Any ideas on this Achilles wireless setup

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Hello Jack.

The Insulator you posted a picture of looks like a main set aerial base for a wireless set that is not a 19-Set or 22-Set. Possibly a No. 9 or No. 11 Set...but do not quote me.

David

Not quite: the big insulator was originally Aerial Base No.3 for wireless trucks using the No.2 or No.3 set and Aerial Rods 'D' - as part of the 34-ft mast. Later on they were used on wireless trucks with serious high power transmitters (WS 12, 12HP, 33, ET4336, etc.) and the rubber insulator was not up to the job, so it was bypassed electrically with the four copper braid straps, and sat on a large mushroom-shaped ceramic insulator (Insulator, W/T, 'H') so that it could be fed from underneath - the No.3 required a wire to the terminal on top of the insulator. The combination was redesignated Aerial Lead-in No.16.

Use with the whole 34-ft mast caused the rubber dome to collapse under the weight, so a "skeleton cone" support was made that was inverted over the rubber insulator and locked onto studs on the top plate, the rods were inserted and a screw clamped onto the bottom rod to take the load off the rubber. Static use only, of course - it was a rigid assembly.

The final version was Aerial Base No.20 which did away with all the Base No.3 bits and simply had a rigid socket bolted through Insulator W/T 'H'.

Best regards,
Chris (G8KGS)

[Jack Geratic]

My confusion on the photo study, so the G Rod is not even present in the image? I think too a bad choice in colour on my part as I have the bottom measurement as 10 inches labelled in blue. . .

Chris, hope you can find the physical example and share it here.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

My confusion on the photo study, so the G Rod is not even present in the image? I think too a bad choice in colour on my part as I have the bottom measurement as 10 inches labelled in blue. . .

Chris, hope you can find the physical example and share it here.

I've been thinking for some time that an "Aerial Base Disambiguation Guide" would be useful, with photographs and measurements, but was always too busy. (I have been collecting representative samples of stuff for a few (too many) years...)

Now I'm retired that maybe less of a problem.

I'll see what I can do.

Best regards,
Chris. (G8KGS)

[Maurice Donckers]

I have seen several with the 2 pots on the front like the color picture from the one in la Roche , could this have something to do with the afv 38 set ?

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Maurice Donckers

I have seen several with the 2 pots on the front like the color picture from the one in la Roche , could this have something to do with the afv 38 set ?

WS38 AFV did not get into service much before Feb 45.

Before that vehicles were fitted with the WS38 Mk2* manpack radio.

Tim

[Jack Geratic]

I downloaded a digital copy of this book and THE only mention of radio equipment is the A and B set for the No.19 wireless. Suppose there is a chance the info is wrong or incomplete.

Screenshot 2024-02-15 at 09-47-54 Tank Destroyer Achilles and M10 British Army Anti-Tank Units W.jpg

[Ed Storey]

The sources quoted will give you a pretty good idea how accurate the book may be.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Jack Geratic

I downloaded a digital copy of this book and THE only mention of radio equipment is the A and B set for the No.19 wireless. Suppose there is a chance the info is wrong or incomplete.

Attachment 136999

The M10 is a small self-propelled gun, basically a 17-pdr with more mobility and protection. It would not require supporting infantry (which was the main role of the 'C' set (WS38, then WS38AFV, WS88AFV and WS31AFV later on), as I think its own role was support for other armour).

I'll have a look in the "Wireless Diagrams" section of the Royal Signals Pocket Book (Part 2, Wireless Diagrams, 1945) at some point - this shows typical Nets, set allocations, etc. for units and formations - and see what's listed for the RAC at the close of WW2.

Bear in mind that armoured vehicles were common to various armies and those armies had very different ideas about the radio fit required - so the tank hulls and turrets would be manufactured with a "default set" of aerial mounting positions and what would be fitted depended on the country, role, and individual unit - with later modifications for "specials" such as command tanks, etc. as tactics evolved.

(Fitting the WS19 'A' set aerial base to a Sherman required different parts to a Pershing (T26E1) because the later U.S. aerial base used a hole in the armour about three times the diameter of the UK tank(s) - so there was a spacer kit and big washers involved!)

Best regards,
Chris.