Jagdschloss radar

Last updated
Jagdschloss
Jagdschloss FuMG404.jpg
Jagdschloss captured in 1945 while still under construction
Country of originGermany
Introduced1943
Type Early warning radar
Frequency129–165 MHz
PRF 500 per second
Pulsewidth1μs
Range80 kilometres (50 mi)
Azimuth 360°
Power30 kW

Jagdschloss, officially the FuG 404, was the designation of a German early warning and battle control radar developed just prior to the start of World War II. Although it was built in limited numbers, Jagdschloss is historically important as the first radar system to feature a plan position indicator display, or "PPI". In Germany this type of display was referred to as "Panorama". It is named for Jagdschloss, a hunting lodge.

Contents

Development

The PPI effort started fairly early in the history of radar; Hans Hollmann of Telefunken filed a patent for the multi-phase electrostatic deflection in a cathode-ray tube "along a conical surface of revolution" "such as required in practice for instance for the feeding of certain directional antenna systems, or the like" in 1936. [1] At that time development of GEMA's other radars, notably the Freya, took priority, and work on the system did not start until 1939. By this time, radar development had progressed to the point were a prototype could be constructed by re-using systems from various production radars.

A prototype system was built 35 km west of Berlin, known as the Tremmen Radar Tower. It mounted a large antenna consisting of two rows of four half-wave dipoles aligned horizontally, rotating on a shaft located at the top of the tower. It was found that at least five pulses needed to be returned in order for the target to become visible on the scope, so the rotation rate of the antenna was adjusted to synchronize with the pulse repetition frequency of the radar. The radio equipment was taken from the Wassermann and Freya units, and operated on a basic wavelength of 2.4 m (~125 MHz).

Production units

Although the system demonstrated its utility, further units were not ordered until the fall of 1942, likely due to the increasing tempo of RAF Bomber Command's night offensives at that time. Production Jagdschloss units were larger than the original prototype, with an antenna 24 m (79 ft) wide and 3 m (9.8 ft) tall. New electronics were built for the production units, operating on one of two bands, the A band on 1.2-1.9 m or the B band on 1.9-2.5 m. The first production sets were delivered by Siemens & Halske at the end of 1943, and when production ended in April 1945 a total of 80 units had been delivered.

Jagdschloss units were found to have several "dead spots" due to the antenna being located on an 8-metre-high (26 ft) tower. For instance, an aircraft flying at 6,000 m (20,000 ft) altitude at any range between 60–80 km (37–50 mi; 32–43 nmi) would be invisible because the direct reflection from the aircraft would interfere with the one reflecting off the ground. This problem was initially solved with the addition of a large wire mesh under the tower, known as Reflektor-Netz.

Erstling codegenerator Erstling-geber.jpg
Erstling codegenerator

A more convincing solution to this problem was deployed as Jagdschloss Michael. Michael added a second antenna on the "back" of the original, operating on a 50 cm wavelength system from Telefunken (almost certainly adapted from their Würzburg radar). Range was also increased from the original 150–300 km (93–186 mi; 81–162 nmi), which required an improvement in the angular resolution in order to maintain the ability to resolve aircraft. To achieve this, Michael used a new 50-metre-wide (160 ft) antenna replacing the older 24 m one. The antenna was so large that the mounting had to be re-designed, with the antenna supported by rollers running in a track as opposed to being mounted off a central shaft.

Another cm-wavelength experiment was built at Werneuchen, east of Berlin, known as Jagdschloss Z. This system operated on a 9 cm wavelength, which was very short for the era. The antenna was built up from the center sections of the Würzburg radar's parabolic dish, stacked vertically to form a single 72-wavelength aperture antenna.

Jagdschloss units of all types were optionally fitted with the Erstling IFF system. Like British IFF units, Erstling fed back its own return upon reception of a Jagdschloss signal. The return signal was slightly delayed, appearing as a second "blip" on the radar screen, allowing the operator to visually identify friendly aircraft. Unlike British systems, Erstling apparently sent back a morse code signal in return.

The FuG25a "Erstling" had two encryption keys inside, each of 10 bits. One called "Reichskennung" and the other "Verbandskennung" (squadron key).

A related system, Jagdhütte (German: "hunting cabin"), is also mentioned in reference to Erstling. This was a reduced version of Jagdschloss without radar receiver, operating only with the IFF Signals from Erstling. This was for control of the Luftwaffe's own night fighters only. Due to the different transmit and receiving frequencies, it was resistant against Düppel interference.

