SC was an American-made

air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...

and surface-search radar used during World War II by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. Variations include SC-1, SC-2 and SC-3.

Overview

They were a longwave search sets, installed on destroyers and larger ships to search for planes and surface vessels and for control of interception. All sets have an "A" scope, provision for Identification friend or foe (IFF) connections, and work with a gyro-compass repeater. SC-2 and SC-3 also have PPI scopes, remote PPI's, and built-in BL and BI*antennas. With antennas at 100', SC and SC-1 (without

preamplifier A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier a ...

) have a reliable maximum range of 30 miles on

medium bomber A medium bomber is a military bomber aircraft designed to operate with medium-sized bombloads over medium range distances; the name serves to distinguish this type from larger heavy bombers and smaller light bombers. Mediums generally carrie ...

s at 1,000'

altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

. With preamplifier, SC-1's range is extended to 75 miles – the same as that of SC-2 and SC-3. Range accuracy of SC is ± 200 yards; later models have an accuracy of ± 100 yds. bearing accuracy of SC and SC-21 is ± 5°; of SC-2 and SC-3, ± 3°. There is no elevation control on any of the sets, but height can be estimated roughly from positions of minimum signal strength. Shipment includes spares for each set. If separate generator is needed, it is included in shipment. Not air transportable. Both SC and SC-1 have 5 components weighing a total of 1800 lbs. SC-2 has 6 components weighing a total of 3,000 pounds. Weights and dimensions of antenna assemblies are 450 lbs. 6'111/2" x 8'6" for SC and SC-1; 478 lbs. 4'6" x 15' for SC-2 and SC-3. Antennas should be mounted as high as possible, preferably 100 feet or more, above other superstructures. One operator per shift is minimum on all 3 sets. SC and SC-1 require primary power of 1500

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...

s at 115

volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defin ...

s, 60 cycles. SC-2 and SC-3 require 2500 watts at 115 volts, 60 cycles. All sets use ship's power of 115 volts, 60 cycles;

transformer A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple circuits. A varying current in any coil of the transformer produces a varying magnetic flux in the transformer' ...

, if ship's power is 440 volts AC or 220 volts AC; motor generator if ship's power is DC.

Onboard ships

United States

Essex-class aircraft carrier The ''Essex'' class was a class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. The 20th century's most numerous class of capital ship, the class consisted of 24 vessels, which came in "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two ships wer ...

Independence-class aircraft carrier The ''Independence''-class aircraft carriers were a class of light carriers built for the United States Navy that served during World War II. Development Adapted from the design for the light cruisers, this class of ship resulted from the i ...

Yorktown-class aircraft carrier The ''Yorktown'' class was a class of three aircraft carriers built for the United States Navy and completed shortly before World War II, the , , and . They immediately followed , the first U.S. aircraft carrier built as such, and benefited in ...

* Avenger-class escort carrier *

Casablanca-class escort carrier The ''Casablanca''-class escort carrier were a series of escort carriers constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. They are the most numerous class of aircraft carriers ever built. Fifty were laid down, launched and commissione ...

* Long Island-class escort carrier *

Iowa-class battleship The ''Iowa'' class was a class of six fast battleships ordered by the United States Navy in 1939 and 1940. They were initially intended to intercept fast capital ships such as the Japanese while also being capable of serving in a traditional b ...

* ''South Dakota''-class battleship *

Colorado-class battleship The ''Colorado''-class battleships were a group of four United States Navy super-dreadnoughts, the last of its pre-Treaty battleships. Designed during World War I, their construction overlapped the end of that conflict and continued in its i ...

* * ''New York''-class battleship * USS Sicard (DD-346)

Gearing-class destroyer The ''Gearing'' class was a series of 98 destroyers built for the U.S. Navy during and shortly after World War II. The ''Gearing'' design was a minor modification of the , whereby the hull was lengthened by at amidships, which resulted in mo ...

* Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer *

Fletcher-class destroyer The ''Fletcher'' class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the and classes. Some went on to serve ...

Gleaves-class destroyer The ''Gleaves''-class destroyers were a class of 66 destroyers of the United States Navy built 1938–42, designed by Gibbs & Cox. The first ship of the class was . They were the destroyer type that was in production for the US Navy when the Un ...

Benson-class destroyer The ''Benson'' class was a class of destroyers of the U.S. Navy built 1939–1943. The thirty 1,620-ton ''Benson''-class destroyers were built in two groups. The first six were authorized in fiscal year 1938 (FY38) and laid down at Bethlehem St ...

Sims-class destroyer The ''Sims''-class destroyers were built for the United States Navy, and commissioned in 1939 and 1940. These twelve ships were the last United States destroyer class completed prior to the American entry into World War II. All ''Sims''-class shi ...

* Benham-class destroyer * USS Peterson (DE-152) at Key West in October 1962

Somers-class destroyer The ''Somers''-class destroyer was a class of five 1850-ton United States Navy destroyers based on the . They were answers to the large destroyers that the Japanese navy was building at the time, and were initially intended to be flotilla lead ...

* Bagley-class destroyer *

Porter-class destroyer The ''Porter''-class destroyers were a class of eight 1,850-ton large destroyers in the United States Navy. Like the preceding , their construction was authorized by Congress on 26 April 1916, but funding was delayed considerably. They were desi ...

Mahan-class destroyer The ''Mahan''-class destroyers of the United States Navy were a series of 18 destroyers of which the first 16 were laid down in 1934. The last two of the 18, and (this pair laid down in 1935), are sometimes considered a separate ship class. ...

* Farragut-class destroyer * Wickes-class destroyer *

Sampson-class destroyer The ''Sampson''-class destroyers served in the United States Navy during World War I. Commissioned in 1916 and 1917, the class was a modification of the and es, with the number of torpedo tubes increased from four twin-mounts to four triple-moun ...

* John C. Butler-class destroyer escort * Rudderow-class destroyer escort *

Buckley-class destroyer escort The ''Buckley''-class destroyer escorts were 102 destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943–44. They served in World War II as convoy escorts and anti-submarine warfare ships. The lead ship was which was launched on 9 January 1 ...

* Edsall-class destroyer escort * Chiwawa-class oiler * Kennebec-class oiler * Patapsco-class gasoline tanker

Australia

Gallery

File:HMAS Condamine (300544).jpg, SC-1 aboard File:Bridge of USS Cowpens (CVL-25), circa in November 1943 (80-G-K-527).jpg, SC-2 aboard File:SC radar of USS Niobrara (AO-72) c1953.jpg, SC-3 aboard File:Forecastle of USS Kidd (DD-661) at Baton Rouge, Louisiana (USA), on 26 August 1988.jpg, SC-3 aboard File:SC-radar of USS Rio Grande (AOG-3) in the early 1950s (7574664).jpg, SC-3 aboard

Citations

References

Norman Friedman Norman Friedman (born 1946) is an American internationally known author and analyst, strategist, and historian. He has written over 30 books and numerous articles on naval and other military matters, has worked for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps ...

(2006).
The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems
'.

Naval Institute Press The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...

. * Buderi, Robert (1998). ''The Invention That Changed the World: How a Small Group of Radar Pioneers Won the Second World War and Launched a Technical Revolution.'' Touchstone. * Hezlet, Arthur (1975). ''Electronics and Sea Power. New York: Stein and Day''. {{ISBN, 0-8128-1811-3 Naval radars World War II radars Military equipment introduced from 1940 to 1944 Military radars of the United States