Black Cat Models
1/700 US Navy SK-2 Radar

 

Reviewed by Martin J Quinn
July 2023
Black Cat Models has released some new accessories in 1/700, some of which they've sent along for us to review.  One of those sets is AC700024d, US Navy SK-2 Radar (x2)

According to various internet sources, by 1939, radar had evolved to the point where is was practicable to use it in combat. The British had given a great deal of thought as to how radar could be used effectively, and this research proved extremely valuable during the Battle of Britain.   Meanwhile, the Americans were pursuing their own, independent, research into radar.  From 1930 to 1940, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory explored the use of radio for ranging and detection, and in 1935, the Committee on Naval Appropriations of the U.S. House of Representatives provided $100,000 to the Naval Research Laboratory for the development of radar. The research led to the first U.S. radar, the XAF, which was permanently installed on USS New York (BB-34) in 1939. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, 20 radar units had been installed on selected ships.*   In production, the XAF was designated as the CXAM radar.   The follow up was the CXAM-1, which included some enhancements. 

SK was an improvement on the CXAM air search radar set. It was essentially an SC-2 radar set, with a larger antenna with 6×6 dipoles. The radar was capable of detecting a medium bomber at 10?000 feet and 100 nautical miles. There was no elevation control but elevation could be estimated roughly from positions of maximum, and minimum signal strength of the difference of the signals between the antenna rows. A later version was named SK-2 and used a large parabolic antenna fed by a dipole.+

Both the SK and the SK-2 were mainly used on larger units of the US Fleet.  Among the ships that carried this variant in 1945 were Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, Alabama, Iowa, New Jersey, and Missouri.

*Partially sourced from Naval Heritage and History Command website.
+Partially sourced from the radartutorial.eu website.


Click to enlarge images
SK-2 RADAR
The packaging is the usual plastic clamshell container, where a single print raft - with two radar dishes - is attached to the bottom of the packaging with double sided tape. 

There are two SK-2 radar dish included.  The detail and fineness of the radar is superb.  The dipole antenna, coming out of the center is finely printed.  The overall framing is very delicate, but looks more realistic than photo-etch. 

Close ups of some of the parts details.


INSTRUCTIONS
There are no instructions.  Removal from the print raft should be self-evident, however. 
CONCLUSIONS
This 700 scale SK-2 radar is another home run for Black Cat.  I think its even more impressive than their previously released 350th version. This product will eliminate the tedium and frustration involved with attempting complex SK-2 assemblies, and look more realistic to boot.  Plus you get two in the set, allowing you to upgrade the air search radar on two of your scale capital ships!  Highly recommended!

 This is Black Cat Models set AC700024d, US Navy SK-2 radar (x2).  It retails for about $5.25 USD, and is available directly from Black Cat Models - who I'd like to thank for this review sample - or from some of our other fine sponsors. 


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