "960" had been a Second Air Division training command ship here in the states?

Will be on "look out" for BC-434 for you. Keep eyes open for USN APS-3 stuff for our PV-2, OK? Do post more photos of the "radio room" and your finds. Nice to know there's another fan of the old "boat anchors" out there in the crowd!

Great display, Robbie!

What are you using for the ceramic beads on the Command transmitter antenna feeds, and where'd you get them, and what'd they cost? I'm going to need a few bazillion of them for the B-17.

Clever use of a BC-348 cabinet to house your Command radio control heads, too!

Cheers!

_________________
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

The Tuning Unit box was just a spur of the moment thing: I am making a better holder, but it sufficed. (I had to counter balance it with TM's inside!)

As to the ceramic beads, I need a bunch myself! I haven't done that wiring yet, and so haven't found a source...

Robbie

Let me dig here for the "bead source" as I know of a contemporary manufacturer of these goofy things, believe it or not. There's a ceramic supplier here in the US who still makes and sells 'em though I cannot figure out what for. The technology curve for this stuff is at least five decades out of date.

At one point I found a source on eBay for these darn things and had bid 'em up to about twenty cents each for the originals (yeah, I know - f'ing stooooopid....!). My old man found a mil electronics equipment firm that still makes 'em and I have a factory name and FSN around here somewhere. I ended up buying them much cheaper...

One of the best places I found as a source for old radio insulators and beads - literally - was Kingman, AZ. After the war a private contactor chopped up 5,500 surplus mil planes here at this place and a huge percentage of these were -17s and -24s. It was not hard to find where they'd stripped radio stuff from the birds, and laying on the surface of thr desert one would find a string of beads here, a string there, and even some of the ceramic insulators. The scrappers just cut these things out with dykes - or maybe left 'em on the airframe and they ran thru the furnace. Oddly enought they're still as white as a supermodel's teeth even after going thru the furance... go figure?

And yeah, a B-17 seems to take about a thousand of these darn things...

Over the last 20 years I've filtered lots and lots of these out to museums and have incorporated them into my restorations, too. I'm one of the few people who get excited about "warbird beads" in the dirt - just as fun as finding Indian arrowheads and pot shards, in my opinion.

From time to time a guy on eBay - "toober" is his post name - finds some really good and rare USAAF and USN electronic stuff. His prices are really reasonable, and he knows his parts. FYI (and no, he ain't me....!).

I found a place in NJ through a Google search: I just fired off an e-mail, now I'll have to wait a few days for a reply...

http://www.isolantite.com/beads.html

But let me know if You find anything first! Thanks!

Robbie

Robbie,

That is a very impressive piece of work!

It's a long shot, but I'll go through my Second Air Force Phase Training Base material to see if I can find that B-24 for you. I have several log book excerpts and some aircraft listings for the Nebraska fields that might list your serial number.

Pooner mentioned having a 115V power source, have you thought about a putt-putt to add to the display? I've seen a couple of the a/c units on ebay through the years.

Yes- That is the plan: I have a very nice PE-108 from an SCR-543 set, and it puts out 500W 110AC. I am getting a 110 to 28 VAC transformer, and will be making a rectifier unit for it. It is heavy enough to handle my 28VDC needs...

I'm looking forward to getting it all on line in the coming few months!

Robbie

Yup! Isolantite was the bead source. Neat company to work with. The insulating beads I'd purchased from them were a little "smoother" than the WWII stock that had the "sharp" end - if that makes any sense - but when strung on a proper piece of antenna lead I can assure you they're a dead ringer for the right stuff.

I like the idea of one of the little APU generators running up a PE-108. That'll work, indeed! Ah, but now that'll create more choices and decisions - to go with the early war Homelite APU or the B-29 style Andover?

I think we'll just have to find you an airplane to haul all of this radio gear around versus lumping it piece by piece...

Wouldn't I love that! ! I received word back from Isolanite already, and they sent a chart, and said they'd be happy to supply. I replied once I knew the size I needed, I'd get back to them for a price, and that I had friends who need them as well: I'll post info here when I kknowthe cost.

Can anyone tell me the exact size- Outside Diameter, Inside Diameter, Length? Thanks!


The PE-108 is a WWII gas powered generator- a nice little Wisconsin "AA" model single cylinder 4 stroke(!) 500W 120 AC for the SCR-543 radio set. My weak link is finding a nice 110VAC to 28VAC transformer.(I can build the rectifier unit) capable of about 20A output. I am working on the wiring for the setup next...

Robbie

Pooner,

I've been trying to pry a working Homelite from a guy for years. Speaking of the Andover, the Tech School I went to has/had one in pieces, but it was all there. They wouldn't part with it, though.

Does anybody have those beads they could measure for me? Otherwise I'll have to guess... Though I've been doing pretty well with that...

Oh- also, can anyone supply a decent photo of one of the Liaison or Command set junction boxes in any ofthe aircraft? I need a shot of the interior, so I can build one.

Also need some wiring instructions for that part...

Robbie

When I get back to Mesa, and specifically to the airport, I'll grab some out of the hangar and do some measuring of the beads for you, maybe snap a picture or two - or send you a sample. I'm on the road here for work for the next few days and any data I'd have would be guesswork. No need for that!

Just an update on the radio operation: FCC has granted me the call letters KC2TYV, and I am authorized GENERAL... I don't have any of my rigs on the air yet, but I have my license!

Robbie
KC2TYV