Some data on German AA radar R&D
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:58 pm
The Germans hit a home run with the Wuerzburg conical scanning radar design for aircraft tracking and Flak control. But it could not be mounted on a ship easily. It required a fully stabilized mounting system and a smaller antenna. Euklid was intended to be the navalized Wuerzburg. Looking at some of my notes, some test results during the R&D:
Wuerzburg range accuracy: 25 meters, The Kriegsmarine previously obtained this result in tests and the USAAF also obtained 25m accuracy with a captured set.
Mannheim's range accuracy: 10m
Max aircraft tracking range...wave top.........300m altitude.........500m
Flakleit G (Seetakt) 80cm......8km..............20km...................38km
Wuerzburg D 50cm..............9km..............21km....................42km
Eisvogal 21cm....................6km..............18km....................17km
Wuerzburg 9cm...................15km............30km....................22km
Compared to decimetric wavelengths there is a 15% range attenuation through snow with 9cm wavelength.
27cm has significantly greater detection range to aircraft compared to 9cm, all other factors the same.
Also the Germans recovered an American 3cm airborne radar intact at Meddo Belgium in April 1943 and tested it vs U-boats.
It could detect the periscope of a U-boat from 9km (at 8,000 feet altitude)
A surfaced U-boat from 18km
A large steamer from 150km (8,000 feet)
This is how they knew the typical ranges that U-boats could be detected by Allied ASV and that Hohentwiel-U could detect the aircraft before the aircraft could detect the U-boat. U-boats were ordered to always operate Hohentwiel (if equipped) when on the surface, for air warning.
Wuerzburg range accuracy: 25 meters, The Kriegsmarine previously obtained this result in tests and the USAAF also obtained 25m accuracy with a captured set.
Mannheim's range accuracy: 10m
Max aircraft tracking range...wave top.........300m altitude.........500m
Flakleit G (Seetakt) 80cm......8km..............20km...................38km
Wuerzburg D 50cm..............9km..............21km....................42km
Eisvogal 21cm....................6km..............18km....................17km
Wuerzburg 9cm...................15km............30km....................22km
Compared to decimetric wavelengths there is a 15% range attenuation through snow with 9cm wavelength.
27cm has significantly greater detection range to aircraft compared to 9cm, all other factors the same.
Also the Germans recovered an American 3cm airborne radar intact at Meddo Belgium in April 1943 and tested it vs U-boats.
It could detect the periscope of a U-boat from 9km (at 8,000 feet altitude)
A surfaced U-boat from 18km
A large steamer from 150km (8,000 feet)
This is how they knew the typical ranges that U-boats could be detected by Allied ASV and that Hohentwiel-U could detect the aircraft before the aircraft could detect the U-boat. U-boats were ordered to always operate Hohentwiel (if equipped) when on the surface, for air warning.