Artie Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) Hi all......Were the Irish Army Air Corps fitted with radio equipment...???? I'm trying to restore an old kit, and wonder about the aerial.......Not sure about them using radios, so any idea will be of great help. Just in case, was it the same "Y" shaped aerial used on british examples..? All the pics I've came across haven't been very useful.... TIA and best regards.... Edited February 17, 2016 by Artie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Photos in the book "The Irish Air Corps - An illustrated Guide" indicates that they were fitted with radio. Hope that helps. Martin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 It helps a lot indeed, thank you very much.....now restoring an old build, and the aerial arrangement is giving me some headache... Cheers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Missed this last month but it rang a bell for me. The subject was discussed on the IPMS Ireland forum here. http://forum.ipmsireland.com/topic/9994483/1/ So yes radios on camouflaged examples. Pre war no. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 Hi, Noelh......that info make things much clearer now....My IAC Gladiator represents Nr 26 in pre war scheme, so according to what they say in that thread, no radios were fitted at that point.....heavy and not very useful equipment back then... Thank you very much for pointing me in that direction... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Aer Lingus Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Missed this last month but it rang a bell for me. The subject was discussed on the IPMS Ireland forum here. http://forum.ipmsireland.com/topic/9994483/1/ So yes radios on camouflaged examples. Pre war no. Noel as the four aircraft were delivered before the "War/Emergency", were the radios part of an upgrade during the repainting? regards Eamonn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 Noel as the four aircraft were delivered before the "War/Emergency", were the radios part of an upgrade during the repainting? regards Eamonn A guy named FISE, said:"In 'Military Aviation in Ireland 1922-45' is written that, after death of Mr. Collins, who was a visionary and all for progress, things have changed and people with no interest in aviation and no knowledge whatsoever were in the lead of Irish Air Corps and they simply didn't see any need for modern communication and navigation equipment being installed in aircraft and on the ground. I think that there is a bit of write up on the Gladiators and time when they were entering service. The radios were installed much later, but I think, those were Morse code 'tap the key devices'. The presence of aerial mast and fixing points doesn't necessary means that the cables were there, just a curiosity." It makes sense, then, thinking the radios weren't fitted from the beggining, but when they were given a camouflage overcoart.... It's a very interesting theory wich can be seen in a number of other countries...Here in Spain, not so many planes were fitted with radios, even when their original cousins were so fitted. For example, during the SCW, most of the planes were flown without any radio equipment, even the most modern ones, such as the Bf109...... Few years ago, I built an IAC GLoster Gladiator in 1/48 scale, and it's been kept into a cardboard box since then. The other day, I found it with some minor damage, wich included a lost antenna and some broken rigging, plus a missing propeller and undercarriage leg...so I feel it's time to restore it and place her into a proper cabinet...!!!! Sláinte...!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Noel as the four aircraft were delivered before the "War/Emergency", were the radios part of an upgrade during the repainting? regards Eamonn According to the final post. Radios were fitted for air firing and exercises. But were delivered later and were morse key type. I think Tony Kearns may be the source of that info. I can't see how useful a morse radio in a single pilot fighter could be useful. 'Enemy sighted' dit dah dit dit dah dah dah dit dah dah. Oh for heaven sake! I give up. The RAF had VHF by then. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Esposito Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 That is incredible. . How in God's name can a fighter pilot be expected to use morse code. Never heard that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 That is incredible. . How in God's name can a fighter pilot be expected to use morse code. Never heard that before. You can't imagine how four pints of Guinness can help......!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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