Responder-Beacon AN/PPN-1 "Eureka"

The extremely rare Responder-Beacon AN/PPN-1, commonly known as the Eureka. This is the ground-to-air homing radio used by the Pathfinders in Normandy, Southern France and Holland (the PPN-2 was used at Varisty), and worked with the matching Rebecca DF set mounted in the Troop Carrier aircraft. In the photo above, the PP-11A power pack is on the upper left, the RT-44 receiver/transmitter upper centre, and both are standing on the mounting tray. Below is the battery box, with the operator's HS-30 headset at the front, and the collapsible antenna mast at the right.

The equipment laid out to show the individual components. Both of the photographs above are kindly provided by Martin Swift (a link to Martin's excellent Vintage Military Wireless Collection website is at the bottom of this page).

The carrying bag for the PPN-1, shown front and back. The original design had the bag clipped to the one of the T-5 harness chest D-rings by the parachute clip on the top of the bag, and carried after the jump by means of a simple webbing strap. Prior to Normandy, the bags used by the 82nd and 101st Pathfinders were modified with a new harness made from white parachute webbing. This harness allowed the bag to be carried under the Reserve Chute for the jump and to be carried on the Pathfinder's back after the jump.

The original shipping cartons for these bags are shown behind the bags, along with the two felt padding pieces that fit between the sections of the beacon when it is packed in the bag, and the webbing "shoulder strap" that was replaced by the parachute webbing carrying harness.

TM11-1140, the Technical Manual for the PPN-1.

The modified harness for the bag. The straps are shown in normal carrying mode, as seen in the photo on the right. When worn for jumping, the straps are lengthened, the bag is slung sideways (aerial pouch to the bottom), with the straps running over the shoulders and crossing the wearer's back, so the right strap is connected to the left D-ring and vice-versa, as shown below.

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