Throat mics used by the US Navy aircrew during WW2?

[Flightpath]

Hi,

 

just looking into this subject, I know of the very scarce and expensive RS-76 mic (Telephonics Corporation, NAF 214356-1, RS 76), were there other types of USN throat mics used during WW2?

 

I have been told that the US Army T-30 was used by the USN, is this true? What of the earlier T-20 mic?

 

Look forward to input from others, cheers, John

[pararaftanr2]

Hello John,

The throat mic had a relatively short life in Naval aviation service. From what I have been able to find, the RS-76 was the major type in use by that service, but was replaced relatively quickly by oxygen mask microphones, as the quality of voice transmissions from the throat mics proved to be inferior. RS-83 mics, designed to fit the early war vintage MSA "C" and "D" oxygen masks were made obsolete when the A-14 oxygen mask with ANB-M-C1 mic was introduced in mid-1943. As the war progressed, they were further supplemented by the lip and boom type microphones for use at lower altitudes when an oxygen mask was not in use. Throughout the war, the RS-38 hand mic would have been available, and was commonly used in multi-place and multi engine aircraft that operated at lower altitudes, but was not personal equipment, rather something that would remain in the aircraft.

 

To answer your specific question, the RS-76 seems to be the only throat mic contracted for and officially issued by the Navy during the war, but examples can be found of the T-30 and one other type of throat mic in very limited use by Navy and Marine aviators. It would appear these other types were procured on an individual or unit basis, rather than being standard issue, and probably obtained locally from USAAF sources. After viewing many thousands of images over the years, only a handful have been found showing anything other than an RS-76 being used. Photos of the RS-76 are common, so I won't add any here, but below are a few of the T-30.

 

John Glenn, USMC, with VMO-155 at Roi Island in late 1944.

 

An unidentified Marine Corsair pilot with T-30 mic temporarily stowed on his life vest.

 

[pararaftanr2]

CDR George Klinsmann, commander of Air Group Four, aboard USS Essex, circa January 1945.

 

A crewman aboard a PB4Y-1 on anti-sub patrol.

 

 

 

[Flightpath]

Thanks for all that great info, I will get a T-30 for my collection (sold one NOS in box a few years ago), I know how scarce the RS-76 is, there's probably a huge box of them in a corner of a storeroom somewhere……….

 

So do you know anything about the earlier Air Corps T-20 throat mic, I picked one up in really nice condition today and can't find any info on it at all!

 

cheers, John

[pararaftanr2]

The other throat mic I mentioned previously is rather obscure. It is the Bendix MT-81A. Other than it appearing in a very few photos and it having the same style of plug jack found on the extension cords and "push-to-talk" switches of the other mics mentioned here, I can't tell you much more about it.

 

 

[pararaftanr2]

Some examples in use, below.

 

Major Donald Sapp, USMC, CO of VMF-222. Photo cropped from Greg Pon's great book, "USMC Aviators 1941-1945"

 

Pilots of VF-11 on Guadalcanal.

 

Lt. Gaylord Greenfield, VMF-114.

[pararaftanr2]

Unfortunately, I have no further info on the T-20, other than it is a pre-WW2 Air Corps design and that I've never seen an image of it in WW2 use by a Navy or Marine aviator.

[pararaftanr2]

An example of the Bendix mic in my collection, below.

 

Also, it should be mentioned that in the late 1990s, a throat mic known as the "37-A-17" was reported to be a "rare" Naval aviation item and became very pricey for a while. As it turns out, these mics were not aviation related at all, rather being a component of the sound-powered phones used by Marine artillerymen and their connection is incompatible with any aviation radio equipment.