Hi all,
Interesting in the following runway markings:
1. What markings were used on the end of runways during WWII and directly after?
2. When were piano keys introduced?
3. When were runway direction numbers introduced?
4. Any other markings that were typically used on the end of runways in the 1950’s?
5. Typical dimensions of any of the aforementioned markings?
The reason for all the questions is…a couple of w/e’s ago my Dad & I were mouching around the remaining sections of the SW of Grove airfield runways and found a couple of markings on runway. The first was what appeared to be a white box like marking overpainted on a grey base which was offset on the RHS of the runway heading. We also found a couple of very, very faint white lines that were possibly once piano keys. However seeing as Grove has been closed for close on 50 years, these markings could be completely unrelated to its days as an active airfield.
Given the peace & quiet that existed on the Sunday we visited and standing thoughtfully in the warm sunshine, it is/was difficult to imagine it being a once active airfield with numerous large engined piston aircraft thundering up and down the very area on which we stood.
Anyway, any help provided would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Nick
By: darrenharbar - 7th October 2008 at 18:03
Never seen that shot of Grove before. I grew up in Grove (my parents still live there). Despite that image being technically upside down, it looks the right way up from the perspective of when I used to fly over the site out of RAF Abingdon in the 1980’s. I love the fact that you can see the steam train on the railway (now the main line from London Paddingdon to Swindon and the SW. Would love to see more shots of the airfield.
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th October 2008 at 16:22
You ought to try AIX for your main question Nic, I do know the war period saw many changes and improvements to R/W markings and lighting which weren’t applied to all airfields, so there may not be a definative answer.
Thanks. And ‘AIX’ would be… trying not to show my ignorance 😮
By: pagen01 - 7th October 2008 at 15:54
‘X’ means the runway is dissused and only to be landed on in emergency, it was painted on each dissused R/W threshold in a predetermined size.
You ought to try AIX for your main question Nic, I do know the war period saw many changes and improvements to R/W markings and lighting which weren’t applied to all airfields, so there may not be a definative answer.
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th October 2008 at 11:48
I presume you have seen this?
http://www.pixture.co.uk/Airfields/Page%20Images/Grove/ImageL/Grove%201946%20aerial%20view.htm
Just “X” markings showing in 1946
Yes I have, but thanks anyway. It’s the other end of the main runway – shown in the bottom RHS of that picture that I’m interested in. They must have photographed it at the same time as they took this picture, but sadly it is not shown!
I should also add that this picture is actually upside down – if you rotate through 180 degrees you get the true orientation of the airfield.
But as you have pointed out, if it is the same then, just a cross, no piano keys or runway numbers.
In the brief bit of research I’ve done, I suspect the runway was resurfaced after the war, therefore potentially more modern runway markings were applied then…
By: G-ORDY - 7th October 2008 at 11:31
I presume you have seen this?
http://www.pixture.co.uk/Airfields/Page%20Images/Grove/ImageL/Grove%201946%20aerial%20view.htm
Just “X” markings showing in 1946
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October 7, 2008 at 11:22 am