A.A., No.3, Mk.7.

As the first Auto Follow Tracking radar used in the Bureau. This Anti-aircraft gun control radar was designed to operate with another unit called the predictor which would guide the guns on to the tracked target. Manufactured by British Thomson - Houston, the radar was mounted in a heavy steel plate trailer. It was originally designed as a short range high speed radar that some claimed could follow a Vampire jet overhead at 150 metres! But it's range limit was in the order of 37,000 yards (34km).

The Carnarvon 3Mk7 in the mid 1960's. The two ramps were used to install the radar. They would have only been used once more - when new tyres were fitted prior to it being removed for disposal!

3Mk7 Radar Locations

The Bureau operated about 6 of these radars including having access to more than one at Woomera. Alf West whilst working for the Weapons Research Establishment, modified the Bureau radar. Trevor Donald recalls "The AA3Mk7 as supplied by Alf was a beauty, even remember the crystals that he recommended 1N21ER as opposed to the CV221 in use at the time. The installation at Woomera also included a Rectangular Coordinate Cartesian Converter and an EMI Plotting Table, no slide rule calculations involved with that lot, sit back in air-conditioned comfort and let the gear do it for you"