SPITFIRE TYPE 4 VHF COCKPIT TUNER

Mounted on the upper left hand side of the Spitfire cockpit, the Air Ministry and Crown stamped four channel (A,B,C,D) VHF Tuner worked with the bulky TR1143 VHF transceiver installed in all British fighters and heavy bombers.

The ‘A’ channel was used for 'air to ground’; ‘B’ for ‘air to air’; ‘C’ as an auxiliary channel for communication between fighters and bombers and ‘D’ as the emergency channel. All channels were crystal controlled and if a mission called for other frequencies, the airfield mechanics had to change the crystals prior to take off.

When America first entered the war in Europe and US aircraft began joint operations with the British, air to air and air to ground communications between US aircraft and their allies became problematic with the US operating on the HF band whilst the British used the VHF. The two incompatible radio setups made the coordination of flight formations extremely difficult 

The USAAF were very reluctant to convert their HF radios across to the British VHF but did agree to the installation of a rudimentary mechanical clock transmitting device, the Contactor BC 608 or 'Pip-Squeak'. 

The device had an electrical contact, which switched on a communication transmitter for 14 seconds every minute at a special frequency channel identifying the aircraft as 'friendly'. 

The only problem with the 'Pip-Squeak' was that pilots could not transmit or receive verbal communications when it was running.

Eventually the USAAF agreed to convert to the VHF band but under their terms, securing a production license to build their own miniaturised version of the British VHF Cockpit Tuner  - the SCR-522 and installing it in all US combat aircraft. 

This unit is in extremely good condition with all the channel buttons and switches working as they should would make a fantastic collectors piece for any aviation enthusiast. What a gift for a pilot!

This Supermarine Spitfire Instrument comes complete with detailed Scale Model, Mango Wood Stand & Plaque plus Printed Fact Sheet featuring photo of instrument in aircraft cockpit.

* Note that this Spitfire Instrument is pictured with a 1/48 scale model rather than the standard detailed, but smaller 1/72 scale. Click on the 'Model Upgrade' option at the top of this page for the larger 1/48 scale or the Super Detailed 1/32 scale Spitfire!

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