Did Spitfires Have Lights?

[Hopkirk]

Well did they?

[TWR]

No.

[Mamyalynne]

The cars did.

[SIRandyraven]

Yes of course they did. So the Germans could aim at them in the dark.

[Psybbo]

Triumph Spitfires - frog eyes?

[scorpiojo]

LOL

[Hopkirk]

Frog eyes were Austin Healey Sprites I think, but I meant Supermarine Spitfires.

[tonyav]

Psybbo
Triumph Spitfires - frog eyes?

That was the Austin Healy Sprite Mk I, psybbo.

[Mamyalynne]

This one has a navigation light to the rear of the mast, scroll down the pics



http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1997/11/stuff_eng_detail_spitfire1.htm

[Hopkirk]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01408/frogeye_1408663c.jpg

[SIRandyraven]

The cars did not.
You had to hold a torch out of the window , when driving in the dark.

[Mamyalynne]

Ours did , but it did let water in.

[Hopkirk]

Goog link Mamy, navigation lights confirmed.

How about landing lights, so the pilot could see to land in the dark?

[SlackAlice]

Apparently they did.

http://spitfirespares.co.uk/Pages/lighting.html

[tonyav]

Looks like the early ones had some kind of identification light.

On new production Mk IXs the small, teardrop shaped identification light behind the radio mast was removed.

[SlackAlice]

Ooops, out of order, nothing about landing lights.

[EDDIE51]

Yes they did have lights, my Dad used to service Spitfires in WW2 , they had navigation lights, red to Port and Green to starboard , and landing lights.
They flew with the lights out on a combat / recognizance mission though. Still needed to put the lights on to land at night combat or not.

[Hopkirk]

Excellent link, Alice!

Incidentally I have no reason to ask this question, it's just a random thought that occurred to me.

[Hopkirk]

Thanks Eddie.

I can sleep tonight now.