RAF spitfire receiver R1147A
The R 1147 receiver is a homing receiver for use in a Spitfire aircraft, spitfires of the RAF P.R.U. squadron. P.R.U. stands for Photographic Reconnaisance Units. At that time these Spitfires had no radio of any kind. The receiver was remote controlled by a mechanical bowdencable (splineshaft) from the cockpit. A Mark 5B stopwatch was included in the system package for timing the beacon signals.
This receiver only existed for a short amount of time, starting March 1941. They were loaned from the Royal Navy for a test in that year, because the PRU squadrons needed the use of homing at that moment. Because of the receiver’s weaknesses, they were eventually replaced by the TR 1133 in 1942. The TR 1133 also had communication possibilities.
Frequency range of the R 1147 is 180 Mc-220 Mc. and used a small whip antenna on the aircraft.
The picture above displays the cockpit’s remote control R1147 receiver. It was placed beside the pilot and connected through a splineshaft cable to the R1147. This remote control unit looks just like the one placed on the front of the receiver. Watch the tuning scale on the side of the remote control unit. Markers at A, B, C and D