ART-13

100 Watt HF (200 kc-18.1 mc) AM-CW-MCW Airborne Transmitter.
Initially, the U.S. Navy’s designation was ATC. Under the Joint Army-Navy contracts it was re-designated T-47A/ART-13, and when the Low-Frequency (O16) module is installed, T-47/ART-13A.
At 90,000 units, the ART-13 was one of the Collins Radio Company’s highest production items during WW II.
This product was the world’s first Military Automatically-tuned, 10-channel, HF transmitter available for airborne use. The ART-13 was installed on U.S. Army Air Corps B-24, B-25 and B-29 bombers and, in time, other military aircraft including several U.S. Navy Aircraft.
Many of these transmitters were still in use by the military in the early 1970’s and continue to be of interest to Radio Amateurs to operate Antique AM on 40 meters.

ART-13A - Glam photo from when this one was brand-new – complete with an O16 Low Frequency Tuning module. Note that this is an early example, in that the ‘Channel’ and ‘Remote/Local’ switches are reversed.

Example ART-13 undergoing humidity test under the watchful eye of Chief Engineer, Ted Hunter.

As Advertised

May 1945 issue of QST

The key component that made the ART-13 the Frequency Hopper of 1941 was the patented Autotune® mechanism. Arthur and his mechanical engineers created this device in 1932 and first applied it to the 17D transmitter sold to Braniff Airways in 1938. It was therefore quite mature when it was incorporated into the ART-13’s design.

September 1944 issue of QST

External Links

General Information and Restoration Suggestions at:

• Radio Boulevard

Circa

1940