MANEUVERABLE TARGET POSITIONING UNIT,

One phase of psychological research into the effectiveness of various radar display equipment calls for laboratory simulation at the radar indicator of conditions which exist when a friendly aircraft is maneuvered in accordance with instructions from the radar observer. A Maneuverable Target Positioning Unit was developed to fulfill this requirement. The machine drives one point maneuverable aircraft with respect to another radar observer, and provides controls for speed and course as selected by the operator. These motions are used to position the shafts of range and bearing potentiometers. The potentiometers control the output of a separate target generating system which, in turn, produces the maneuverable target on the radar indicator under consideration. One unit is complete and two additional units are under construction. Preliminary tests show satisfactory performance and indicate that the machine may be expected to function as intended in the projected research program. Author