Simon Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Hello everyone I'm pondering doing a Wellington XIII, and wondered what the thing under the nose of these examples is? Photo here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210708 And the header image on this page: https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/vickers-wellington Thanks Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Simon, I'm not very well-versed on the Wimpy, nor do I have a ton of references on the type, but I think the aerial under the nose of the Mk XIII photo you posted has something to do with the ASV II radar fit- IIRC, most of that variant had a chin radome and centimetric radar, instead of the mast type as seen in your posted photos. Perhaps one of our wonderful Wimpy wizards (Say that three times real fast!) will be along shortly to give you the definitive answer. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Thanks for the reply Mike. Just to clarify, I mean the box-like projection sticking out at an angle (looks a bit like Lenin's goatee ). I did wonder if it was connected to the ASV fitment, but it doesn't look like an aerial. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Oops, my bad, Simon! I have no earthly idea what that puppy is! Perhaps @tonyot might know? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 I recall something with a light mounted on ASV Wellingtons. Could that be it? HTH Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 12 minutes ago, 72modeler said: Oops, my bad, Simon! I have no earthly idea what that puppy is! Perhaps @tonyot might know? Mike No worries Mike! 5 minutes ago, FinnAndersen said: I recall something with a light mounted on ASV Wellingtons. Could that be it? HTH Finn Finn - were you possibly thinking of the Leigh Light? https://uboat.net/allies/technical/leigh_light.htm I was thinking of something similar, but it looks too small. There's a photo of Wellington 'E' of 621 Squadron on the RAFweb.org site, which shows what seems to be a similar object from the front: https://www.rafweb.org/images/194411xx_621 Sqdn.jpg Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 If you mean the Leigh light, I think it was mounted in a pod under one wing, not in or under the nose . Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 The chin radome was the later ASV Mk.VIII, basically the same as the bomber H2S. It was under the nose partly to reduce interference and partly because the ventral position (originally a turret) was occupied by the Leigh Leight. The Leigh Light was carried under the wing on Liberators, and maybe also on other types including early Wellingtons? Which doesn't answer the question of the kit under the nose. I know later patrol aircraft carried sniffer equipment to sense diesel fumes, but strongly suspect this example is too early for that. One for the Brooklands Museum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 32 minutes ago, Simon said: .. Finn - were you possibly thinking of the Leigh Light? .. Should have googled before I answered. No way that thing would fit under the nose 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pameinos Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 The small fairing under the nose mounted the F.46 camera for recording torpedo drops. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Interesting Pameinos, thank you. So would the camera face downwards and rearwards to film the torpedo leaving the aircraft and hitting the water? Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 As others have said,.... it is a strike camera. facing forwards to record the target at the time the torpedo was dropped. Beaufighters had them fitted inside the nose and Post War Lancs had them facing backwards under the tail turret to record a depth charge drop. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Thanks for the clarification Tony. Regards Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 4 hours ago, Graham Boak said: The Leigh Light was carried under the wing on Liberators, and maybe also on other types including early Wellingtons? I think it was the Liberator I was thinking of that carried the Leigh light; see the link below to a photo of one under a GR Liberator. I think the Leigh light was mounted in the space normally occupied by the ventral 'dustbin' gun position on the Wellington XIII and XIV, as shown in the second linked photo . Mike https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Light#/media/File:Leigh_Light.jpg https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Air-to-Surface_Vessel_radar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 I suspect that earlier Liberators also carried the Leigh Light in place of the ball turret, and the neat installation underwing is a later development. One problem with it was the sheer amount of batteries required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted October 15, 2019 Share Posted October 15, 2019 I've searched through my Wellington refs ( not that many, unfortunately ) and found this picture in Martin Bowman's book Wellington: The Geodetic Giant, at the top of page 44. There is no explanation or even mention of what is might be. Chris 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 16, 2019 Author Share Posted October 16, 2019 Interesting photo Chris, thanks for posting. Regards Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 Just looking at the photo from Martin Bowman's book again, and I wondered what the row of dark marks along the fuselage between the underside of the wing and the top edge of the bomb bay doors are? Are they markings, or part of the construction of the fuselage? Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
593jones Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Simon said: Just looking at the photo from Martin Bowman's book again, and I wondered what the row of dark marks along the fuselage between the underside of the wing and the top edge of the bomb bay doors are? Are they markings, or part of the construction of the fuselage? Simon They may be the openings for the bomb loading winch handle, this pic on Pinterest seems to show the winch in use: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/34973334588982652 There is also a photograph in the wartime publication 'Britain's Wonderful Air Force', which shows the winch in use photographed from a different, angle, giving a clearer shot; as I don't have a scanner I can't post the picture, but if anyone has a copy it is on page 115. Hope this helps. Edited October 17, 2019 by 593jones 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 That's very helpful indeed, thank you. Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 5 hours ago, 593jones said: They may be the openings for the bomb loading winch handle, this pic on Pinterest seems to show the winch in use: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/34973334588982652 There is also a photograph in the wartime publication 'Britain's Wonderful Air Force', which shows the winch in use photographed from a different, angle, giving a clearer shot; as I don't have a scanner I can't post the picture, but if anyone has a copy it is on page 115. Hope this helps. A larger version of that photo: Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 I have just received some pictures of some No. 407 Squadron RCAF from Carl Vincent. One has that item on the nose. I have blown up part of the image to show it better. The original: The item: Chris 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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