Airfield objects

**♣_Spiritus_♣** · Sep-25-2014, 15:50

Christmas came early for me, one of my interlibrary loans came in.

For those who are making missions I wanted to post these just to give an idea about RAF airfields in 1940 time era and the placement of a couple things. The book I have only addresses bomber bases in England and Scotland but might help when creating a more lively/accurate airfield. This site also has some interesting stuff on it:

http://www.rafdavidstowmoor.org/intr.../introduction/

In the photos I highlight the placement of the windsock/s, which might vary. In the diagrams that actually notate them, they all adhere to the same idea of what I highlight, a main streamer near the control tower which is visible from all runway thresholds. The chance light standings at the end of each runway, usually placed between the main taxi way artery and the runway are a possible area where one might see a windsock as well since not all airfields towed the chance light stands to these locations. This is speculation, based on seeing photos that show a windsock there.

This doesn't show up on all diagrams but on the diagrams that don't show any wind sock/streamer they don't mention it being anywhere differently. I'll keep exploring this but the placements they do show really mimic what we did in the Marines when placing wind condoms. So, take that in mind when placing windsocks/streamers when you are mission building.... this isn't saying everything is like this but can paint a clearer picture.

PM me if you want me to take some more photos for you, its pretty interesting stuff! You can see the placement of things like the bomb armories to barracks to the latrines!

**Talisman** · Sep-25-2014, 18:10

Nice one. Also, there are a number of pictures on the internet of RAF WWII airfields with a windsock actually on top of the ATC tower. It would be hard to miss that and everyone would know were to look if there was one on top of every RAF airfield ATC tower (not sure how the LW did it though).

Wind direction is also available on tab-7-3.

**♣_Spiritus_♣** · Sep-25-2014, 18:39

Yeah, this book has a lot of good photos, most of them show a smaller wind directional unit on top of the tower, its a big arrow rather than a sock although I've seen both. The diagrams of some of these airfields are crazy detailed, let me know if you want any.

If we were able to get a working one on the tower that would be great! I'd like to see all the airfields look historical, be it windsock only near the tower or windsocks near the runway thresholds. Whatever it may be. Once I get back to the PC I'm going to start making airfields look like they appear in all these photos, even if it means placing thousands of objects.

I'm finding lots of things I wasn't aware of, here is a photo from a Wellington on final to Alconbury. If I placed those buildings on a map I think there would be some complaining about obstructions but I think this is how the game should be.

CAM00143.jpg

**Salmo** · Sep-26-2014, 02:41

Several "main" airfields used Chance Lights.These were portable, self-powered lights produced by Chance Brothers & used to illuminate the runway thresholds.

See http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...7-Chance-Light

**♣_Spiritus_♣** · Sep-26-2014, 07:37

Excellent photo, I was searching for a good one.

Yeah I only came across 2 of the 6 "main" bomber bases that have detailed schematics in this book actually notate the placement of the Chance lights. They towed and stored them behind the control tower when not in use according to this author, which makes sense obstruction wise.

No idea they even existed before and the way they worked/operated is pretty interesting. Learn something everyday.

Windsocks are annoying me, on the diagrams and in photos they always seem to be either on top of the tower and/or close to it visible by all thresholds but some photos do show them near runway/taxi holdshort areas. I would have thought the placement would be more or less universal but maybe I'm wrong.

Some more lighting stuff: (this archive is pure gold!)

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi...nce%20lighting

**ATAG_Freya** · Sep-30-2014, 13:56

Originally Posted by Talisman

Nice one. Also, there are a number of pictures on the internet of RAF WWII airfields with a windsock actually on top of the ATC tower. It would be hard to miss that and everyone would know were to look if there was one on top of every RAF airfield ATC tower (not sure how the LW did it though).

Wind direction is also available on tab-7-3.

Interesting. So could windsocks be placed on the tower using the z-offset in FMB and saved as a template for use on all RAF feilds? I suppose I should try rather than ask...

**♣_Spiritus_♣** · Sep-30-2014, 14:15

Originally Posted by ATAG_Freya

Interesting. So could windsocks be placed on the tower using the z-offset in FMB and saved as a template for use on all RAF feilds? I suppose I should try rather than ask...

Z-offset works in FMB and offline but I've heard it doesn't for online play. Could be completely wrong here.

Cheers!

**No601_Swallow** · Oct-01-2014, 12:24

Originally Posted by Spiritus_Mortem

Z-offset works in FMB and offline but I've heard it doesn't for online play. Could be completely wrong here.

Cheers!

I'm pretty sure Z-offset works with online missions. Certainly it does with the objects I've tried (like Philstyle's loudspeaker poles in trees - tee hee!).

On the other hand, it's Clod we're talking about here, so who really knows? I still have to go through .mis files deleting a "Height" value (like for balloons) that the FMB keeps adding to my smoke columns. Grrr....

**♣_Spiritus_♣** · Oct-01-2014, 22:34

Originally Posted by No601_Swallow

I'm pretty sure Z-offset works with online missions. Certainly it does with the objects I've tried (like Philstyle's loudspeaker poles in trees - tee hee!).

On the other hand, it's Clod we're talking about here, so who really knows? I still have to go through .mis files deleting a "Height" value (like for balloons) that the FMB keeps adding to my smoke columns. Grrr....

Excellent! Glad I am wrong. Can't wait to get back to mission building!

**ATAG_Freya** · Oct-02-2014, 14:25

Hmmmm....

windsock tower.jpg

**92 Sqn. Philstyle (QJ-P)** · Oct-02-2014, 14:36

Windsocks work just fine on top of towers. Z-offset to 7 works well.

SoW server has been using this technique for a while. It's tested and works.

**ATAG_Freya** · Oct-03-2014, 02:15

I knew that. I asked this guy, his Z-offset seems pretty high too.

peter_rose.jpg

(Peter Rose...any relation to the baseball Pete Rose? er...rounders..)

**Decay** · Oct-03-2014, 09:40

Originally Posted by Salmo

Several "main" airfields used Chance Lights.These were portable, self-powered lights produced by Chance Brothers & used to illuminate the runway thresholds.

See http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...7-Chance-Light

I always thought the Chance Brothers were called 'Slim' and 'None'