2083x
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APQ-7 Radar
Trying to determine how many Eagle-equipped B-24s went to the ETO and at what dates. Also, serial of first B-24 to be equipped with APQ-7 (production model as opposed to prototype). Any suggested reading on the topic much appreciated. Tks
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scott348
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I have been looking for Eagle equipped B-24 information for some time as well. My research is more focused on the APQ-7 trainers used in the 315th Wing B-29 training program, but I've been less than successful with serial numbers so far. Here is a photo of the antenna installation on one of the trainers sent to Nebraska for instructional purposes. This particular picture was taken at the home of the 16th Bombardment Group (VH), Fairmont Army Air Field. I'll keep searching for information, so check back occasionally. Scott
Attached Image(s)
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2083x
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Thanks Scott. I do have a history of Eagle as published in "Radar" in 1945 if you're interested. Some references to 315th Wing.
Darrell
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Al Blue
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Scott & Darrell - I have a long list of B-24 Eagle serials, both trainers and operational a/c, taken from the IARCs and other sources. Too much to post here. Suggest you contact me directly. Al Blue < alblue@earthlink.net>
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scott348
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Thanks, Al!
I'll email you when I get back home--I'm doing some "mechanic therapy" with Ol' 927 this week.
Scott
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2083x
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Thanks Al. Stand by for an email.
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LarryJ
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Darrell, What kind of information relating to the 315th do you have in the Radar publication you mentioned? Any easy way to extract it? Larry http://www.315bw.org
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2083x
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Larry,
I can email you the publication as I have it in PDF form.
Darrell
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LarryJ
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2083x
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Larry,
Document forwarded via email.
Darrell
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LarryJ
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Resurrecting an old thread. I have a document I transcribed and put on the 315th webpage. It is a test report #5 and lists several B-24 serial numbers and unit assignments for 6 of the aircraft. Sorry for the typos in the transcription. http://www.315bw.org/apq7rpt5.htm
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2083x
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Thanks for posting this Larry. Darrell
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ramc181
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I'm working through the 482BG records to try to identify the Eagle-equipped B-17s and B-24s stationed at Alconbury.
The April 45 reports state they had 13 B-17s and 10 B-24s equipped while they were running Eagle scope photography trials, but only the usual "last three" of the serials are listed in the file. I'll list them here as I come across them and fill in any additional info as it arrives, additions and corrections always welcome. :)
B-17s:
'252 (B-17G 44-6252 PC-A)
'990 (B-17G 44-6990 PC-O)
B-24s:
'189 (B-24M-25-CO 44-42189 SI-x)
'283 (B-24M-25-CO 44-42283 SI-U)
482BG Eagle aircraft working list from all sources (not cross-checked yet):
B-17G-50-DL 44-6252
B-17G-70-DL 44-6990
B-17G-70-DL 44-6993
B-24M-25-CO 44-42189
B-24M-25-CO 44-42282
B-24M-25-CO 44-42283
B-24M-25-CO 44-42291
B-24M-25-CO 44-42315
B-24M-25-CO 44-42324
All the best,
PB
Paul Bellamy 401st BG Association 401st BG Historical Society (UK) Alconbury ARG/AIX Archive
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2083x
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Paul. Thanks for taking the time to research and post this excellent info. Darrell
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H2X
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Most of the Alconbury Eagle B-17s were transferred to the 96thBG at Snetterton ,perhaps someone may have info from that Group ?
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Al Blue
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Tried to post this yesterday but it never showed up. Trying again. These were some notes for a piece on the Eagles that never got written. THE B-24 EAGLES Purpose
These aircraft were production B-24s which were modified to mount the AN/APQ-7 Radar, a precision radar bombing system planned as a successor to the H2X and AN/APS-15 systems. The Eagle system was developed at the MIT Radiation Laboratory and was based on the variable waveguide width scanner, conceived by famed scientist Luis Alverez. In the words of one of the scientists who worked on the program, "With normal radar we could target Boston. With Eagle, we could target Boston Common."
Prototypes
B-24D 42-40344, already on loan to Wright Field, was chosen as the initial test bed for the system and the first flight of this aircraft with the 16-foot Eagle antenna mounted transversally underneath the plane took place at Westover Field, Utah, on 16 June 1943. The test program was moved to Boca Raton, Florida, in October of 1943 and continued until May of 1944.
The second test aircraft was B-24J-10-CO 42-73111, which was used for a mockup of the final system configuration. This conversion was accomplished at the American Airlines modification facility at La Guardia Field, New York, and initial flight testing was done there after which the plane went to Boca Raton for bombing trials. A nose wheel failure on takeoff damaged the radar antenna housing and some program delay resulted.
Both test aircraft were fitted with hand-assembled, pre-production versions of the Eagle. As testing neared completion, 42-73111 was refitted with one of three production prototype versions. The other test plane, 42-40344, continued to serve as a test vehicle for various projects and eventually became the one and only XB-24P.
There were concurrent Eagle Radar programs for the B-17 and B-29.
Production
The Eagle AN/APQ-7 sets were engineered by Bell Laboratories and manufactured by Western Electric, both at that time part of American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
B-24 aircraft selected for the Eagle Program were from the M series produced at San Diego. The planes were modified at ConVair's Tucson facility. The changes required were very extensive and complex, with the first modifications taking nearly two months work on each plane. As the program progressed this time was reduced to six weeks and then to about four weeks per plane.
Eagles currently known to the writer were:
B-24M-20-CO
44-42189 ETO 482BG 44BG ZI RFC
44-42222 ETO 482
44-42223 ETO 482
44-42231 ETO 482
B-24M-25-CO
44-42282 ETO 482 44
44-42283 ETO 482 44
44-42291 ETO 482
44-42297 US
44-42305 US
44-42307 US
44-42308 US
44-42315 ETO 482
44-42318 US
44-42319 MTO
44-42322 MTO
44-42324 ETO 482 44
44-42325 MTO
44-42332 MTO 455
44-42340 ETO
44-42342 MTO
44-42344 ETO 482
44-42345 MTO 455
44-42347 MTO 455
44-42348 MTO
B-24M-30-CO
44-42349 MTO
44-42354 MTO 459
44-42357 MTO
44-42359 MTO 459
44-42360 MTO
44-42361 MTO
44-42365 PAC
B-24M-35-CO
44-42417 MTO 459
B-24M-40-CO
44-42606
Total Eagle B-24s (?) I'm pretty sure there were others which were assigned to Victorville as trainers only.
The first production B-24MEA was lost over Newfoundland on its delivery flight to the ETO.
Contributors: Steve Adams, Dave Anderton, Tom Brittan, Roger Freeman, Wally Forman
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ramc181
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H2X Most of the Alconbury Eagle B-17s were transferred to the 96thBG at Snetterton, perhaps someone may have info from that Group? Indeed, 1st Air Div records for September 1945 show all 13 Eagle B-17s now assigned to the 96th (12 on hand, one grounded while awaiting parts), none of which had flown in the last month. At that time the 96th also had 52 of their 53 assigned H2X B-17s on hand, plus two with Gee-H. All the best, PB
Paul Bellamy 401st BG Association 401st BG Historical Society (UK) Alconbury ARG/AIX Archive
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