Orange Putter required

The use of “Blue Circle” codes for the ballast block pre Foxhunter for Tornado did little to hide it’s true purpose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI.24_Foxhunter

Regards
Ross

The Rainbow codes are fascinating – thanks for the link. The names certainly would hide the true purpose of each item.

Thanks for the info too. Any ideas how it got its name?

The name was arbitrary, have a look at this list for some other gems such as ‘Yellow Duckling’ ‘Red Sea’ and ‘Blue Water’

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Rainbow_Codes

Never ever saw a Canberra of any mark fitted with Orange Putter from late 1960’s although all the wiring was there, the PR9 also had provision for it but never fitted.

Thanks for the info too. Any ideas how it got its name?

Good luck with your search by the way. I guess it makes it more difficult that it wasn’t fitted into every aircraft.

Hello, thanks for the interest.

As mentioned the Orange Putter was a rearward looking warning radar fitted to V bombers and some Canberras (B2, PR3, B6, PR7 and B(I)8). On the Canberra it was installed below the fin and from what I have been told not every aircraft actually had it fitted, for instance a 12 aircraft squadron may have only had Orange Putter in 6 aircraft.

Here is a brief description from ‘dcf’ on the Canberra forum “Orange Putter had a small circular G-scope CRT display on the pilot’s panel. Worked like a rear-view mirror – gave target azimuth and elevation – no range readout so target blip sprouted “wings” once it had closed to a preset range. The audio (on intercomm) was driven off the same circuit that produced the target blips – so I’d guess it beeped. It went into most of the early marks.”

I’ll keep looking.
Paul

Thanks for the information folks, that’s something new I’ve learned. Anon, I think that even now there are occasions when strike aircraft operate without AWACS cover. After all if you want a sneaky strike somewhere you go in low and fast and the last thing you want is something the size of an airliner hanging about attracting the bad guy’s attention to the fact that there is something going on which they are not going to like.

Having Googled it, Orange Putter was a tail warning radar system.

Presumably the threat (azimuth) indicator was fitted where the pilot would see it – right at the top of the main instrument panel.

I’ve had a look at a set of 1951 Canberra pilot’s notes and the location of the OP indicator (presuming it was where you have suggested, ozjag, at the top of the main panel), and the location has a rivetted cover over it. We must assume from this that it was a classified system at the time.

A TWR system would have been necessary (as the WW2 bomber boys discovered to their cost) to detect anything coming at them from below and to the rear at night, where it couldn’t be seen. The system was obviously useful as it was developed and is used right up to the present day albeit with 360-degree coverage. These days though, AWACS takes care of external threats and warns accordingly.

Phantom had 360 degree coverage from the 1970’s, which is when the prominent fin top antennae appeared.

Anon.

For the uninitiated (it sounds like a golf club but I assume it isn’t 🙂 – what on earth is Orange Putter?

Backwards facing radar.

Quite. I’d never heard of it either. Would be interested to learn more.

For the uninitiated (it sounds like a golf club but I assume it isn’t 🙂 – what on earth is Orange Putter?

I was unaware that the Canberra was fitted with Orange Putter I thought it was only the V Bombers. So why is it needed?