Pacific Night Fighters I

Interesting article

Weapons and Warfare

The AN/APS-4 (the main US fighter radar in WW2, built by Western Electric) I see that it had, in search, a 150° in azimuth and a two-line scan, with a 4° nod, to cause the beam to cover 10° in a vertical plane. The antenna beam was a 6° cone and could be tilted by manual control from 10° above, to 30° below the longitudinal axis of the aircraft in which it was installed.
On intercept, the beam executed a four-line scan, with 6° between lines, to cover a vertical plane of 24°.
Fighters using this radar were the F6F-3E/5E, the F4U-4E, the P-38J, and the P-82D/F/H. It was also installed in the SB2C-5, TBF-3/TBM-3S, C-47, & C-117 (improved C-47). The TBF/TBM was used for night AI as a “hunter” with two day F6F as a “killer”, so this could count as a very limited AEW/semi-AWACS use.
The AN/APS-4 was…

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