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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Nomenclature and Descriptions of Ground Radar Types and Stations
Theses details as taken from, AMCO 31/1945 (AM File CS 12796/DDR 2, dated 21 April 1945)
When referring to a particular AMES the letter ‘T’ after the type number denotes a mobile equipment using trailers.
The letter ‘M’ similarly used indicated fully mobile equipment, all vehic1e being prime movers.
The omission of a suff1x indicates that the station is static or transportable - static indicating fixed buildings, and transportable semi-permanent buildings or tents.
Suffix ' AT " denotes station is air transportable.
In connection with Centimetric Air and Surface Watching stations it is intended to use blocks of AMES type numbers to indicate power as follows: -
30-39 Low power.
40-49 Medium power
50-59 High power.
As far as possible the unit figure will indicate a common type of equipment using different power transmitters. This scheme cannot be universal as odd types have to be included. These are indicated by the unit 1.
Types in common categories are: -
0 Basic Admiralty static shore station.
2 Basic Air Ministry static station, employing Nissen hut straddled by (CH/CHL gantry.
3 Equipment housed in existing CD/CHL or similar building
4 War (Office design steel tower 200 feet high with Nissen huts.
5 Air Ministry design on cantilever 200 feet high of CH steel tower with Nissen hut.
6 Air Ministry design wooden towers with Nissen hut.
7 Trailer set
S Prime mover set, Admiralty design.
Function — in order to indicate the function it is proposed to use the following prefixes
A Air reporting.
S Surface watching.
C-S Continuing Sweep, dual role air reporting and surface watching.
S-B Stand-by (commonly for surface watching).
| AMES Type Number | Variety | Designation and Short Description |
| 1 | Static only | CH Floodlit Early Warning station with height-finding. Frequencies 22.69 — 46.25 Mc/s |
| 2 | Static only | CHL Beam Early Warning station. Includes ex-CD/CHL stations used for air reporting |
| 3 | Static only | CH/CHL Types I and 2 in close proximity administered as one unit. Obsolescent. |
| 4 | Static only | CO/ICO Overseas. CH/ICH Obsolescent |
| 5Mk I | Static only | COL Overseas CHL, prior to AMES No 530. Hand turned. Obsolete |
| 5 Mk IIA | Static only | From AMES. No 531 using gantries. Power-turned. |
| 5 Mk IIB | Static only | As Type 5 Mk. IIA, but using towers. |
| 6 Mk I | Transportable | Early Warning set. Converted ASV pack set. Obsolete |
| 6 Mk II | Transportable or mobile | Light Warning set Frequency 176 Mc/s. Army nomenclature - AA No 4 Mk II. |
| 6 Mk III | Transportable or mobile | Light Warning set. Frequency, 212 Mc/s. Army nomenclature - AA No 4 Mk III. |
| 6 Mk IV | Transportable or mobile | As Mk. II , but modified to operate on a lower frequency. |
| 6 Mk V | Mobile only | High Frequency Light Warning set using a Multiple Yagi aerial system. |
| 6 Mk VI | Mobile only | As Mk. V. but using parabolic reflectors. Abandoned |
| 6 Mk VII | Air Transportable |
Light Warning set modified for air transportation and for use as GCI using AMES Type 8A aerial mechanism. |
| 6 Mk VIII | Air Transportable |
As Mk. VII. but usmg SCR 636 aerial and mounts in lieu of AMES Type 8A |
| 6 Mk IX | Mobile air transportable | Air transportable installation of AMES Type 6 Mk. III and associated communications equipment installed in a Morris 4 x 4 vehicle (RVT 430D) and Jeep (430E). |
| 6 Mk X | Mobile air transportable |
TRE version of Mk IX. |
| 6 Mk XI | Air transportable |
As Mk. VII, but using steel gantry in lieu of aerial trailer |
| 7 | GCI Final | Ground controlled interception |