Another optional system for use with Jagdschloss was a remote PPI display known as Landbriefträger (German: country mailman). This allowed the display from a Jagdschloss site to be sent via telephone lines to the flak defenses so they could arrange their attacks locally. Signals from the original Tremmen and the later Werneuchen radars were forwarded to the flak tower close by the Berlin Zoo.

Site locations

Station Code NameNearest Village/TownCountryNarrativeLatitude/LongitudeRef
AAL Altomünster, Dachau in BavariaGermanyHarreszell / Wagenried [2]
BÄR A Werneuchen, BrandenburgGermanySW near Blumberg [2]
BERGZIEGEErlenkopf , Wasgau, Rhineland-PalatinateGermany [2]
BOCK Olsker, Bornholm islandDenmark [3] [4]
BREME Bremerhaven, Free Hanseatic City of BremenGermanyAt Öse [2]
BRUMMBÄRBudkovice near Ivančice Czech Republicalongside route 1525349.084066, 16.362169 [5] [6]
DACHS-MITTE Gernsheim, HesseGermany [2]
ENGERLINGPřílezy near Útvina Czech Republic50.086507, 12.945413 [6]
ERPEL Neustadt an der Aisch, BavariaGermany [2]
FALTER ILa Mornandière, Chazelles-sur-Lyon France45.637348, 4.352014 [7] [8]
FAUNSkovby near Galten Denmark [3] [4]
FERKEL Schlagsdorf / Petersdorf, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Germany [2]
FLAMINGO Fürstenwalde, BrandenburgGermany [2]
GAZELLE Veendam near Groningen Netherlands [9]
HAMSTER Oostkapelle / Domburg, ZeelandNetherlands51.570269, 3.521230 [9]
HASE Harderwijk, GelderlandNetherlands52.334495, 5.595638 [9]
HEIDSCHNUCKE Heiligenhaus, North Rhine-WestphaliaGermanytowards Unterlip [2]
HUMMEL B SÜD Marxen / Ramelsloh
Harburg, Lower Saxony
Germany [2]
KORALLE Krakovany, Kolín District Tschechien50.061319, 15.393324 [6]
KRAKE Köthen, Saxony-AnhaltGermany [2]
LIEBENBERGGroßdubrau near Krotoszyce Poland [10] [4]
LINDWURMFraer, Limfjord Denmark [3]
MADE Mendhausen, ThuringiaGermany50.379305, 10.470260 [8]
MÖWE Renningen, Baden-WürttembergGermany [2]
RATTLER Hamm, North Rhine-WestphaliaGermanyWSW Herringen [2]
RHEINSALM Saerbeck, North Rhine-WestphaliaGermany1km east [2]
ROBBE NORD Skærbæk, JutlandDenmarkwest at Tvismaerk [3]
SCHAKAL Skagen, JutlandDenmark [3] [4]
SEEHUNDSkelby (Seeland Mitte)Denmark [3]
SEESTERN Mrągowo (Sensburg)Poland [10]
SILBERFUCHS Siegen, WestphalianGermany50.884008, 8.038082 [2]
STAR Ladelund, Schleswig-HolsteinGermany [2]
STEINBOCK Wunstorf, Lower SaxonyGermanyat Winzlar52.448973, 9.259528 [2]
TAPIR Cerhonice / RadobytceCzech Republic49.413988, 14.041572 [6] [11]
TRAMPELTIER Tremmen, BrandenburgGermany [2]
WELLENSITTICH Weißenfels, Saxony-AnhaltGermany4km south [2]
Aken (Elbe), Saxony-AnhaltGermany [2]
Boostedt, Schleswig-HolsteinGermany [2]
Kriegsmarine siteŁężyce near Gdynia Poland54.532096, 18.392182 [4] [12]
Langendorf, Saxony-Anhalt Germanyalongside A9 motorway51.158737, 11.990475
Kriegsmarine siteLönsweg near Wilhelmshaven, Lower SaxonyGermany [2]
Kriegsmarine siteRaehr near Hanstholm Denmark57.099852, 8.677879 [2] [13]
Sletterhage, KattegatDenmark [3]
Kriegsmarine site Świnoujście Poland [10] [4]
Vukovar Croatia [14]
Wladimirowka Kaliningrad [15]

Notes

Original Service Manual (115 pages) Jagdschloss A Lehrgang.pdf
Original Service Manual (115 pages)

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References

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