MLU FORUM  

Go Back   MLU FORUM > GENERAL WW2 TOPICS > The Wireless Forum

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-11-16, 00:23
Bruce Parker (RIP) Bruce Parker (RIP) is offline
GM Fox I
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,606
Default Wireless of the Week - week 38

Infantry-tank communication is vital. Tank crews, cocooned in their armoured hulls, needed the ears and eyes of the infantry to protect them, and the lightly armed infantry needed the tank’s guns and mobility to keep them safe. Getting messages between the two parties, however, was problematic and not entirely solved by attaching a telephone set to the rear deck of the tank as was first tried. A better idea, and one that was probably done unofficially at first, was to carry an infantry man-pack radio inside the tank to communicate directly to the infantry using identical sets.

The idea was a success, and the first official version, called the Plan A installation, used a standard Wireless Set No.38 Mk.II and battery inside the tank, but adapted the aerial system to use an antenna outside the vehicle for obvious reasons and connected to the tank’s Wireless No.19 set by a special No. 12 Control Unit. A more permanent solution developed in 1944 was the Wireless Set No.38 AFV, called the Plan B installation. It was a purpose built 38 set designed for use inside tanks and having its own power supply unit that ran off the vehicle’s electrical system instead of replaceable dry cell batteries. Additionally, special control units that were needed to operate the tank’s 19 set were built that included switch settings to allow the crew to speak and receive on the 38 AFV set.

The Wireless Set No.38 AFV had two units. First is a sender receiver that was in an identical case as the regular No.38 Mk.II set, but with an aerial lead and 12 point connector designed to work with the tanks power and control systems. The second, again in a case similar to the regular 38 set, was a vibrator power supply unit that ran off the vehicle’s electrical system instead of replaceable batteries. The regular 19 set No.1 and No.2 Control units were replaced with No.16 and No.17 units that did the same job but with the extra ability to switch to, and talk on, the 38 AFV set. As a result, the OFF/RECEIVE/SEND switch found on the regular set was fared over on the AFV version.

An aerial lead ran from a socket on the set face to an aerial base on the tank turret roof, where a regular 19 set aerial made of ‘F’ sections was used. Both the 38 AFV and Power Supply Unit were mounted with a waterproof cover on top of or near the tank’s 19 set to be operated by the crew’s wireless operator.
Attached Thumbnails
1.jpg   2.jpg   3.jpg   4.jpg  
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-11-16, 20:22
Tim Bell's Avatar
Tim Bell Tim Bell is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall
Posts: 751
Default

How was the ws38 afv mounted on top of the ws19?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-11-16, 20:24
Tim Bell's Avatar
Tim Bell Tim Bell is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall
Posts: 751
Default

Wanted... Control units 16 and 17 for ws38 afv installation.

Cheers.

Tim
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-11-16, 01:14
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
Junior Password Gnome
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: England
Posts: 814
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Bell View Post
How was the ws38 afv mounted on top of the ws19?
It had its own carrier that I assume was screwed to the mounting plates on top if the WS19 case. The set and supply unit/LF Amplifier lay on this (side by side) and were secured by webbing straps.

I've never seen the carrier, but there's a drawing (unfortunately oblique) of one in one of the manuals.

The supply unit was only ever 12V input, and for 24V 2-wire systems there was a WS19 power lead that looks like the one for the British WS19HP, but supplies 12V tapped off the dynamotor inputs (requires Canadian Supply Unit No.2 or possibly the Eicor one).

Aerial feeder is about 18" of P11 with a split plug on one end for the set and a ring terminal for the base.

Aerial Base No.8 tended to be used, with 8-ft (2 sections) of 'F' rods.

You can't use a WS19 power "dogbone" between set and PSU/Amp because not all of the pins are connected.

If you remove the WS38AFV you have to insert a blanking plug (well, 6-pin socket) into the C.U.16 to restore the tank intercom (I think) circuitry.

Chris.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-11-16, 01:23
Chris Suslowicz Chris Suslowicz is offline
Junior Password Gnome
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: England
Posts: 814
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Bell View Post
Wanted... Control units 16 and 17 for ws38 afv installation.

Cheers.

Tim
Colomor (vpg17 on eBay) had C.U.17 available some time ago, but some of them were weird colours (refurbished by Racal(!)) and a sort of rough surfaced green. (Not crackle finish, some sort of matt.)

16 and 17 also exist marked up for WS31AFV, WS88AFV and A510. (CPRC26 is another possibility!)

Confused? (You will be.)

Chris.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Wireless of the Week - week 15 Bruce Parker (RIP) The Wireless Forum 6 19-11-19 21:55
Wireless of the Week - week 13 Bruce Parker (RIP) The Wireless Forum 8 01-05-18 22:33
Wireless of the Week - week 19 Bruce Parker (RIP) The Wireless Forum 6 15-08-16 10:48
Wireless of the Week - week 1 Bruce Parker (RIP) The Wireless Forum 4 16-07-16 23:45
Wireless of the Week - week 14 Bruce Parker (RIP) The Wireless Forum 1 20-05-16 01:48


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 22:55.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Maple Leaf Up, 2003-2016