Height finder

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Mill Valley AFS height finder radar using Fan-beam antenna(1973)

A height finder is a ground based aircraft altitude measuring device.

1 Technology
- 1.1 Optical
- 1.2 Radar
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Technology

Early height finder implementations were optical devices and later migrated to radar devices. Devices combining both optics and radar were deployed by the United States Navy^[1].

[edit] Optical

In WWII, a height finder was a stereoscopic optical device used to determine the altitude of an aircraft (actually the distance from the emplacement), used to direct anti-aircraft guns^[2]. Examples of American^[2] and Japanese^[3] versions exist, certainly a German and Russian version exist.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Radar

A height finder is a type of 2-dimensional radar that measures altitude and direction of targets^[4], but not their distance from the radar.^{[citation needed]} Such systems often complement 2-dimensional radars which find distance and direction (search radar), thus using 2 2-dimensional systems to obtain a 3-dimensional aerial picture.^{[citation needed]} Height finding radars of the 1960s and 70s were distinguished by their antenna being more tall than wide.

Modern radar sets have 3-dimensional capability making height finder radars largely obsolete.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

Radar

[edit] References

^ Anti-Aircraft Fire Control Sets. Department Of The Navy - Naval Historical Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
^ ^a ^b Status Update for the M2 Height Finder Project. Fort MacArthur Museum Association. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
^ Japanese Height Finder. Tactical and Technical Trends. U.S. Military Intelligence Service (December 2, 1943). Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
^ AN/FPS-6, 6A, 6B & AN/MPS-14. Online Air Defense Radar Museum. Radomes, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.