Ian L Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Hi Guys I'm looking for this information regarding the Goose Neck Flares. The '21G/95' is the RAF AP 1086 Stores Vocabulary number, i.e. Section 21G, Reference 95 Clive can you help ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Ian, what information e.g. use or maker(s)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 7, 2019 Author Share Posted October 7, 2019 20 minutes ago, MatchFuzee said: Ian, what information e.g. use or maker(s)? The publication regarding to that reference number i posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 18 hours ago, Ian L said: The publication regarding to that reference number i posted You're after the entry in the Vocab of Stores? That AP is pretty much just a long list of kit, so won't give much info on the flares themselves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 5 hours ago, RAFMT said: You're after the entry in the Vocab of Stores? That AP is pretty much just a long list of kit, so won't give much info on the flares themselves. Oh ok I thought it was going to be instructions on how to use it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 46 minutes ago, Ian L said: Oh ok I thought it was going to be instructions on how to use it ? Light blue touch paper and retire immediately 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 8 hours ago, Richard Farrant said: Light blue touch paper and retire immediately 😉 Surely RUN!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 An "Airman of the day" using them:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/99/a2909199.shtml The Gooseneck Flare was so called because of the long-necked spout on the container that resembled a large watering can. The main body contained paraffin, or other flammable liquid with a wick travelling up the spout and extending by a small amount. The Gooseneck Flare would be positioned with the spout pointing downwind to prevent flaring when it was alight. It produced a bright light that was extremely difficult to extinguish in the event of enemy aircraft approaching the airfield. The Gooseneck Flares were positioned at intervals along both edges of the runway being used at night to assist the pilots in taking off and landing their aeroplane. On the end of the spout there was a metal hinged flap that could be used to cover the wick to extinguish the flame when no longer requird. When not in use the Gooseneck Flare would be stored in the Night Flying Equipment Building. Copied from:- https://www.rafharrowbeer-dartmoor.org.uk/fp.php?id=1173 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 11 hours ago, MatchFuzee said: An "Airman of the day" using them:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/99/a2909199.shtml The Gooseneck Flare was so called because of the long-necked spout on the container that resembled a large watering can. The main body contained paraffin, or other flammable liquid with a wick travelling up the spout and extending by a small amount. The Gooseneck Flare would be positioned with the spout pointing downwind to prevent flaring when it was alight. It produced a bright light that was extremely difficult to extinguish in the event of enemy aircraft approaching the airfield. The Gooseneck Flares were positioned at intervals along both edges of the runway being used at night to assist the pilots in taking off and landing their aeroplane. On the end of the spout there was a metal hinged flap that could be used to cover the wick to extinguish the flame when no longer requird. When not in use the Gooseneck Flare would be stored in the Night Flying Equipment Building. Copied from:- https://www.rafharrowbeer-dartmoor.org.uk/fp.php?id=1173 Hi Guy. That's good mate that's a start, that's sort of what I'm looking for as I cant find anything on 'Wicki' There must be a booklet around showing how these were used & laid out on a landing strip ? thay would have to be spaced at an exact distance otherwise the pilot would not know the length of the runway at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Ian L said: Hi Guy. That's good mate that's a start, that's sort of what I'm looking for as I cant find anything on 'Wicki' There must be a booklet around showing how these were used & laid out on a landing strip ? thay would have to be spaced at an exact distance otherwise the pilot would not know the length of the runway at night. Daft suggestion, the torches at Up Helly Ah are made of a canvas, they burn for a long time, try one of the halls to see what they use, yes not helping re spaces etc but may help with the wick Edited October 9, 2019 by Surveyor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Ian L said: There must be a booklet around showing how these were used & laid out on a landing strip ? thay would have to be spaced at an exact distance otherwise the pilot would not know the length of the runway at night. From chapter 11:- The quantity of cans varied according to the length of runway required - it could be fifty or more. https://books.google.com/books/about/Fighter_Pilots_in_World_War_II.html?id=fuao0PzEo_0C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, MatchFuzee said: From chapter 11:- The quantity of cans varied according to the length of runway required - it could be fifty or