B-29 antennae .., ECM or weather.., which is which?

Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:11 pm

What is this added here.., at arrow...

I know the 330th (as did other BG's) had several designated 'Porcupine' aircraft for ECM as well as several 'Weatherships".. but this is the first I have seen one of our aircraft with this antennae placed here. Any ideas?

thank you in advance!

Last edited by the330thbg on Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:51 am

That could be a weather ship, Smis. That attachment looks like some kind of air-sampling gatherer rather than an antenna. There are photos of postwar WB-29s with the same device located on the left side of the nose. The weather observer was stationed in the bombardier compartment on these weather planes, so that may be an answer to your question.

Scott

Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:26 am

Ok,
Thanks

I know there was at least one 'weather' ship in the group.., but have no additional info than that. This is K-42, but not the same K-42 I have a SN for.., so I am toast.

There is a reference to another K-42 with:

Block/SN: B-29-70-BW 44-69995

Last edited by the330thbg on Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:14 pm

Here is one of our 'Porcupine ECM' ships K-57!

This photo was taken in the CONUS. At Walker, or Kearney I believe. They then flew her out.

This was a B-29-60-BW SN: 42-69766. She actually went down with all hands on deck over Kobe on 5 June.

Last edited by the330thbg on Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:29 am, edited 4 times in total.

Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:48 pm

The device we discussed on this thread is known as a psychrometer and is used to measure relative humidity.

Scott

Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:08 pm

Cool!

Thanks!!!!

Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:13 am

Would be nice if the pictures posted were still visable and not "this image has been deleted by photobucket' where, I assume, the pictures were originally shown-

Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:25 am

what's the point of photobucket in regard to wix if every pic in the world gets deleted??

Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:28 am

The image is usually moved or deleted by the user - just as they could be if hosted on WIX.

Why people move the pics after posting, thus breaking the link and leaving a mystery behind beats me.

I've been using photobucket for years now, and all the pics I've posted are still available.

Regards.

Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:09 am

If 330th isn't able to reinstate his original photo I'll post a different shot this evening.

Scott

Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:27 am

Voila!

Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:50 am

Thank you!

Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:58 am

Yes indeed, Thanx for reposting the pix!

Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:01 pm

Here is one of our 'Porcupine ECM' ships K-57!

Possibly so, but the two red boxes with interconnecting arrows contain antennas for the SCR –729 or its later derivative AN/APN-2. Both systems were interrogator-responsors and neither, by design, functioned in the countermeasures role. -Adrian

Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:04 am

omega7 wrote:
Here is one of our 'Porcupine ECM' ships K-57!

Possibly so, but the two red boxes with interconnecting arrows contain antennas for the SCR –729 or its later derivative AN/APN-2. Both systems were interrogator-responsors and neither, by design, functioned in the countermeasures role. -Adrian

Found this info online:

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/radar-13.htm

Last edited by the330thbg on Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.