Aircraft Radio Equipment US Navy ARA / ATA

The US Navy ARA receivers and ATA transmitters were meticulously designed by Aircraft Radio Corporation engineers headed by Dr. Frederick H. Drake, the Drake originally of Browning-Drake, who is credited with conceiving the idea of the modular system of superhet radios in 1934. The tuning controls for the radios are by way of a long mechanical cable to the cockpit, a system which was also used at the time for early automobile radio tuning and speedometers. ARC then received a preliminary and confidential contract from the Navy in 1937 for a “Type K” series of radios. An early version of the “K” used an as-yet-unmarked version of the 12A6 tube, important to the design as its 12 volt filament current requirement was the relatively minimal 150 mA and could thus be used directly in series with other standard 12 volt 150 mA metal receiving tubes. It is conceivable that RCA made the 12A6 at the request of ARC, as it is quite distinct from other octal audio output tubes then manufactured. Based on tests of the Type K series, the Navy adopted the sets in June 1939 for what became known as the ARA (receivers) and ATA (transmitters). The Command sets produced for the Navy were so successful that the Army Air Force adopted them in 1940 as the SCR-274N series, with the “N” in that nomenclature reportedly a tip-of-the-hat to Navy.

See also the SCR-274N information, and ARA Aircraft Receiver and ATA Aircraft Transmitter.

Note: The type "CBY" is the Navy nomenclature for Aircraft Radio Corporation.  An equivalent of type "CCT" and number is the Navy nomenclature for Stromberg-Carlson.

Here you find 398 models, 350 with images and 210 with schematics for wireless sets etc. In French: TSF for Télégraphie sans fil.
All listed radios etc. from MILITARY U.S. (different makers for same model)