FuG16zs installation

[Funksammler]

An ongoing project I am working on is a FuG16zs aircraft installation as it would have been fitted to the late war Messerschmitt Bf109 G-6 version. The FuG16 came in various versions, the zs  (Zielflug Schlagd) version was based on the FuG16z with altered frequency range and was used in ground attack aircraft. The altered frequency range (40.3-44.7 MHz) allowed it to work with the Fu5(luft) set used by "Fliegerleitoffiziere" attached to ground units. The yellowish wooden panel contained the mounting frames and all the interconnecting wiring for the radio, the direction finder unit (Zielflugvorsatz) and power supply. The complete panel was attached with four screws to a fuselage rib just aft of the fuel tank in the Bf 109. The radio, power supply and direction finder unit are hung onto the mounting frames and secured by latching screws. The whole radio installation was remotely controlled from the cockpit.

[Desert Rat]

Hello Funks,

Superb images and a great set-up...looks fantastic.

Many thanks for your write up and the images.

Best to you for 2019.....Desert Rat

[Funksammler]

As I mentioned before, the ground based radio for the Fu5(luft), a adapted version of the standard Fu5 tank set. Whereas the standard Fu5 set operated from 27.2 to 33.3 MHz, the Fu5 (Luft) set operated from 40.3 to 47 MHz (there are some small variations between surviving examples). All Fu5 (luft) radios were modifications of Fu5 radios returned  to depot for repair as there is no clear manufacturing run of consecutive serial numbers. The Fu5 (Luft) receiver and transmitter were renamed as Ukw.E.m and 10 W.S.m respectively, but the example shown below shows that this was not always done consistently. The Fu5(Luft) set would have been carried in a specially equipped Sd.Kfz.251 Halftrack, operated by Luftwaffe personnel and attached to a Panzer or Panzergrenadier regiment. When supporting infantry units, the radio equipment was probably carried on board of soft skin vehicles like the Kfz17 or Kfz 305 radio trucks.

[kriegsfunker]

Here's my Ukw.E.m example

[Funksammler]

Nice one! I am still looking for the IF of the Ukw.E.m, any idea?

regards,

Funksammler

[Funksammler]

A bit more on the Fug16zs installation. The radios in the back of the aircraft are remotely controlled from the cockpit. The frequency selector switch, DF mode switch and AFN/2 indicator instrument are fitted to the instrument panel for the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6:

The frequency selection switch chooses one of four frequencies, it was fitted to a extension to the bottom right of the Bf109 panel. Different variations of the selection switch exist: numbers (like here), with I, II, triangle, square (with channel I in green and other channels in red for the FuG16zy) etc. Note the remains of green and red paint applied to the rim of the frequency switch, indicating that the aircraft was re-fitted with the FuG16zy at a later stage:

The AFN/2 and DF mode switch are placed on the top right of the panel. With the mode switch set to "ZF", the AFN/2 instrument will indicate wether the aircraft is flying to the left or to the right of the beacon transmitter, to fly towards the beacon transmitter, the pilot has to hold the AFN/2 needle in the middle. The Horizontal needle gives and indication of signal strength (= distance). With the mode switch set to "FT", the radio is purely used for voice communication:

 

A further two controls were placed on the cockpit floor on the right side of the seat: the volume control and the receiver fine tuning control. The receiver fine tuning control (FBG16) controls the central remote drive unit on the FuG16 and it allows the receiver to be fine tuned in relation to the transmitter. The pilot would turn the knob until the signal is at its strongest. The volume control unit (ADb 18) has a volume control knob and a switch controlling the transmitter output power. When switched to "Fern" (far), the transmitter is used on full power; on "Nah" (near), the output power is reduced. The "Nah" position was used if aircraft were flying close together in formation. 

Note that the panel has a subpanel fitted under the main panel. This is a bomb fusing panel specific to fighter bombers. The fusing panel has an additional pair of switches on the right hand side, this was for arming the 21cm rockets of the "BR-Gerät" mounted under the wings. This gives the fighter bomber an extra punch in the ground attack role: 

Although several ground attack missions were flown early on in the Normandy campaign, very little is known of their success. With bombs and rockets fitted under the wings, the drag must have reduced the speed of the BF109 significantly, making them easy prey for allied fighters. I suspect many missions had to be abandoned before reaching the beachhead, with the fighters jettisoning their bomb and rocket loads to give them a chance of escape.

regards,

Funksammler

[Funksammler]

So finally I can present the FuG16zs radio itself! It is a beautiful late war example on which a number of manufacturing simplifications were made: parts of the front panel were no longer painted; the channel indicators are no longer fitted, neither is the fuse holder present in the central unit, just a Pertinax cover plate. The tag plate is now a simple printed paper tag with the serial number written on. Some clear lacquer was brushed over the tag to protect it:

The ground crew has added some diagonal stripes of red paint to the corners of the radio visible under the remote controls, these are for easy identification that it is not a "standard" FuG16z radio. My FuG16ze has similar red markings while blue marked FuG16zy examples can also be found. The frequency scale on my FuG16zs is actually running from 40-45Mhz, so slightly extended from the range mentioned in documentation:

I am not sure if this extended frequency range is only a feature of late war produced FuG16zs' but it added a few useful channels.

I fitted equally late war, unpainted, remote control units to the FuG16zs, which gives it a nice overall appearance. In this shot a few other late war simplifications become visible: the holes in the faceplate where the channel indicators used to be are no longer drilled and the calibration holes are no longer fitted with screw covers. The antenna current instrument is also omitted; an aluminium blanking plate has been fitted to cover the hole:

Another view of the radio shows more red markings on the top left and bottom right corners of the radio. The number 38 has been pencil written on the front plate of the transmitter at some point, purpose or meaning unknown:

The 'late war" theme continues on the overall panel with unpainted power supply and support:

Still a lot of work to do before the panel is fully functional. One of the jobs is to clean and re-grease the channel selection mechanism. This has to run freely, as the motors in the remote control units do not produce a lot of torque. The remote controls are actually quite fickle mechanisms which needs a lot of work to operate properly. But that will be for another day....

regards,

Funksammler