Goose Neck's

[Able Mabel]

Love to be able to show you photos but as yet can't get on with PB account. However, i have three that i 'aquired' from a skip at RAF BInbrook when they were having a clear out, still got a 'rag' of sorts in the funnel of the can.

They were used during the war to aid landings before the advent of the electrical system installation, ie The DREM system.

[olympusman]

A Goose Neck used up to the end of the 70ties in the Belgian Air Force...



Seen at the "Brustem Air Base Museum" (St-Truiden - Belgium)

[REF]

Are there any photos of them in use? They just look like a garden watering can to me!!

[Able Mabel]

Great piccy, i shall photograph mine and post in the next day or so.
I would presume that their use in Belguim would compliment the electric lightning ??

[norwichpaul]

Ha ha ha, that looks like a cheap version, mine is cast iron and very heavy, designed to stay put even when under the down-draught of a helicopter. Got no photo though. Yes its a Cold War version, designed under some long-lost NATO spec - I suspect.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Are there any photos of them in use? They just look like a garden watering can to me!!

I don't have any photos of Goosenecks in use but I will tell you a little story of actually using them.

When I worked on the Song Song bombing range in Malaya (1961-1964) our base at Butterworth built a Low-level Target in the workshops. This was an amazing contraption designed by someone with a troubled mind who decided that, since it was a floating target, it should be universally jointed in each corner to better 'ride the waves' in a high sea state. About 6 metres square pyramid structure from angle iron covered in painted canvas and floating on empty 45 gallon oil drums.

For night bombing, I amongst other poor souls, had to jump - from a Range Safety Launch skilfully maneuvered alongside - with a Gooseneck in each hand full of kerosene onto the bobbing target and lash the flares one to each corner with wire then light the wick with a portfire. Dodging the burning wicks and trying to avoid slipping into the corner 'joints' and losing a leg was only for the fit and young. All this being pre-HSE days there was no life-line or life preserver and it was not uncommon for the RSL to back off to avoid collision and leave us clinging in the dark. Someone had the bright idea of attaching a portfire to the end of a gaff hook and lighting them after re-boarding the launch but this would usually result in the canvas covering catching fire!

Not quite an aircraft 'flarepath' but then the Gooseneck Flare was a universal use item.

[canberra]

I wonder if any airfield still has them? No airfield I worked on had them the emergency lighting was the LE58 portable lighting, but that was withdrawn about 10 years ago.

[binbrook74]

Cant wait to see the pics of the goose necks from binbrook .
Would love to have one of them in my Binbrook collection if you ever decide to part with one

[AiXAdmin]

I wonder if any airfield still has them?

I can`t say whether or not anyone still uses them, but I recall they were made "available" for emergency use at Tollerton when night flying was in progress, and their use and procedures formed part of my briefing to students (late 70's - mid 80's) . in reality I'd have hot footed it over to EMA along with everyone else I suspect, but I wouldn`t be surprised if they stiil have them in store somewhere - along with the "glims" for the taxiways.

Cheers
Dave

[canberra]

Blimey nI havent seen a glim lamp for almost 30 years!