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| 8 | Mobile with trailer | GCI Mobile Mk. 3, with hand-turned aerials. Obsolescent. |
| 8A | Transportable or semi- static |
GCI intermediate mobile, with hand- turned aerials. Hutted operations and transmitter rooms. |
| 8B | Transportable | GCI transportable Additional 35-foot aerial system mounted on gantry. Obsolete. |
| 8C | Transportable | GCI Intermediate transport GCI. As 8B, but operations and transmitter rooms hutted. Obsolete |
| 8E | Mobile or mobile with trailer |
Mobile GCI. Mk. IV. |
| 8F | Transportable | GCI Mk. IV. Intermediate mobi1e, as Type 8E, but with operations and transmitter rooms hutted. Obsolescent. |
| 9 Mk I | Transportable or mobile with trailers | All-round looking floodlight early warning with height-finding. MRU or TRU. Obsolescent. Frequency 42.5 – 43.75 Mc/s, |
| 9 Mk II | Transportable or mobile with trailers |
Special arrays on AMES Type 9 Mk I (T) masts. T3102 with hutted CRDF receiver. Obsolete. |
| 9 Mk III | Transportable or mobile with trailers | Similar to Mk II but with CRHF receiver. Obsolete. |
| 9 Mk IV | Transportable or mobile with trailers | Special arrays on ACH towers (Tx), hutted transmitter and CRHF Rx. Abandoned. |
| 9 Mk V | Mobile with trailer | Mobile version of Mk III. |
| 9 Mk VI | Mobile with trailer | Special Rx arrays on 105-foot masts with CRHF and R1426. |
| 10 | Transportable | ACO All-round looking overseas ACH using 125-foot towers. Frequency as Type 9. Obsolete. |
| 11C | Mobile with trailer or air transportable | Canadian version of AMES Type 11 Mk II. |
| 11 Mk I | Mobile with trailer | 565 Mc/s. CHL mobile. Obsolete. |
| 11 Mk II | Mobile or mobile with trailer | Improved version of Type 11 Mk. I with variable frequency DU 3 or 58. |
| 11 Mk III | Mobile | Includes a prime mover universal operations room incorporating consoles 15 arid 16. |
| 11 Mk IV | Mobile | Includes universal operations room T3587 with R3575 in RV435 with demountable aerial and cabin |
| 11 Mk V | Mobile |
As Mk. III, but modified for coherent pulse working. |
| 11 Mk VI | Mobile | As Mk 1V but modified for coherent pulse working. |
| 11 Mk VII | Mobile | As Mk. IV but with T3605 and R3575. |
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| 12 Mk I | Static |
CHL A-J standby on alternative frequency. Obsolete |
| 12 Mk II | Mobile | Modified AMES 15 Mk II (M) for GCI. special purposes (late “Red Queen”') |
| 13 Mk I | Mobile with trailer | CMH. Mk. I 10cm. equipment designed for height finding,. but with one exception now used for cover against very low-flying aircraft. Obsolete. |
| 13 Mk II | Mobile | CMH Mk II Consists of a vehicle with power-turned vertical cheese aerial (demountable) and T 3561 radio equipment, with signal output at IF Feeding DU Type 58 (mobile operations room), or DU Type 57 (static) |
| 13 Mk III | Mobile | CMH Mk III Aerial vehicle as Mk II, with operations vehicle incorporating console 15 and 16. |
| 13 Mk IV | Mobi1e | CMH Mk IV. Aerial vehicle as Mk II (M) with universal operations vehicle incorporating consoles 15 and 16. |
| 13 Mk V | Mobile | CMH Mk V. As Mk. IV but with improved aerial vehicle. |
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| 14 Mk I | Abandoned. See AMES Type 51 | |
| 14 Mk II | Mobile with trailer | NT277T overseas version of AMES Type 57. |
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| 14 Mk III | Mobile | Power-turned aerial system using TR5361, separate operations vehicle with DU 3 or DU58 or separate buildings with DU56. |
| 14 Mk IV | Mobile | As Mk III but with operations vehicle incorporating a console 15 and 16. |
| 14 Mk V | Mobile |
As Mk IV but with universal operations vehicle. |
| 14 Mk VI | Mobile | As Mk. V but with improved aerial vehicle. |
