Whilst at a boot sale last weekend I came across this aircraft light and was wondering if anyone can come up with a bit more info on it. Is this a generic light or was it fitted to a particular aircraft. Is it rare? (anyone need one?)
It’s marked with the section and refs as shown and ‘Downward identification light’
Thanks in advance for your help.
By: smirky - 17th May 2011 at 20:42
Here’s some more structural-looking ones
By: Fieldhawk - 14th May 2011 at 08:33
Would that be A/M 5C/909? Sort of clear tear-drop affair?
Kinda curious to know as apparently one was fitted to Hotspur gliders as part of the modification program to MkIII standard and non of my APs list the part number.
Sorry, can’t help there as I do not have any reference to numbers at all. My notes simply mention ‘identification lights’ but no not list section/refs. I will see if I can track anything on Monday whan I will be back in the world of old drawings and things. Cheers!
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th May 2011 at 12:42
There was also an upward identification light on some aircraft but that was a different unit – 180 deg / 16W / clear
Would that be A/M 5C/909? Sort of clear tear-drop affair?
Kinda curious to know as apparently one was fitted to Hotspur gliders as part of the modification program to MkIII standard and non of my APs list the part number.
By: Fieldhawk - 13th May 2011 at 08:12
[QUOTE=pagen01;1743856]Wasn’t the idea of the ID lights that they had a ‘colour of the day’ (ie red, green, or amber) and also a morse ‘signal of the day’, thus they knew that they were signalling a ‘friendly’ or not?
The lower ID lights seemed to be the same for a long time and across a multitude of types
Hi Pagen01. I seem to remember that this was one of the uses the downward lights had. Get the wrong colour, or wrong letter, and……. whoops! 🙁
By: pagen01 - 12th May 2011 at 21:30
Yes, a bog standard aircraft downward identification light which is fitted with an 80W bulb, has a light spread of 135 degrees and is, as already stated, available with red, green, amber or clear lenses.
All taken from my 1959 training notes which also tells me that they were used for air to air and air to ground signalling.
Wasn’t the idea of the ID lights that they had a ‘colour of the day’ (ie red, green, or amber) and also a morse ‘signal of the day’, thus they knew that they were signalling a ‘friendly’ or not?
The lower ID lights seemed to be the same for a long time and across a multitude of types but the upwards one seems to vary, including a single housing with different colour filters within.
You can see the lights in this pic of Newarks’ Hastings
BTW does anyone know how types were choosen to get these lights? For example they were fitted to Hastings but I’ve never seen them on a Shackleton.
By: smirky - 12th May 2011 at 21:04
http://www.freewebs.com/lamps016/
about the 15th picture down :rolleyes:
nice site with all sorts of aircraft bulbs 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th May 2011 at 20:12
Fieldhawk is correct on all counts.
A belated 10/10 for note keeping! 🙂
By: Fieldhawk - 12th May 2011 at 19:46
80W:eek:
Are you sure? It looks like just a little 5-10W bulb holder – car sidelight type.
That is what they taught me at Melksham all those years ago. Surely they didn’t get it wrong 🙁
There was also an upward identification light on some aircraft but that was a different unit – 180 deg / 16W / clear
By: smirky - 12th May 2011 at 18:59
80W:eek:
Are you sure? It looks like just a little 5-10W bulb holder – car sidelight type.
By: Fieldhawk - 12th May 2011 at 18:31
Yes, a bog standard aircraft downward identification light which is fitted with an 80W bulb, has a light spread of 135 degrees and is, as already stated, available with red, green, amber or clear lenses.
All taken from my 1959 training notes which also tells me that they were used for air to air and air to ground signalling.
By: bloodnok - 12th May 2011 at 17:34
Thanks everyone for your replies. I only paid a couple of quid for it, so unless anyone wants it off me I’ll stick it on ebay and see if it can find a new home.
By: Bruce - 12th May 2011 at 12:55
I must have the stock of clear ones! Got a big box of them; ex Argosy I think.
Nice piece, as Tony says, about a tenner or thereabouts.
Bruce
By: Firebex - 12th May 2011 at 11:58
currently got about 8 for sale Red,Amber and Blue.The clear ones seem to be the rare ones of the breed as I have only ever seen a couple.
Mike E :diablo::diablo::diablo:
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th May 2011 at 10:58
Fitted to Jet Provost and Strikemaster. Quite common I think.
By: Rocketeer - 12th May 2011 at 09:35
Lots around, I bought 2 sets of NOS for my projects (red, amber, green)
lovely items, apparently/allegedly also used on Ford GT40s at some stage!!
Cost: £4-£10 depending on condition – good for discos!!
By: smirky - 12th May 2011 at 08:52
Generic part, there seem to be LOTS of these around – wonder how many were made and where :rolleyes: Air Ministry crown so before 1944.
Yes, Lancaster there are three on the fuselage centre line red, amber and green. Wouln’t be suprised if they were on the Vulcan as well and everything in between. I have got one where the ring has had the part number machined off has been engraved with the later stores ref 5CX/3467
Get a bulb and wire it up 😎
By: JT442 - 11th May 2011 at 20:10
ID light, similar to lancaster…….. (educated guess though). Located in the rear fuselage pointing downwards….
Sign In
May 11, 2011 at 8:08 pm