Blitz bodies recovered

[Grant Bowker]

In post #5 there is a photo of a data plate showing REL inside the outline of a maple leaf.
Based on that and the heading GL Mk III and the ZC/... part number I suspect the original body was related to a gun laying radar manufactured by REL (Research Enterprises Ltd. ?? - in any event a branch of Canada's National Research Council that manufactred radar and other electronics for the war effort).

[Grant Bowker]

I don't recall seeing photos of the complete unit but will keep my eyes open.
The tag describes it as "Truck No. 2" so presumably there was a No. 1 and possibly No.3. Presumably the equipment was too large / heavy for one truck or had components that could interfere with each other.
The tag gives a serial number 364. Without proof, it seems unlikely that they had 364 sets for domestic use. Assuming they were sent overseas it is possible (assuming there wasn't much production in Australia) that one or more sets might have been sent home for use / study / prototype.

Most of the above is guess or speculation I need to see if I can find anything to prove or disprove it.

[Grant Bowker]

One source describes the radar as having parabolic antennas about 3 foot diameter with separate send and receive antennas. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/ind...ecrets/GLRadar

Another shows No3 Mk2 as a trailer mounted set, also 2 antennas, and refers to a separate generator trailer, quoting production as 876 units. I don't know if these are the same type of radar, certainly they are packaged differently. It does give an idea of scale of production. http://www.anti-aircraft.co.uk/radarNo3Mk2.html

Another forum mentions the GL Mk III C (for Canadian ) as being a 2 part unit one for the antenna and another for control and operator. It is saying 665 sets were made, apparently trailer mounted. http://www.39-45.org/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=20865

A photo of the trailer mounted set can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/museena...ec/4435376316/ interesting to note that everything above the trailer chassis rotated as a unit, not like more recent radars that only rotate the antenna (and some do the "rotation by electronic adjustment rather than physical movement).

Quoted from a government web site "NRC used the plans to develop the GL Mark III C anti-aircraft radar system. Although it did not see action in Britain, this system was installed in Australia, South Africa, Russia and Canada."
http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/educat...eries/war.html

Also see MLU thread http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3459

A reference exists to an Autralian purchase from Cnada (no mention if what they were mounted on. "In 1943 the Australian Government purchased 86 anti aircraft radar equipments (AA Number 3 Mark 1 (APF) and AA Number 4 Mark 1) from Canada." http://www.rcsigs.ca/ViewPage/Histor...unting/Page/8/

A Canadian "official" site that provides a different slant than American sites on the relative quality of the 2 nations radar sets. As always, I suspect the truth lies between the two extremes. http://www.commelec.forces.gc.ca/org...nexe-c-eng.asp

Most of the above came from googling gl +radar mk iii

[Local Chap]

I read a thread on the Radar trucks here:

http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3459

In it there are pics of the Chevvys and the Army serial numbers. I couldn't make out that serial number, but there is some numbers close.

[Ghost]

Thanks lads
Many questions answered in one go!

Regards

Robert Williams