1/48 B-25 Mitchell - Antena AS-27/ARN-5, cat. no 200-A48105

1/48 B-25 Mitchell -  Antena AS-27/ARN-5, cat. no 200-A48105

Excellent 3D construction and brilliant 3D print.

The AS-27/ARN-5 "Boomerang" Antenna: Historical Overview

The AS-27/ARN-5 antenna (often nicknamed the "boomerang" or "wishbone" antenna by modelers and aircrews) was a critical external component of the American AN/ARN-5 Instrument Landing System (ILS). Introduced in the latter half of World War II (around mid-1944), this system revolutionized instrument-only and "blind" landings by receiving horizontal and vertical guidance signals (localizer and glideslope), allowing pilots to follow a safe glide path down to the runway using a cross-pointer instrument on the dashboard.

Because it became the standard USAAF and US Navy blind-landing system, this distinctive antenna was widely fitted to multi-engine aircraft during the final stages of WWII and deep into the post-war era.

Aircraft that Carried the AS-27/ARN-5 Antenna

1. Heavy and Medium Bombers (Late WWII Era)

On bombers, the antenna was typically mounted either on the upper spine of the fuselage or under the nose/cockpit area, depending on the specific production block:

• B-25 Mitchell (standard on late J-series and H-series production blocks)

• B-17 Flying Fortress (late-production B-17G models, starting around Autumn 1944)

• B-24 Liberator (late-war production batches, especially Ford-built variants)

• B-29 Superfortress (standard fitment for strategic bombing missions in the Pacific)

• B-26 Marauder (late versions, such as the B-26G)

2. Transport, Cargo, and Liaison Aircraft (WWII & Post-War Era)

Since precise navigational aids were paramount for transport networks, this antenna remained in service for decades after the war:

• C-47 Skytrain / Douglas DC-3 (a very common sight on both wartime military cargo versions and post-war civil airliners)

• C-54 Skymaster / Douglas DC-4 (prominently used during the 1948–1949 Berlin Airlift)

• C-118 Liftmaster / Douglas DC-6 (post-war era)

• C-119 Flying Boxcar (Korean War era and beyond)