Radar train
During the Second World War, a demand arose on the German side for operational information on the air situation. Building stationary radar bases was demanding both financially and in time. Therefore, the idea arose to install radars on railway bogies and build so-called signaling trains (German Fernflugmelde-Meßzug). Operational capabilities improved significantly, yet they were limited by the existence of adequate railway lines (wagons with radar superstructures had a large weight and dimensions). One of the "radar trains" was Raubvogel 1, which at the end of the war moved from Smiřice near Hradec Králové to Ostroměř lying between Jičín and Hradec Králové. He was also found here after the fighting. This interrogation train was probably operated by members of the 1st schwere Flugmeldeleitkompanie, which was subordinated to the 1st Section of the Luftnachrichtenregiment 238 (1st/FlugmeldeLeitKp of I./LnRgt 238; I. Section LnRgt 238 was formed 2 September 1944 in Prague). "Radar train" consisted of a total of 36 wagons, on two of them were installed radar antennas FuMG 80 Freya, on the other pair then the antenna radar units FuMG 65 Würzburg Riese. Other wagons transported accessories, parts and operating equipment for their own radars, sources of electricity, auxiliary equipment, command post, other cars were used to transport the operator of the entire system. After his discovery, "Radarvlak" traveled to Milovice, from where he later moved to Pilsen. It was put into operation in the local Škoda plant in 1947. He underwent operational deployment while performing the tasks of guarding the state border in Moravia, but the repair in Pilsen reduced its assembly, which now included a total of 10 wagons equipped with one radar RZ-III (Czechoslovak designation for FuMG-80 Freya) and RZ-IV ( FuMG 65 Würzburg Riese). However, both systems were severely worn by war, which was reflected in their performance. SS-III was able to capture an air target flying at an altitude of 3 km at a maximum distance of 50 km, SS-IV had the highest range at a distance of about 30 km, at an altitude of 5 km. After the initial deployment, in 1949 he was sent again to the Pilsen-based Škoda, where it was overhauled. After that, the train moved "on paper" to the 1st Air Operations Center in Prague, while it was deployed at the station in Horažďovice. From this area, he moved to Slovakia in August 1951 to his new location in Komárno, where he was subordinated to the 3rd Air Operations Center in Hajníky. Due to its considerable wear and tear, the "Radar Train" was canceled in February 1954. To this day, the antenna unit of the RZ-IV radar, which is located in the Ondřejovská Observatory, has been preserved from the "Radar train".
Resources
1) Radar voices and air force exchanges in Bohemia and Moravia, REVI, 14/1996
2) Vobecký, P. - Kolek, J .: Radiotechnical Army, Prague, 2000
3) Minarik, P .: Czechoslovak military, answer to question number 198
4) Šabatka, M .: On the History of RTZ, Aviation and Air Defense, 2/1978
5) Müller, M .: Ground Radar Systems of the Luftwaffe, Atglen, 1998
6) Holm, M .: Luftnachrichten-Regiment 238, The Luftwaffe 1933 - 1945
7) Lippmann, H .: Funkmeß (ortungs) stellungen in Tschechien und der Slowakischen-Republik
(kresba Martin Smíšek)
During the Second World War, a demand arose on the German side for operational information on the air situation. Building stationary radar bases was demanding both financially and in time. Therefore, the idea arose to install radars on railway bogies and build so-called signaling trains (German Fernflugmelde-Meßzug). Operational capabilities improved significantly, yet they were limited by the existence of adequate railway lines (wagons with radar superstructures had a large weight and dimensions). One of the "radar trains" was Raubvogel 1, which at the end of the war moved from Smiřice near Hradec Králové to Ostroměř lying between Jičín and Hradec Králové. He was also found here after the fighting. This interrogation train was probably operated by members of the 1st schwere Flugmeldeleitkompanie, which was subordinated to the 1st Section of the Luftnachrichtenregiment 238 (1st/FlugmeldeLeitKp of I./LnRgt 238; I. Section LnRgt 238 was formed 2 September 1944 in Prague). "Radar train" consisted of a total of 36 wagons, on two of them were installed radar antennas FuMG 80 Freya, on the other pair then the antenna radar units FuMG 65 Würzburg Riese. Other wagons transported accessories, parts and operating equipment for their own radars, sources of electricity, auxiliary equipment, command post, other cars were used to transport the operator of the entire system. After his discovery, "Radarvlak" traveled to Milovice, from where he later moved to Pilsen. It was put into operation in the local Škoda plant in 1947. He underwent operational deployment while performing the tasks of guarding the state border in Moravia, but the repair in Pilsen reduced its assembly, which now included a total of 10 wagons equipped with one radar RZ-III (Czechoslovak designation for FuMG-80 Freya) and RZ-IV ( FuMG 65 Würzburg Riese). However, both systems were severely worn by war, which was reflected in their performance. SS-III was able to capture an air target flying at an altitude of 3 km at a maximum distance of 50 km, SS-IV had the highest range at a distance of about 30 km, at an altitude of 5 km. After the initial deployment, in 1949 he was sent again to the Pilsen-based Škoda, where it was overhauled. After that, the train moved "on paper" to the 1st Air Operations Center in Prague, while it was deployed at the station in Horažďovice. From this area, he moved to Slovakia in August 1951 to his new location in Komárno, where he was subordinated to the 3rd Air Operations Center in Hajníky. Due to its considerable wear and tear, the "Radar Train" was canceled in February 1954. To this day, the antenna unit of the RZ-IV radar, which is located in the Ondřejovská Observatory, has been preserved from the "Radar train".
Resources
1) Radar voices and air force exchanges in Bohemia and Moravia, REVI, 14/1996
2) Vobecký, P. - Kolek, J .: Radiotechnical Army, Prague, 2000
3) Minarik, P .: Czechoslovak military, answer to question number 198
4) Šabatka, M .: On the History of RTZ, Aviation and Air Defense, 2/1978
5) Müller, M .: Ground Radar Systems of the Luftwaffe, Atglen, 1998
6) Holm, M .: Luftnachrichten-Regiment 238, The Luftwaffe 1933 - 1945
7) Lippmann, H .: Funkmeß (ortungs) stellungen in Tschechien und der Slowakischen-Republik
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(kresba Martin Smíšek)