Spitfire F22 question.

[Gondor]

Would it really matter as long as the correct light lit when you flipped the appropriate switch?

Gondor

[perttime]

Does anyone have a chance to get a peek underneath the F.24 VN485 at Duxford?

How were they used for ID?

One possibility is that the lights could be arranged a few different ways. Looks like they wouldn't be hard to remove and install.
http://spitfirespares.co.uk/Pages/lighting.html

[PR19_Kit]

Would it really matter as long as the correct light lit when you flipped the appropriate switch?

Not at all, but the wiring system for every aircraft would have been different.

This thread will presage hordes of us grovelling undeneath every Spitfire on display anywhere now, scribbling notes as we go. 

[Rheged]

Would it really matter as long as the correct light lit when you flipped the appropriate switch?

Not at all, but the wiring system for every aircraft would have been different.

This thread will presage hordes of us grovelling undeneath every Spitfire on display anywhere now, scribbling notes as we go. 

Good morning Kit.   This  thread   is in great  danger   of  introducing the sport of Spitfire Grovelling in the next Olympics!

[JayBee]

Well that is one thing to be said for the F21 at Kelvingrove, being hung from the ceiling there is no grovelling required. Which, given the state of my knees is just as well. 

[Geoff]

I have a nasty suspision that the panel/order of lights got changed around during maintanence and as long as the switches operated the right light it did not matter. Corse if the wiring got altered and you are showing green when the good guys are showing amber - you is toast!

Spifire grovling - that I would watch.

[NARSES2]

If indeed they were used for identification (and I've wondered what they were for as well) then no it probably wouldn't matter in which order they were as long as they were flashed in the right sequence.

But didn't the RAF have electronic IFF ? or was that just used to ID yourself to radar ? I'm even more confused now 

As for Spitfire grovelling, it should be taught in schools  I'm now begining to have some amusing visions of the Hendon show next year 

[Gondor]

Synchronised Spitfire Grovelling anyone? 

Gondor

[TallEng]

Aircraft recognition lights is what they are, an early form of IFF.
And the order of the lights in question?



The white light was on top of the airframe somewhere, but not always fitted as I understand.
So it looks like the order is Red, Green, Amber.
Hope that helps

Regards
Keith

[Rheged]

Synchronised Spitfire Grovelling anyone?  

Gondor

I'd thought of Spitfire Grovelling   as an individual event .   The team equivalent   is   surely group Lancaster Limboing ;  and as for  the  Olympic pool ..........what they get up to under the Walrus (individual) or  Sunderland (team)  is anyone's guess.  


 Sorry,  I apologise  for the introduction of the thread  drift virus!

Further bit added later.  Mrs Rheged   points out that theseare all British  aircraft.  What  would the   equivalents be in other countries.........? Think how the USA took the game of Rounders, and made Baseball out of it.


Stuka squirming  or  Corsair crawling anyone?

[NARSES2]

So it looks like the order is Red, Green, Amber.
Hope that helps

Regards
Keith

You are assuming of course that the RAF operated logically, now from my experience of HMG very few departments do, and if they do it's infuriating logic. Logic designed to turn your hair white overnight 

[perttime]

Looks like US aircraft used Red, Green, Amber, too.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/recognitiion-lights-11908.html

When did everybody start using them?

[JayBee]

I believe what I have seen with my own eyes in Kelvingrove. So mine will be Yelow, Grren, Red from the front.
If anyone who visits the Glasgow show objects, then take a walk across the road and look up at the real thing.

Jim

[Gondor]

Sounds good to me JayBee 

[ChrisF]

I thought spitfire grovelling was concerned with the corect shade of green for the interior ?!

*Runs and hides*