Runway Markers For Grass Airfields

[Screamadelica]

It was often a common practice for a large white "T" to be laid out at the end of the runway, indicating which approach to take for landing.

Made it easier to see which was the active runway from the air, much better than trying to spot a windsock.

Also placards were sometimes placed along the length of the active strip to define the edge, which helps keeping a straight take off run.

These would really help in spotting grass airfield runways in low light.

Either that or I need my eyesight checked again....

[Ala13_ManOWar]

Yep, Roald Dahl tells that in his biography. Also he had an accident for looking only the T when someone forgot to change it when the wind changed . But I believe it was pre-war times perhaps? I don't know if they kept that practice during wartime.

[Mogster]

Pre war there was a circle pained on the grass I believe, like a target. Then they moved to a large mostly wooden T on a frame that they would drag about. The T would denote the vague landing area and the wind direction. Later in the war a white van or truck, the ground control van, was often used to indicate the active area and wind direction. Take off would be to the left of the van, landing to the right.