Q&A ยท 39:39-39:58

Radar aboard Norfolk and Suffolk in the Bismarck hunt

The cruisers that shadowed Bismarck probably received Type 79Y sets around 1940, connecting early radar adoption to a famous operation.

Question

When did HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk receive the radar sets used in their Bismarck-tracking role?

Short answer

They likely received Type 79Y sets around 1940, similar to the equipment fitted to Sheffield.

Notes

The question moves from the first British radar ships to the cruisers that maintained contact with Bismarck. Norfolk and Suffolk probably carried sets comparable to Sheffield's Type 79Y, installed around 1940. This links the Royal Navy's experimental radar sequence to its operational use in tracking a major surface raider.