The Radar Room

R1155 RECEIVER

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The R1155 receiver was a versatile piece of equipment that incorporated both a communications receiver along with integrated radio direction finding circuitry, the latter being useful when it was required to home in on a known transmitted signal, or obtain a compass bearing from it. The receiver was used by both the RAF in their larger aircraft and Coastal Command in their aircraft and patrol boats along with other users such as the RAAF. For Coastal Command, the direction finding was often used to locate ‘ditched’ airmen using emergency transmitters from their liferafts. Several versions of receiver were offered as options, with both steel and aluminium cases and slightly different frequency coverage.
RAF Lancaster with R1155

In the above image we see an earlier model R1155 receiver mounted in an RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Lancaster bomber in the wireless operator’s position.  Note the larger T1154 transmitter mounted immediately above it.
LR meter in front of the pilot

(above) The L-R (left-right) indicator immediately in front of the pilot right next to the compass in an Avro Lancaster bomber. This was the radio direction aid driven directly from circuitry inside the R1155 receiver. Two of these indicators would normally have been fitted in each aircraft, one in front of the pilot and the other in front of the wireless operator or navigator.

(right)  The R1155 receiver in this image is mounted next to the round window alongside the T1154 transmitter. This arrangement was usually used in the Short Sunderland flying boat as seen here. Note the operator’s morse key in front of the transmitter on the desk to the right.
R1155 installation in a Short Sunderland flying boat of the RAAF
Radar Room R1155 nearing completion
The Radar Room R1155 'as found'
Miles of perished rubber covered wire will need replacing

Old R1155 receivers are hardly ever found in ‘good condition’ and even those that are in a reasonable unmodified state will definitely need all of the perished rubber covered wire replacing. Trust me, there is simply miles of the stuff and replacing it will require a manual and plenty of spare time! The three images above show the condition ours was in was in when received by the Radar Room, a typical shot of the rubber covered wire needing replacement and lastly, the receiver in a nearly finished state.

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