Night Flying Equipment

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12 years 2 months

Posts: 12

Somewhere near to Flying Control on a typical WW2 R.A.F. or U.S.A.A.F. aerodrome there would be a three bay Night Flying Equipment shed.

In this shed would be stored the illuminated landing ‘Tee’, the Goose-neck flares & trolley and the glim lamps and trolley.

I can find out what the flares and lamps looked like here:

Goose-neck flares:

http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?3893-Goose-Neck-s&

Glim lamps:
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?5631-WWII-Glim-Lamp

The thing is, does anyone out there know anything about the trolleys that the flares were transported on?

I’ve drawn a blank, searching on the net.

I figure that they much have been reasonably substantial, given the number of flares and lamps likely to be kept in reserve in case of a runway lighting failure. These would have to be transported along the peri-track and down the runway in use, so the trolleys would have to be big enough for the load and robust enough to be towed by a vehicle. I would have thought then, that the trolleys would probably be 4 wheeled, with a pivoting front axle and possibly timber sides and a drop tailgate. I should think that it would be likely that both trolleys would be identical, given the similar roles.

Can anyone kindly share any further information?

Also, I’ve drawn a blank regarding the illuminated ‘Tee’ I assume it folded for storage in the shed, but so far, I haven’t found any pictures of period items, Could anyone kindly help please?

Thanks all,

Tim

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