Luftwaffe Throat Mic Mi 4b

[RA3CC]

Hi guys, let me ask you now about Luftwaffe throat microphone, model Mi 4b, made by Siemens (S&H). Wouldn't be surprised to hear that you have already discussed this item elsewhere in this great forum, so let me apologize in advance if I'm wasting your time...

The Mi 4b was purchased (won) on eBay around 2005-2008 when I was quite active there, and of course without any detailed info attached. Now it's part of one of our displays at the "Valery Gromov Radio Museum" (former "RKK Radio Museum"):



Next let me show four close-up pictures of our Mi 4b:









Luftwaffe nomenclature number is "Ln 26779-2" (wonder why not "Fl..."??).

See also "Fu(b)" letters on the off-on switch which looks to me as Heer (Army), not Luftwaffe nomenclature.

Please let me have your expertise on this Mi 4b. We will place the newly found Hö 3 next to it shortly.

73- Valeriy, RA3CC.

P.S. BTW our Hö 3 was made by Siemens (S&H), not by DeTeWe...

[csmagdo]

Hi Valeriy,

the Mi.4b is part of the LKp W101 winter flying helmet (Ln26618). The Fu(B) switch is not part of this set, it has a 4-pronged connector (together with the headset). When I get home today later on, I can provide you more info.
BTW: your Hö.3 was made by Siemens Apparate und Maschinen (see the "SA" logo on it, not "SH"), part of the Siemens conglomerate, mine is DTW indeed

Csaba

[Funksammler]

Indeed the microphone has been cut of a flying helmet and the cable has been replaced.

Luftwaffe nomenclature number is "Ln 26779-2" (wonder why not "Fl..."??).

The use of Ln and Fl numbers is far from logical or transparent. On the flight helmet you can see typical example: the headphones have been given an Fl number while the microphone have been given and Ln number.

Certainly at the start of the war, there must have been some logic; equipment catalogues run with consecutive numbers, some Ln some Fl numbers. Another example, the AFN/1 instrument was given an Fl number while the AFN/2 (with exactly the same function) was given an Ln number.

It seems that Ln numbers were given to radio equipment that was used for mainly communication purposes, while for example blind landing radio equipment was given Fl numbers. Later in the war, as radio installation became more complex and multi-functional, this logic seems to break down...

Frankly I have not been able to find a way to describe the Luftwaffe's logic in a few simple rules, more research is required!

regards,

Funksammler

[csmagdo]

FS, you're not the only one being unsure about the logics...
One example: the original 4-pronged plug of these helmets' headset wears the number Ln27561 in the Flugzeug Ausrüstungsgeräte list, wile Fl27561 on the plug itself. The 27560 was the matching plug.





The LKp *101 standard flying helmet has 3 standard versions:
W=Winter
S=Sommer
N=Netz (Tropen)

Csaba

[Foxy]

Gents, in my schematic/papers (from Lorenz) Ln = Lagernummer.
Another possible explanation for "Ln"?

[csmagdo]

I presume it is Luft-Nachrichten (ot Luft-anything Nummer). At least it mathes the Funkerlied lirics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sgUMI-NML0

"Denn wir sind ja von der L.N. Kompanie..."

Csaba

[Funksammler]

There are actually other types of "Anforderzeichen" as well, unfortunately the "Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgeräte Verzeichnis und Geräteblatter" document does not give any clear definitions, but all the letter codes do link to specific types of equipment. With a bit of reasoning these can be listed as:
Fl - Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgerät
Ln - Luftnachrichtengerät
FLE - Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgerät Elektrisch
N - for "Nachrichtengerät"
S - for "Sanitätsmaterial"
Number prefixes - various equipment from different equipment categories e.g. 9 - engine related; 10- safety and rescue related; 124- communications equipment; 127 - flight control related

So radio equipment could end up with an Fl, Ln, N or 124 prefix and it is not entirely clear why the different prefixes were assigned.

regards,

Funksammler

[Funksammler]

...One pattern I noticed is that until about 1937 all aircraft equipment including radios were given an Fl. number; only from about 1938 radio equipment was given an Ln. number. So there seems to be a date where the communication equipment became a separate category in the Luftwaffe's procurement system...

regards,

Funksammler

There are actually other types of "Anforderzeichen" as well, unfortunately the "Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgeräte Verzeichnis und Geräteblatter" document does not give any clear definitions, but all the letter codes do link to specific types of equipment. With a bit of reasoning these can be listed as:
Fl - Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgerät
Ln - Luftnachrichtengerät
FLE - Flugzeug-Ausrüstungsgerät Elektrisch
N - for "Nachrichtengerät"
S - for "Sanitätsmaterial"
Number prefixes - various equipment from different equipment categories e.g. 9 - engine related; 10- safety and rescue related; 124- communications equipment; 127 - flight control related

So radio equipment could end up with an Fl, Ln, N or 124 prefix and it is not entirely clear why the different prefixes were assigned.

regards,

Funksammler

[csmagdo]

Not mentioning the "L" mark on the Ferdinand Schuchhardt LW FF33. I saw 2 of these (one is mine), both from 1937.



Csaba