NEVADA - Tonopah Auxiliary Airfield #4

[TommyUSA]

Magnetic Declination indicator

Found this on Google Earth while looking at Tonopah (Nevada) Auxiliary Airfield #4: a compass drawn into the ground showing both true and magnetic north. I don't know what the '8' is though - possible the declination at the time of construction? It's now 13 deg for this location.

Anyway, have a look on Google Earth. Flashearth does not have a sharp-enough photo of it.

37deg 44' 41.66" N
116deg 39' 27.29" W

Tommy

[kebecker]

Tommy

edit edit edit!!!! this is of course the wrong airfield! You were refering to this one number 4 ?http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...ada)%26hl%3Den

but this is still of interest !

The marks seem to align with the runways. Take a look at the airfield plan http://www.nevadadot.com/traveler/av...ms/pdf/TPH.pdf

based on this I reckon its a;

Airport wind direction and velocity indicator United States Patent 5323649

A tetrahedron-shaped airport wind direction and velocity indicator being triangular in cross-section with first and second sides sloping downward from a top edge, such sides coming to a point at the front of the device with the device adapted to point into the wind. The device has illuminable numerical indicia for displaying wind speed on its first and second sides and illuminable side edges for night time viewing of the device from above with the direction of the device indicating wind direction.

[REF]

The airfield is Tonopah AuxAF #4, as seen in he link to Paul Freeman' page:
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/NV/...ml#mellannorth

If you enter the co-ordinates 37 44' 41.66" N 116 39' 27.29" W into google maps it will take you there.

A couple of screnshots here:




Looking at the page on Freemans' site, it shows a target near the airfield, to the north of this marking, my guess is that this is a bombing target. Any further thoughts?