As previuosly mentioned, there were six heavy radars between Hopedale (Labrador) and St. Johns (Newfoundland). These were located at Hopedale, Cartwright, St. Anthony, Stephenville, Gander and Red Cliff (St. Johns). To increase low altitude coverage along this line and provide some back-up for these radars, a small, light-weight radar (the AN/FPS-14), called a gap-filler, was to be placed between these heavy radars.
The AN/FPS-14 was a medium-range search radar which was designed and built by Bendix as a gap-filler radar to provide low altitude coverage. It operated in the S-band at a frequency between 2700 and 2900 MHz and could detect traffic at a range of 65 miles. The system was deployed to locations within the Pinetree Line in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The AN/FPS-14 search radar was used in both Canada and the United States. It appears as if the FPS-14 sites in the USA did not have radomes to protect the equipment from the elements until the early 1960s, and even then, only at southern locations where weather was not a factor.
We offer photos of the FPS-14 radar equipment with and without radomes. Careful examination of the radome indicates differences to that which was used in Canada. Examination of the radar towers and the radomes used with the six USAF manned Gap Filler sites in Canada reveal the use of what appears to be an FPS-3 radar tower, and the FPS-3 radome - both of which were substantially different to the tower and radome used for the FPS-14 radar in the USA.
This leads to an expected question of "why were there major differences"?
I asked Tom Page the question "why" and received the following response.
"I suspect the differences in the radar towers and the radomes between the FPS-14 sites in the 64th Air Division in Canada and the FPS-14 sites in the continental USA was probably due to the climate in Canada. FPS-14 sites in Canada experienced extremely cold temperatures, very high winds, and a build-up of rime ice, etc. A second reason might be that those arctic towers were all that were available at the time. Also -- and this is mere speculation on my part -- housing the small AN/FPS-14 radars in standard arctic towers and radomes (such as those used for AN/FPS-3 radars) masked the fact that they were designed for short-range use. That is, when those TU-95 "Bears" flew by, the crews perhaps could not tell the difference between the long-range radar and the short-range radar installations based on the tower and radome size. The design used in the Lower 48 was probably a later design. Note, too, that down in the Lower 48, not all AN/FPS-14 (and AN/FPS-18) gap-filler radar antennas were inside radomes. None were at first. Beginning in 1963, radomes were added to those radars in the northern areas, while those at southern locations remained uncovered."
Updated: January 14, 2004