Description
Object description
Components off an American SCR-720 AI (Aircraft Interception) Radar Mark IX including: Radio Frequency Unit Type BC 1091, Modulator Unit Type BC 1142, Control Unit Type BC-1150-B, Indicator Unit Type BC 1151 and Aerial Type RC-94-C.
Physical description
a). Cylinder or drum painted black, made to stand on end, with four spikes on the base. There are two carrying handle on the top. The lid is screwed on with twelve screws. There is a square box attached to the top with connectors and a plaque atached.
The whole is in very poor condition, with much white corrosion on all faces. The writing on the plaque is virtually obliterated.
b). Cylinder or drum painted black. Made to stand on end. There are two carrying handles to the top. There is a box attached to the top with connectors: the box is rectangular with curved edges. The top is a lid, attached with twelve screws.
On the bottom are four protruding plates with screw holes, one of which has broken off.
The whole is in very poor condition with much white corrosion to all faces. There is a plaque attached to the top but it is illegible.
A brown paper label is attached.
c). Rectangular box, painted black.
Switvhes on upper face for UPPER LIMIT, POWER, ON/OFF, ANTENNA ROTATION, TRANSMITTER CURRENT, TRANSMITTER, and AUTO TILT.
There are two plaques attached to the top. The inner workings can be seen through a circular hole in the top of about 7cm diameter. The cover for this is missing.
Attached is a brown paper label.
d). Aerial dish on stand, supported on two semicircles of metal.
The outside of the dish is painted black, the inner is silver coloured, The antennae with a small square box on the end is mounted in the middle of the dish.
e). Receiver or viewer for radar. Rectangular box painted black. There is a plaque attached. There are two orange screens on the front face, the left has a circular range finder, the right has a square grid. There are knobs and dials on the front face, and two carrying handles. On the rear there are power connectors, which appear to be colour coded with circles in yellow, green, blue, red, orange and brown.
History note
American AI Mk X centimetric radar/ Fitted in RAF nightfighters from 1943, and also used postwar in the Vampire NF10. It maintained the credibility of Britain's nightfighter defences.
A). Painted on plaque.
b). Printed and handwritten on paper label.
c). Plaque: painted on metal.
Label: printed and handwritten on paper.
e). Painted on metal.
a). Plaque:
MOD RECORD
TYPE NO.
REF NO.
SER. NO
DATE
b). Brown paper label:
Certified Servicable
Explosives removed
Relevant safety precautions taken.
(on reverse)
RETURNED RAF FORM
EQUIPMENT SERVICABLE
STATION I.U. No....
SECT. REF No. PART No.
DESCRIPTION.
Use to which applied.....
(For N.I.U. Items of ......[illegible])
QTY SERIAL No. (s)
For equipment use only
PTO
c). Plaque:
SIGNAL CORPS, US ARMY
CONTROL BOX BC-1150-BC.
SERIAL NO. 5671
Western Electric
NEW YORK, N.Y.
Plaque:
WARNING Power must be on for -------- minute before operation of transmitter switch.
Label:
Certified Servicable
Explosives removed
Relevant safety precautions taken.
(on reverse)
RETURNED RAF FORM
EQUIPMENT SERVICABLE
STATION I.U. No....
SECT. REF No. PART No.
DESCRIPTION.
Use to which applied.....
(For N.I.U. Items of ......[illegible])
QTY SERIAL No. (s)
For equipment use only
PTO
e). WARNING
Reduce indicator intensity before turning transmitter off.