more. https://books.google.com/books/about/Fighter_Pilots_in_World_War_II.html?id=fuao0PzEo_0C Where did you get that from Guy as I'm not sure I agree with that. As a pilot myself I dont see how you would get the landing perceptive & flare height right without the spacing always being the same otherwise you would not be able to judge height above ground or runway distance. Edited October 10, 2019 by Ian L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 8 hours ago, Ian L said: Where did you get that from Guy as im not sure I agree with that, as a pilot myself I dont see how you would get the landing perseptive right without the spacing always being the same otherwise you would not be able to judge height above ground or runway daistance. Ian, I thought that the "50 or more" would mean that the spacing was always the same regardless of the length of the airfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 On a decoy airfield:- The flare path was almost 1km long made up of lights spaced approx. 100m apart. To prevent friendly aircraft attempting to land on the non-existent runway, each end had a bar of hooded red lights, only visible at low level. There are links to some very interesting sites at the bottom of the page:- https://www.moors-valley.co.uk/learning/decoy-bunker/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Ian, From the Runway Edge Lighting Regulation 3515 (9) there appears to be a maximum but no minimum spacing, so I wonder if the WW2 spacing was the same, especially as the decoy airfield spacing was 100 metres, although in WW2, I would have expected measurements to be in yards not metres. Part of the Runway Edge Lighting Regulation 3515 (9) Be uniformly spaced in rows at intervals of not more than 60 metres for an instrument runway, and not more than 100 metres for a non-instrument runway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I'll take a look when I get a chance. It's going to be hidden a mess of APs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Here we go, 100 yard intervals. Taken from AP3024 "Flying Control in the Royal Air Force". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 (edited) 54 minutes ago, RAFMT said: Here we go, 100 yard intervals. Taken from AP3024 "Flying Control in the Royal Air Force". Promote that man to Squadron leader, that's exactly what I'm looking for where did you find it & have you got the other appendix's B E F G mentioned. I knew it would be an exact pattern/size, I'll up the airfield tonight practising my night landings. Edited October 10, 2019 by Ian L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 On 10/10/2019 at 2:59 PM, RAFMT said: Here we go, 100 yard intervals. Taken from AP3024 "Flying Control in the Royal Air Force". Hello RAFMT did you receive my PM to you ? Regards Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz48 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 I first went to Duxford in the early seventies where one of the side stores in the middle hanger absolutely full of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian L Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 2 hours ago, Baz48 said: I first went to Duxford in the early seventies where one of the side stores in the middle hanger absolutely full of them Well I have 6 now so not quite a hanger full but I do intend to display them & have one working !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 (edited) On 10/8/2019 at 5:59 AM, Ian L said: "The '21G /95'is the RAF AP 1086 Stores Vocabulary number, i.e. Section 21G, Reference 95" HI there, Just wondering where '21G /95' came from as I have Section 21G as 'Hospital equipment excluding medical & surgical supplies' whereas 'Flares, parrafin' would be section 4C & 'Flare Paths (electrical)' would be section 5A & 'Flares, pyrotechnic' would be section 12D Please correct me if I have this about face. Regards Bobby Edited July 3, 2020 by BobbyC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgfw201 Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 Hi there, Bit of a random one. I've discovered a little stash of these in a barn recently, and we've got an event coming up which they'd add some great theatre to for people coming and going. They've not been used in christ knows how long, but most have a bit of the rope/wick still in them. I chucked some paraffin in one yesterday and lit it, and it produced a really nice flame, albeit only for about 10 minutes. Does anyone know where you can buy these 30mm or so thick cotton wicks? Gooseneck flare accessories don't seem to be well catered for by amazon, weirdly. Also, any tips on how to get them to burn for hours and hours? Thanks 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 (edited) On 4/13/2021 at 12:11 PM, cgfw201 said: Does anyone know where you can buy these 30mm or so thick cotton wicks? Gooseneck flare accessories don't seem to be well catered for by amazon, weirdly. They are basically just a big oil lamp, so search for oil lamp wick, or paraffin lamp wick. Loads out there, but I can't see any 30mm round. There are some larger flat ones, or feeding a load of smaller round ones into a tubular wick might work. Old (non-nylon) rope would probably work too. Edited April 15, 2021 by Johnny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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