[The Cajun]

Now, let’s forget the silliness about high-powered radar taking down a ship capable of interstellar flight

Actually that is plausible.
You have to figure any alien ship is going to be pure wireless in it's control systems, computer systems, and interface systems. Wireless is RF (radio frequencies). Look at the stuff that we have now that is wireless.

Back in the late 40's and 50's we had brute force radar systems with *Big honking* water cooled vacuum tubes in the output stages. Lots and lots of power because the return receivers were not as sensitive as we have today.
Now think what a really *Hot*, focused radar beam would do to our typical electronics today, operating at 1 to 3 vote logic levels.
The little gray guys and their super, super sensitive and sophisticated electronics could really have been caught flatfooted when hit by such a power RF source.
I say plausible.

[Quix]

Absolutely indeed.

As several radar operators and others in the know about NM’s radar installations then, have testified.

[Boogieman]

“You have to figure any alien ship is going to be pure wireless in it’s control systems, computer systems, and interface systems.”

Also, if it was a landing craft and not an interstellar craft, it might function on wireless power, a technology we have not even begun to harness. Interupt that, and it would drop like a rock, I think.

[Smokin' Joe]

Now think what a really *Hot*, focused radar beam would do to our typical electronics today, operating at 1 to 3 vote logic levels.

I heard that the nose radar in the old P-3s could 'cook' the transistor radios in the BX...(from former aircrew).

Entirely possible the big ground based sets of the day could disrupt flight systems.