| 15 Mk I | Transportable mobile or mobile with trailer | CO/GCI/CHB. Superseding Type 8F. 8E (T) or 8E (M). |
| 15 Mk II | Transportable mobile or mobile with trailer. | As Mk I but capable of operating on three different frequencies. |
| 15 Mk III | Mobile |
Projected, Using T3255 or T3263 in aerial vehicle and universal operations vehicle. Variable frequency. |
| 15 Mk IV | Mobile |
As Mk II but using T3154 in aerial vehicle in addition to T3079 in RV405. |
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| 16 Mk I | Static | Fighter Director. Fixed installation |
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| 17 Mk I | Mobile with trailer | COL/GCI/CHB on alternative frequencies. Abandoned. |
| 18 Mk I | Mobile with trailer. | Formerly AMES Type 11 Mk, II (H). Abandoned. |
| 19 Mk I | Mobile with trailer |
Final GCI stand-by. Spot frequencies in '255 – 295 Mc/s band. Interception and reporting vehicles. Obsolete. |
| 20 Mk I | Static | DMH Mk I 590 Mc/s height-finding equipment. Fixed installation, used on fixed GCI stations. Obsolete |
| 20 Mk II | Static | DMH Mk II. Transportable version of Mk I. Abandoned. |
| 21 Mk I | Transportable | Fixed 10 cm station for GCI use. Consists of AMES Type 14, Mk III, modified and AMES Type 13 Mk II both mounted on plinths |
| 21 Mk II | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13, Mk II plus AMES Type 14, Mk III, aerial vehicle. |
| 21 Mk III | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13, Mk III (M) plus AMES Type 14, Mk III (M) aerial vehicle. |
| 21 Mk IV | Mobile |
Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk I(M)plus AMES Type 14 Mk III (M) aerial vehicle. |
| 21 Mk V | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk V (M) plus AMES Type 14 Mk V (M) aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk I | Mobile or mobile with trailer | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk II (M), plus AMES Type 11 Mk II (T) or (M) aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk II | Mobile or mobile with trailer | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk III (M), plus AMES Type 11 (T) or (M), aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk III | Mobile |
Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk IV (M) plus AMES. Type 11, Mk II (M), aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk IV | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk V (M), plus AMES Type 11 Mk IV (M) aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk V | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk IV (M) plus AMES Type 11 Mk V aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk VI | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk V (M) plus AMES Type 11 Mk VI aerial vehicle. |
| 22 Mk VII | Mobile | Consists of AMES Type 13 Mk V (M) plus AMES Type 11 Mk VI aerial vehicle. |
| 23 | Static or mobile with trailer | Ground stations for use with ARI 5267 overseas |
| 24 | Static | Long range CMH using modified AMES Type 20 Mk I turning gear and aerial frame with a cheese aerial. |
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| 25 | Mobile | An operational combination of any Marks of mobile AMES Type 11, 13, 14 and 15 to effect economies in personnel. |
| 26 | Static | British version of American “M E W” modified. |
| 27 | Air transportable |
Air transportable GCI operating on 3,350 Mc/s |
| 28 | Air transportable |
Air transportable centimetre, height-finder operating on 3,350 Mc/s |
| 29 | Air transportable centimetrc CHEL. Abandoned. | |
| 30 | Static | CD No 1 Mk III or NT273P (S). Obsolescent |
| 31 | Static | CD No l Mk. V. Surface watching station in most common use. Equipment housed in a small wooden transportable cabin (Gibson box). Obsolescent. |
