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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: another SO-A mast question RON 22-only
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=2486



All
I have a number of photos of RON 22 boats, 1944-45, they had the BN antenna on the starboard side and the IFF antenna on the port side of the Radar Mast. My question, does anyone have a RON 22 photo showing how the flagstaff was modified and installed. The ones I have show all angles except the one showing this angle. If not I will be forced to use an educated guess, which I really don't want to do. Help!
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 9, 2012 - 4:40pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



On 309, they left the right side of the original yard arm in place. This is missing in most of the other boats with the BN/BK antennae.[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/120530903-1.jpg[/IMaGe]

Al



Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 9, 2012 - 5:06pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm



On 309, they left the right side of the original yard arm in place. This is missing in most of the other boats with the BN/BK antennae.[IMaGe]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/alross2/120530903-1.jpg[/IMaGe]

Al



Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Feb 9, 2012 - 5:07pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm



Thanks Al your the best!
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 9, 2012 - 5:31pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Heres the 309

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/MC440001.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 13, 2012 - 8:36am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Bob;
What an odd photo! Do you know when and where this was taken?, I assume from the paint schemes it is Bastia, 1944. Look at the officers on the 309, they all are dressed like it is the middle of winter, two are even wearing galoshes! Yet the guy on the 305, working on the exposed Radar antenna, looks like he is pretty warm just in his dungeree shirt! I also see his buddy, helping him, in the jacket. I also note how the 309 has two IFF antennas on the mast, while it looks like 305 has the same set up as PT 308(1- BN antenna and 1-IFF antenna.
Thanks.
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 13, 2012 - 3:32pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Bob;
Also nice shot of the cooling vent for the Radar unit in the charthouse.
Thanks this is exactly what I needed.
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Feb 13, 2012 - 3:35pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Hi Ted,
Did you notice how you can see the parabolic dish antenna on the 305 with the dome removed in the background as well? Pretty cool. I found this other picture as well that shows the radar dish from slightly different angle and closer. Jerry

PT305 Radar Dish no dome
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Jerry%20Gilmartin/PT305RadarDishnodome.jpg[/image]

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Feb 13, 2012 - 6:54pm
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm



Ted, not sure when taken. Here is another interesting one, the 302, Arthurs boat.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/MC440001.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 14, 2012 - 3:17pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Wrong photo, try this...

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT%20305/384330_2417949927321_1208569685_32137793_3854864_n.jpg[/image]

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Feb 14, 2012 - 3:19pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Two pictures of 305 I have not seen berfore. It also shows 305 as used in theater which is our mission during restoration. BTW, anyone know what the model and make of the IFF was?

--
National WWII Museum
PT-305 Restoration
Phone: 504-528-1944 Extension 375
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/see-hear/collections/artifacts/pt-305.html
Fb: PT-305 "USS Sudden Jerk"


Posted By: Higgins Fan | Posted on: Apr 10, 2013 - 4:58am
Total Posts: 128 | Joined: Aug 17, 2012 - 7:48pm



I am trying to learn more about the IFF. Ted you stated that the BN antenna was on one side and the IFF was on the other. Arent both of the dipole (ski pole) antennas for the IFF? The BN is for transmitting and the BK for recieving? I have drawings showing the IFF unit mounted on the back of the charthouse, starboard side for the 305. This is completely seperate from the radar which is on the port side. We have not been able to find a model number for this IFF. Anyone out there know about IFF's?

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Apr 15, 2013 - 6:14am
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm



Bob and Fan,
I have been doing a lot of research on this exact subject for the PT658. All of this stuff is components of the WW2 Vintage Mark III IFF Equipment. This same stuff was used by the British, and the US Army (mostly in aircraft). The naming of the identical components is different for each country/service in order to confuse the enemy. The US Navy calls it one name, while the US Army calls the same item by another name, while the British named it something else as well. With the help of several people, I have obtained an authentic IFF "Ski Pole" antenna for the BN Unit and then we copied it to make another similar "Ski Pole" antenna for the ABK. So we will have a "fat" one and a "skinny" one. Also, in April 2012 I visited Don Shannon at Fall River Battleship Cove and saw that Don already has most of the same components and parts he needs for installing a complete IFF suite on the two boats there. While on the PT617 with Don I took measured photos of one of Don's IFF antennas so we could use it as a starting point to make our copy.

Moving to the individual components of the IFF recievers, for both the BN Unit and the ABK, they were both made under govt contract by several different companies, The make and models are similar. They are called the "BN Unit Interogator- Responsor" made mainly by Farnworth among several other manufactures. The "BN Unit" also needs to be connected to the PPI Console (Scope of the Radar) via a "Duplexer Unit".

The "BK" (or ABK) is properly called a "Transmitter-Reciever (Transponder)" and it was made primarily by Hazeltine among others. It also has associated equipment namely a "Code Selector Switch" and a "Control Box" and a "Destructor Switch". The Destructor Switch triggers a small Thermite Charge which destroys the two main "Top Secret" vacuum tubes inside the guts of the BK Unit. The Thermite Charge is about the same size as a 12 gage shotgun shell. I have been slowly collecting all these parts together over the last few years and have almost finished. We still need to mount the two Ski Pole antennas this spring to the PT658. We will mount them one to the forward side of the Radar Mast and the other to the top of the charthouse on the starboard side, per the PT625 class drawings. I have a couple of technical manuals for the "ABK Transponder" and the "BN Unit" that I got from the HNSA webmaster Rich Pekelney. The USS Pampanito website was where I found out most of this info, since they used the same equipment on the WW2 submarines. The two books I have are electronic versions and I could possibly send you an electronic copy if you want me to.
Jerry PT658 Portland

Here are some pictures shows what I am talking about.

Newly mounted ABK and Control Box and Code Selector Switch inside Wardroom
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IMG_2935.jpg[/image]

Another view from the front
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IMG_2936.jpg[/image]

Schematic of ABK Connections
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFSelector.jpg[/image]

Photo of ABK connected with cables to accessories

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFBKphoto.jpg[/image]

ABK Unit outer case

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFABKcloseup.jpg[/image]

IFF ABK upper case removed exposing sensitive vacuum tubes to be destroyed by thermite charge

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFABKuppercabinet.jpg[/image]

IFF Destructor Switch
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFdestruct.jpg[/image]

British IFF MarkIII with control box and code selector switch in front

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/iff-mk3uk.jpg[/image]

Pampanito BN Unit
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/PT658/IFFsetBNunitPampanito.png[/image]

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Apr 15, 2013 - 9:53am
Total Posts: 1469 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm



Jerry,
Good info. Thanks.
Bob

Bob

Posted By: Bob | Posted on: Apr 19, 2013 - 6:34pm
Total Posts: 181 | Joined: Jun 8, 2010 - 6:21pm