The SteelNavy.Com Message Board: Re: New 1/350 SM and SM-1 radars at Black Cat Models

Hi Loren,
Many thanks for your kind message that is very rewarding for us. To be praised by Master Perry gives a smile to our cheeks

As you must know, research is always mandatory to give modelers the best product possible. In the case of the SM, SM-1 and SP radars things are far from being clear, we have found photos of ships noted to be equiped with SP radars that look like SM, quite a lot of confusion as CVEs were not supposed to be equiped with SMs!
So it is true that with the advent of 3D printing, things are now very different from the past and give modelers the possibility to build very accurate models.
But my dad always told me that he decided to be back into ship modeling when he saw your 20mm guns, that were looking real Oerlikons and not the piece of crap plastic always found in many boxes. And not to speak of your fine railing VS the concrete ones of Heller, and the fishing line and pins he used to make acceptable railing !
Many thanks for your message and take care,
A big MEOW!!

Ben

Previous Message

FWIW -

I also used Norman Friedman's excellent radar reference book when I was designing all my naval radar antennas in GMM photoetch back in the day. Alan Raven's work was also invaluable and filled many a gap, but I would give my nod to Friedman when it comes to technical accuracy in the captions. He was extremely detail oriented. I also received some official close-up photographs from the late Robert F. Sumrall showing some of these same antennas from various angles.

Black Cat's work is astounding and makes my photoetching look crude in comparison. What I made was technically pretty accurate but it demanded quite a bit of hands-on skill and patience to get the best results.

And I happen to love cats, too. (Meow back at you, Ben!)

Previous Message

Hello Andrej,

Yes, situation is a bit confusing when speaking about the SM radar and its derivatives SM-1 and SP.
In his book "Naval Radar" Norman Friedman says that SM had a 2.44m diameter round dish antenna. 23 sets built through October 1944 and found on carriers.
Then came the lighter version SM-1 with a 1.83m diameter radar antenna with a slightly different shape. 26 built for the Royal Navy. There is a drawing in Friedman's book of SM-1 with IFF dipoles on center of dish. So far, no IFF mattress array on top dish in the photo of HMS Boxer I have.
Then came SP, with almost the same antenna as SM-1, but with an IFF array on top on . What is now confusing is that legend of photo on page 48 of Naval Radar says it is a SP radar with full IFF system (Mk.III dipoles on the frames protuding from the dish, and Mk.IV mattress above the dish) that I think is correct, while
the very same photo on page 39 of Alan Raven's Essex class carriers, says it is a SM radar !
So, a bit difficult problem to solve!
Meow!!
Ben