AMES Type 7 and Type 15 RADARs

[Northstar98]

Hi everyone,

 

I'd like to propose the addition of 2 British RADARs that would be right at home on the Channel Map, with one situated at RAF Sandwhich/RAF Ash just about 10km to the south of RAF Manston.

 

First up is the AMES Type 7, this was a fairly modern RADAR with 3D capability. It was a fixed RADAR, with electronics beneath the antenna, in an underground cubicle. The operators were located in a remote operations room in a separate building known as the 'Happidrome'

 

This RADAR was pretty revolutionary for GCI, and was even used post war up to I think the early 50s. The RADAR also didn't require separate height-finding RADARs, using beam-switching to obtain heights.

 

Main specifications:

• Frequency: 250-300MHz
  
• PRF: 250-540Hz
  
• Pulsewidth: 3.6, 5 or 8μs
  
• Beamwidth: 15° (yes, that large, fortunately returns were symmetrical, allowing operators to achieve resolutions of 1.5°)
  
• Polarisation: Horizontal
  
• Peak Power: 150kW
  
• Azimuth: 360°
  
• Elevation: 2.5-20°
  
• Elevation resolution +/- 500ft
  
• Range: 410km (theoretical), 90km (in practice) against bomber sized targets, altitude dependent.
  
• Altitude: 80,000ft (according to wiki)
  
• Rotation speed: 0.5-8 RPM, either direction.
  

 

 

Source 1

Source 2

 

 

 

The next is the AMES Type 15, which is a mobile derivative of the Type 7.

 

• Frequency: 190-212MHz
  
• PRF: 250-550Hz
  
• Pulsewidth: 3.8μs
  
• Beamwidth: 15° (yes, that large, fortunately returns were symmetrical, allowing operators to achieve resolutions of 1.5°)
  
• Polarisation: Horizontal
  
• Peak Power: 150kW
  
• Azimuth: 360°
  
• Elevation: 4-20°
  
• Elevation resolution +/- 500ft
  
• Range: 140km (in practice) against bomber sized targets, altitude dependent.
  
• Altitude: 45,000ft
  
• Rotation speed: 0.5-6 RPM, either direction.
  

 

 

Source(though for the later Mk.5)

 

Good collection of reference images for the Mk.1

 

 

Cheers!

Edited June 14, 2020 by Northstar98

[Skewgear]

Bumping this for the Type 15 as a potential addition to the WW2 Asset Pack as an Allied ground surveillance radar. Full details needed to model it physically and in game performance terms are at the links above.

[Silver_Dragon]

Very good recourse page talking about WW2 British / Us / German Radars, GCI, and over UK
https://www.radarpages.co.uk/mob/gci/type7.htm