Type 79 radar facts for kids
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1939 |
| No. built | 40 |
| Type | Early-warning radar |
| Frequency | 43 MHz |
| PRF | 50 per second |
| Beamwidth | 70° (horizontal) |
| Pulsewidth | 8-30 μs |
| Range | 30–50 mi (48–80 km)? |
| Power | 70 kW |
The Type 79 radar was a very important invention for the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. It was a special kind of early-warning radar developed just before World War II. This radar was the very first system of its kind used by the British Navy. It helped ships detect enemy aircraft from far away.
Contents
How Radar Works
Radar uses radio waves to find objects like airplanes or ships. It sends out a radio signal, and if the signal hits something, it bounces back. The radar then "listens" for this bounced signal. By measuring how long it takes for the signal to return, the radar can figure out how far away the object is. It can also tell you the object's direction.
Early Development of Type 79
The first version of this radar was called Type 79X. It was installed on a small navy ship called HMS Saltburn in October 1936. This ship was used by the Royal Navy's Signal School for testing new equipment.
The Type 79X radar used radio waves at a frequency of 75 MHz. Its antennas were long wires stretched between the ship's masts. In tests during July 1937, this radar successfully detected an aircraft. It found the plane when it was 500 feet high and about 17 nautical miles away.
Improving the Radar System
Engineers kept working to make the radar better. The next version was called Type 79Y. It was developed the year after the first tests. This new version used a different radio frequency, 43 MHz, which worked even better.
The Type 79Y needed two separate antennas: one to send signals and one to receive them. It also had more power, between 15 and 20 kilowatts. The first Type 79Y was put on the light cruiser HMS Sheffield in September 1938. This improved radar could detect aircraft up to 53 nautical miles away, even if they were flying at 10,000 feet. Another set was installed on the battleship HMS Rodney the next month.
A more powerful version, Type 79Z, was installed on the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Curlew in September 1939. This version was very successful. Because it worked so well, the Royal Navy ordered forty more radar sets. These were simply called Type 79.
The antennas on these early radars had to be turned by hand. They could only be rotated about 400 degrees, not a full circle.
Advanced Features of Type 79B
The final major version was called Type 79B. This model combined the sending and receiving antennas into one unit. This made the radar even more effective.
The detection range of the Type 79B was greatly increased. It could spot an aircraft flying at 20,000 feet from as far as 90 nautical miles away. This radar also had a useful secondary ability. It could track ships on the surface of the water, detecting them from 2 to 6 nautical miles away.
