ID lamps beneath the fuselage

[Mancunian airman]

Can any of you keen types just clarify this for me.

Thinking more of the Lancaster (See my build in the 'WIP') but of the three ID lamps, I had the impression that the 3 lamp covers were clear with the relevant bulbs being coloured rather than the whole cover being coloured.

Cut-away drawings merely indicates Downward ID lamps.

It is my intention that I shall build to the former description rather than the latter.

Any positive confirmation please ??

many thanks

Edited December 1, 2015 by Mancunian airman

[gingerbob]

Don't know about the Lanc specifically, but I think it is usually the lens that is colored in this case.

bob

[bentwaters81tfw]

Something else that is often overlooked - navigation lights. The starboard lamp is 'green' or is it? In many instances the lens is actually dark blue, a normal bulb emitting a yellow light. Yellow + blue = green. Something I noticed when examining the lamp lenses from crashed B-24s. I have looked at other airframes since, and found the same. I now paint the starboard lens with clear blue, or dark blue if a solid representation.
No doubt someone will jump down my throat and post pretty pictures of green lenses. If you doubt me, take a look at the pictures of the EAP in our Walkaround section. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234959872-british-aerospace-eap-experimental-aircraft-programme/ The lamp is at approx 1/3 chord and repeated on the wingtip missile rail. It is blue, I checked it after Telford.

[sloegin57]

There were two sets of Identification lamps.

The upper, which consisted of a 16-watt frosted glass bulb with a clear glass front and the three downward lamps with red, green and clear fronts. Each of the latter contained a 35-watt or 80-watt clear lamp.

On the Lancaster, selection for these lamps was on the pilots panel Stbd side with colour selector switches for the downward lights below the flying panel. Also on the stbd side of the pilots panel were four red warning lamps which indicated when either/or, any of the external lamps were switched on.

HTH

Dennis

[woody37]

Something else that is often overlooked - navigation lights. The starboard lamp is 'green' or is it? In many instances the lens is actually dark blue, a normal bulb emitting a yellow light. Yellow + blue = green. Something I noticed when examining the lamp lenses from crashed B-24s. I have looked at other airframes since, and found the same. I now paint the starboard lens with clear blue, or dark blue if a solid representation.

No doubt someone will jump down my throat and post pretty pictures of green lenses. If you doubt me, take a look at the pictures of the EAP in our Walkaround section. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234959872-british-aerospace-eap-experimental-aircraft-programme/ The lamp is at approx 1/3 chord and repeated on the wingtip missile rail. It is blue, I checked it after Telford.

I might try this on my current build, thanks

[Mancunian airman]

Thanks for the reply lads but no specific answer yet; the 3 ID lamps beneath the Lancaster ? clear lenses or coloured ??

[sloegin57]

Thanks for the reply lads but no specific answer yet; the 3 ID lamps beneath the Lancaster ? clear lenses or coloured ??

Coloured fronts. clear bulbs (lamps). I assume by "lenses" you mean either the bulbs or the reflectors (if fitted).

HTH

Dennis

Edit - best I can do to illustrate :-

The three coloured fronts under the cockpit with clear lamps behind.

Edited December 3, 2015 by sloegin57

[Kes]

Canberra have these three Id lights too, just behind the nose wheel bay, I took a photo of them under the PR7 at Newark air Museum a while ago when researching a build!!

. . . Kes (who will find the photo if pushed?!?!)

[Mancunian airman]

Many thanks for the info

For the Lancaster are the colours always in the same order: RED - GREEN - CLEAR (front to rear)

What about on the Canberra ? Port to Starboard ? Red - Green - Clear

[Admiral Puff]

I don't know for certain, but logic suggests that the lenses would be coloured and the bulbs clear. It would simplify the spares inventory, at least - when a bulb blew it would be a simple matter of replacing it with another one rather than having to find one of the correct colour (which, by Murpy's Law, would always be the one out of stock ...).

While we're on the subject - I presume that these lights would only be fitted to military aircraft, not civilian, so that they would not have appeared on Lancastrians. Correct, or way off track? And were they fitted to/used on flying boats, e.g. Sunderlands, Catalinas?

[sloegin57]

Point of Order. The covers were not called "Lenses". Lenses converge/diverge light and these were simple coloured glass. They were called "fronts" or "covers" :-

From :-AP 3083 Sect 4 Chap 2 Navigation and Identification Lamps Para.4

Lancastrians - would have been fitted to military aircraft of that type also Lancasters with Lancastrian style fairings fore and aft.

Sunderlands/Catalinas - good point, I'll have to look that one up.

HTH

Dennis

[LDSModeller]

While we're on the subject - I presume that these lights would only be fitted to military aircraft, not civilian, so that they would not have appeared on Lancastrians. Correct, or way off track? And were they fitted to/used on flying boats, e.g. Sunderlands, Catalinas?

Short Sunderlands (all marks) had them, as you can see in this photo (outboard of the bomb track cover).

I was sure all Catalina's had them too, (Port wing) this diagram shows where they should be

http://i47.servimg.com/u/f47/15/57/08/25/lights10.jpg

This photo of an RNZAF Catalina does not appear to have them

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m169/flyernzl/catalina/NZ4042a.jpg

Hope that helps?

Regards

Alan

Edited December 7, 2015 by LDSModeller

[Mancunian airman]

Thanks for clearing that up Dennis

[Admiral Puff]

Thanks, Dennis. Any ideas about whether they carried over onto the civilian (in particular the BOAC/Qantas) ones?

And, thanks Alan - there's another Cat I have to add to the "must do" list ...