Quote:
Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp
Interesting that you should mention that because one of the first truly good radar antennas was invented by Japanese scientists in (I think) 1926. Called the Yagi-Uda antenna, or more often just the "Yagi" antenna; it was never really given any serious thought by the Japanese until it started turning up on captured enemy equipment. It was through such captured examples (I think at Singapore, Philippinnes, etc.) that the Japanese were even able to advance as quickly (or slowly if you like) as they did in the area of radar technology. One thing they never had throughout the entire war was the PPI (the Planned Position Indicator) display. That made all the difference in the world during the war.
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Indeed. The Japanese claimed to have built their first cavity magnetron as early as 1937, and by 1939 JRC had produced a 10cm 500W cavity magnetron. The British did not produce a comparable design until February 1940. However, lack of interest and support meant that Japan quickly lost its lead in this crucial technology. The first inklings of the military potential of radar did not come to the Japanese until late 1939, which was very late in the game.
Oh well, they did build some of the best torpedoes of the war.
