Radar Vehicles

[alamotex]

Ken. Niether I nor the small cotterie of WW II army radar enthusiasts I associate with via the internet, are military vehicle collectors or restorers and this might explain why we failed to notice your listing of interests at the foot of your posts. Sorry for that omission. Over the years we have been in touch with several Ozzies on the subject of WW II radar,many of whom were contributors to this forum. You are the first to have possesion of a chassis or partial trailer which could be identified as belonging to the APF unit of the GL III (c). Tony Smith ( the other Tony Smith ) has, or had, two beat up trailers from the companion unit of the GL III(c)..namely the ZPI unit. North Fort museum has a consol that was donated by Dave Prince.
One of my associates was on deployment to OZ during the war as part of the Canadian Technical contingent shipped over to provide tech knowhow and to carry out tropicalisation on the 83 GL III(c) convoys purchased by your military in 1943.
I have asked my colleague in Canada to get in touch with you...he worked on these babies as a master technician in the RCEME..

[Keith Brooker]

Just thought i would put these photos on as i do not know what it is. Photo taken in the 1950s. one of the guys has a sten gun. Original photos from my collection.

[Keith Brooker]

This is a bit larger. The capbadge is RA.

[alamotex]

AA (Anti Aircraft ) Radar No 3 Mk 7..UK designed and built.. deployed as a Fire Control radar with HAA units (Heavy Anti Aircraft ) in the post WW II period. Sold to many friendly countries. Often used in conjunction with AA Radar No 4 Mk 6 (Canadian ) as a Tactical Control radar on both static and mobile AA gunsites..sometimes referred to,as the search radar. That square trailer in the background under the tree could well be an MZPI No 4 Mk 6..Zippy to the RA bird gunners.

Probably dug in to prevent detection from the air and blast protection effects. Ground clutter would have been intolerable if tracking low flying aircraft. Lots of info on the net re this equipment. Nice restoration being undertaken at the Duxford Imperial War Museum. Made obsolete in the era of SAM's. Used for tracking on the Womera missile range in Aus.

[Keith Brooker]

Thanks for the info on the photos Brian. Photos taken in Germany.

[David Molyneux]

Noel,

Re post 9

AP2782A gives its purpose as a Radio Approach Aid. The vehicle carried VHF for ground to air communication, VHF/DF for initial location and positioning and manually operated radar for its final plotting.

hth

David Molyneux