| 32 | Static | CD No 1, Mk. VI. Nissen, hut straddled by CD/CHL gantry supporting power-turned aerial system. No stations planned. Obsolescent. |
| 33 | Static | CD No 1 Mk VI. Equipment housed in Army CD/CHL or similar solid building. Obsolescent |
| 34 | Static | CD No 1 Mk. VI (Tower). War Office steel tower 200 feet high with equipment housed in Gibson box. All stations now converted to Type 55. Obsolete |
| 37 | Mobile with trailer |
CD No 1, Mk IV. Mainly used as a standby for static types. Obsolete. |
| 40 | Static | As Type 30 with medium power transmitter. Obsolescent |
| 41 | Static | As Type 31 with medium power transmitter. |
| 42 | Static | As Type 32 with medium power transmitter. No stations planned |
| 43 | Static | As Type 33 with medium power transmitter. No instaIiatons or conversions yet made. |
| 46 | Static | CD No 1 Mk VI (Tower). Air Ministry, wooden tower with Nissen hut. |
| 47 | Mobile with trailer |
As Type 37 (T) with medium power transmitter. No equipments exist and doubtful whether any will be fabricated. |
| 48 | Mobile | NT 273Q (L). Admiralty set. |
| 50 | Static | NT 277S. Admiralty set. |
| 51 | Static |
Previously Type I4 Mk I. |
| 52 | Static | As Type 32, but with high power transmitter. Standard type of station used for both air and surface watching. |
| 53 | Static | As Type 33 but with high power transmitter. |
| 54 | Static | As Type 33 with high power transmitter. Conversion of all Army tower stations to this type is complete. |
| 55 | Static |
CD No 1 Mk VI** (Tower). Aerial system mounted on CH cantilever. |
| 56 | Static |
As Type 46 but with high power transmitter. |
| 57 | Mobile with trailer | NT 277T Admiralty set, for use in the United Kingdom only. Formerly known as AMES No. 14. Mk II (T), which designation now applies to overseas version only. |
| 58 | Mobile | NT 277L, Admiralty set. |
| 60 | Transportable | AN/TPS 1 (American Light Warning set) |
| 61 Mk I | Transportable | AN/TPS 1A (American Light Warning set) |
| 61 Mk II | Transportable | AN/TPS 1B (American Light Warning set) |
| 62 | Transportable | AN/TPS 2 (American Light Warning set) |
| 63 | Transportable | AN/TPS 3 (American Light Warning set) |
| 64 Mk I | Transportable | Australian LW/AW |
| 64 Mk II | Transportable | Australian LW/GCI |
| 65 | Air transportable | Specialised combination of AMES No 6 Mk III and 6, formerly known as "Dinner Waggon". |
| 66 Mk I | Static | SCR 615 |
| 66 Mk II | Static | SCR 615A |
| 66 Mk III | Static | SCR 615B |
| 67 Mk I | Mobile | SCR 584 modified for MRCP. |
| 67 Mk II | Mobile | SCR 584 modified for MRCP with kit AC 106. |
| 68 Mk I | Portable | SCR 720 employed in surface watching role. |
| 69 | Transportable | AN/TPS 9. |
| 70 | Mobile | Special long range 'S' band station with multiple display facilities to be used for simultaneous GCI and reporting functions. Click here for more details |
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| 100 Mk IA | Ground station for use with ARI 5525 | |
| 100 Mk IB | Mobile | Heavy mobile ground station for use with ARI 5525. |
| 100 Mk IC | Light mobile or transportable | Ground version for use with ARI 5525. |
| 700 | Static | Ground station for use with ARI 5267 in the United Kingdom |
| 7000 | Static or heavy mobile | Ground station for use with ARI 5083 (GEE) |
| 9000 Mk I | Static | Ground station for use with ARI 5513. (OBOE) |
| 9000 Mk II (F) | Static | Ground station for use with ARI 5582. |
| 9000 Mk II (M) | Mobile with trailers | Ground station also for use with ARI 5582. |
| 9000 Mk II (SM) | Mobile with trailers | Ground station for use with ARI 5582. |
| 9000 Mk II (H) | Mobile with trailers | Ground station for use with ARI 5582. |
| 9000 Mk III | Static | Improved version of Mk II |
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This page was last updated on 11/09/20©
