Harley Lights

Well this is all very interesting but not really helping with my original question 😀

So no-one has any historical information on the development/use of the light then? :confused:

I think your original question was answered sir !
Basically there is no such thing as a ‘Harley Light’
The Harley company made many various a/c lights for many different a/c types.
The ‘Harley Light’ is just a normal lamp fitted in the nose of some naval a/c to make tracking/visibility easier for certain training roles.
I am sure if you google enough you might find out some details of the company but as you are prob aware,you will have to wade through oodles of Harley Davidson stuff first.
It is quite normal practice in aviation to use a trade name for a component… ie… a fuel tank pressure control valve on a Harrier may just be known as a ‘Hymatic’ valve,it is(was) made by the Hymatic company but they make many different components – not just that one.

cheers baz

Well this is all very interesting but not really helping with my original question 😀

So no-one has any historical information on the development/use of the light then? :confused:

Not that great an idea if the Gnat pilot didn’t turn his ‘headlight’ on!

Can anyone confirm whether Scimitars in the Fleet support role ever have a Harley light fitted?

Yes, the Airwork Scimitars at Hurn had Harley lights fitted in the nose.

Not that great an idea if the Gnat pilot didn’t turn his ‘headlight’ on!

Can anyone confirm whether Scimitars in the Fleet support role ever have a Harley light fitted?

Did gnats have a ‘headlight’ on during normal flying ??
Of course a blown bulb can spoil yer day 😉

cheers baz

Having a ‘headlight’ is a great idea,way back in 1978 i was in the back seat of a hawk going low level thru the valleys from Brawdy to Coltishall (gosh was it really 30 yrs ago :rolleyes:) we met a Gnat head on…he saw our light and pulled up (over stressed it,but missed us :D) I never saw him until he shot over the top of us with a ‘pshooooh’ sort of noise :D.probably approx 750 knot closing speed.
cheers baz

Not that great an idea if the Gnat pilot didn’t turn his ‘headlight’ on!

Can anyone confirm whether Scimitars in the Fleet support role ever have a Harley light fitted?

Harley Light

Swiss hunters are fitted with a retractable Harley Landing/Taxi light which motors down on selection and can be automatically retracted on undercarriage up.

Having a ‘headlight’ is a great idea,way back in 1978 i was in the back seat of a hawk going low level thru the valleys from Brawdy to Coltishall (gosh was it really 30 yrs ago :rolleyes:) we met a Gnat head on…he saw our light and pulled up (over stressed it,but missed us :D) I never saw him until he shot over the top of us with a ‘pshooooh’ sort of noise :D.probably approx 750 knot closing speed.

cheers baz

As Baz says really. Harley produced a variety of A/C lighting. A fixed powerful light (based on their then curent retractable landing lights I thought?) had to be fitted into Hunters and Sea Hawks as they aren’t fitted with a landing light which shows with the undercarriage retracted, unlike the Hawk.

A few minutes googling suggests that ‘Harley’ is just the manufacturers name and that different types of their lights were used on various a/c.
I saw references to Auster,Westland Scout and Sea Harrier.
On the Hunter it was used as a ‘headlight’ to improve head on visibility for anti ship training,Same on Hawks these days the ‘Landing Lamp’ is left on whilst airborne as an ‘anti collision light'( note-not saying the Hawk has a Harley fitted)

cheers baz

Can’t say for sure, not an expert on aircraft illumination devices 😀

I’m going of a October 1942 published photo showing a Hotpsur glider with an external landing light fitted and the caption names it as a “Harley light”. I’ve found reference in a glider units ORB mentioning a “night landing lamp developed at this unit now being put forward as a service modification” which pre-dates the picture by some three months so I’m wondering if that’s it.

If someone has say a reference to say a “Mr Bob Harley of XYZ aircraft co. developer of the landing light” I’ll know it’s not the same one from the ORB. 🙂

Forgive me, Im tired and away from references, but there was a ‘Turbinlite’ used during the war as fitted to Bostons.
I always thought that Harley lights were later and fitted to Sea Hawks and Hunters (maybe Scimitars?) as used by FRADU.