Quote:
Originally Posted by Armistead
I'm not sure how we could've known in war where enemy air/land radar stations were then to any degree, although I do recall subs reporting radar stations.
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Ground radar installations were no small affair, literally. They were not small compact systems like those of present day. It wasn't practical to place them inside a tree cluttered area because of the interference that would be created by the very trees used to hide them.
It would've been more practical to park a radar equipped DD near the harbor entrance. Anyway, these land based systems would've most likely been easy to spot via aerial surveillance, much like the British and German systems were. Both had bombed (or raided) each others radar installations at one time or another. Near the end of the war, this would've been more costly for the Japanese who were already short on resources and supplies. I do have a few pics of some ingeniously placed air radar antenna by Japanese personnel but these appear to be mostly field modifications that varied from one unit to another. It was also done out of fear of being seen by aerial reconnaissance. I have one pic where the radar antenna was actually rigged up into a tree (air search radar), making it virtually undetectable by air.
It is my understanding that, unlike surface search radar, air search radar could be hidden (somewhat) among the trees as long as it's sphere of influence was aimed above the treetops.
