rkk01 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Is it possible to have runway lights / flarepath, at least for the metalled / hard surfaced runways on Channel and Normandy maps. Night flying is incredibly tricky without these and with the Mosquito FB.VI the Night Intruder role should be available for missions. Obviously the lights should only be on for the briefest of moments, so should ideally be linked to the radio comms menu 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell_rj Posted September 22, 2021 Share Posted September 22, 2021 +1 for this!!! Taking off without any visual reference is hard. PC specs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocketedition Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 I don’t know that you would have to do lots of research to work out why it’s a bad idea to turn lights on at night in a theatre of war. Conditions were imposed upon the population of england (and elsewhere) not to use household lights without "blackout curtains" being drawn first. Streets were patrolled at night by wardens, sometimes heard calling to a house “Put that light out” Firefighters in london worked really hard to put fires out before nightfall so as not show enemy bombers where to aim the next time they flew over. Runway lights turned on for even short periods could have bought down all kinds of unwanted mayhem. For all belligerents. You could rig a radio item in your ME editor to do just as you are looking for. However, for the sake of simulating WW2 conditions, the runway lights are a no. A “Put that light out” no. So, the answer to your question is yes. You can. I just don't know that you will find that luxury on any of the server's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell_rj Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 pocketedition, You should probably research FIDO. PC specs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borginator01 Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 FIDO was for emergencies, when heavy fog was around. As @pocketedition said lights are a big no no in wartime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkk01 Posted September 23, 2021 Author Share Posted September 23, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, pocketedition said: I don’t know that you would have to do lots of research to work out why it’s a bad idea to turn lights on at night in a theatre of war. Conditions were imposed upon the population of england (and elsewhere) not to use household lights without "blackout curtains" being drawn first. Streets were patrolled at night by wardens, sometimes heard calling to a house “Put that light out” Firefighters in london worked really hard to put fires out before nightfall so as not show enemy bombers where to aim the next time they flew over. Runway lights turned on for even short periods could have bought down all kinds of unwanted mayhem. For all belligerents. You could rig a radio item in your ME editor to do just as you are looking for. However, for the sake of simulating WW2 conditions, the runway lights are a no. A “Put that light out” no. So, the answer to your question is yes. You can. I just don't know that you will find that luxury on any of the server's. Well, it’s obviously true that the blackout was essential… … but so was getting large numbers of bombers into the air and back down again! BTW, my interest and background info come from childhood discussions with a Bomber Command aircrew. Even with the benefit radio navaids, it’s still necessary to eyeball the runway. FIDO was the “Big Daddy” to burn off fog, but the RAF also used Chance Lights to floodlight runways and Sandra Lights to beam a light cone over airfields…. IIRC Geoffrey Wellum describes his collision with a Chance Light in his wartime memoir “First Light”. Description & Photo of Sandra and flare path lights FIDO Sandra light cone and flarepath - (possibly also a Chance Light runway floodlight judging by the light flare beyond the Lanc’s port undercarriage???) Edited September 23, 2021 by rkk01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razo+r Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 In the meantime, I can offer you a mod based on the Drem Light System: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell_rj Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 Let's not be stereotypical flight sim nerds about this and focus on the details to the detriment of the issue - which is that in the game it is impossible to see to land in the dark. In real life, 'things' were done to alleviate that (eating more carrots, anyone? ) and so the game would benefit from some sort of illumination to help with night landings. 1 minute ago, razo+r said: In the meantime, I can offer you a mod based on the Drem Light System: Nice! Going to check this out, thanks! 2 PC specs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkk01 Posted September 23, 2021 Author Share Posted September 23, 2021 More illumination… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkk01 Posted September 26, 2021 Author Share Posted September 26, 2021 (edited) Also search Gooseneck Flares… Reality was, blackout or no blackout, pilots needed the reference marks on the runway…! Seems like the Airfield Identification Beacons also flashed out a two letter red / white ID code whilst Ops were on Edited September 26, 2021 by rkk01 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capitaine_Flaime Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Barrels that burn with a good source of light !!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullGas Posted December 2, 2021 Share Posted December 2, 2021 look at : 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullGas Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 Hello WWII fans, here is some thing for you Enjoy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robi-wan Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 On 9/22/2021 at 8:55 PM, pocketedition said: Runway lights turned on for even short periods could have bought down all kinds of unwanted mayhem. Yep, that's why RAF intruders would orbit around Nachtjagd aerodromes during "flower" ops, or around LW bomber aerodromes in France in the early years of intruder ops by 23 Sqn, 418 Sqn and 605 Sqn. On 9/22/2021 at 8:55 PM, pocketedition said: However, for the sake of simulating WW2 conditions, the runway lights are a no. A “Put that light out” no. Respectfully, that completely ignores the historical record. Squadron ORBs are full of references to catching LW aerodromes with various degrees of lighting. Additionally the LW was prolific in establishing dummy aerodromes with lights to enhance the ruse. ORBs are some of my favorite reading material. Here's a sample of ORB entries. From Oct 1943 by 141 Sqn still flying Beaufighters but in the process of converting to Mosquitos. And an example at Coltishall of the RAF's use of airfield lighting in response to an emergency. From 605 Sqn in December of 1943 And 418 Sqn in March 1944 The point is both sides routinely used aerodrome lighting, you simply limit its use during takeoffs and landings. Put them on a timer or trigger. But saying "no" to perimeter, runway, flarepath, or visual Lorenz (approach lighting) systems is omitting a HUGE historical fact and gaming immersion factor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doughguy Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Is there any documentation about how germans lit their airfields? Above pages mention abbeville having landing lights. Atm im away from pc but does anyone know if abbeville is actually lit in dcs? https://sr-f.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razo+r Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 (edited) 29 minutes ago, Doughguy said: Is there any documentation about how germans lit their airfields? http://bodenplatte-45.narod.ru/L.Dv5-1-Der-Flugbetrieb-der-Luftwaffe-Teil-1-Juni-.pdf PDF page 127 29 minutes ago, Doughguy said: Atm im away from pc but does anyone know if abbeville is actually lit in dcs? It's on the channel map. Edited August 25, 2022 by razo+r 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doughguy Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 vor 6 Stunden schrieb razo+r: It's on the channel map. yes, but the question was rather if it can be lit, as in having landinglights like modern maps. https://sr-f.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razo+r Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Oh sorry, I missed the word lit. No, it does not have lights in DCS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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