Lighting Controllers and Mimic Boards

[P Bellamy]

Here's the lighting control unit and mimic board at Bassingbourn in USAAF use:



Detail of the mimic board:



Detail of the control unit, the makers label appears to be Watford:



The same controller and board in a combined cabinet at Leiston:



All the best,
PB

[PNK]

Doesn't Barry Manilow look young there Strange that the lights shine through his sleeves!

Nice pics showing one working.

[P Bellamy]

I guess I ought to include an earlier post by Carnaby explaining the control unit above:

Airfield Lighting Mk.1 was a modification of the installation invented at RAF Drem. It was too restrictive for Bomber Command and went through a major upgrade to AFL Mk.2 which was the most common system during WWII. Though AFL 1 and 2 were the official terms, they were generally referred to as Drem 1 and 2.

The Mk.2 control panel had a six position rotary switch for runway selection, plus eight on/off switches for:
1 Selected Main (Outer) Funnel
2 Selected Fog (Inner and Intermediate) Funnels, plus Lead-in String
3 Entire taxi-track and dispersal lanes
4 Selected Chance Floodlight
5 Relevant Obstruction lights
6 Selected Runway Flarepath, plus Totem Poles and AAIs
7 Entire Outer Circle
8 Selected Lead Out Funnel (the Inner Funnel at the far end of the selected runway which provided a 'horizon' aid)

Four position brightness switches were available for: 6, 3, 7 and (1 & 2)
The panel also had four 'lamp failure' meters for: Main Funnel, Fog Funnel, Outer Circle, and Lead-out Funnel.

The meter normally read zero but would then show a positive reading
as bulbs failed in the appropriate circuits. These four were chosen as they were vital, and / or difficult to inspect at short notice.

All the above had two lamps per fitting for safety.

Drem 3 was supposed to be the ultimate, but the Air Ministry appears to have lost the plot over what was considered essential and what was actually installed, but generally added remote dimming for the 800yard crossbars on the runways, plus selectable tungsten / sodium lighting for the Funnels. Some 'Modified Mk.2' installations were definitely superior to some so-called Mk.3s

All the best,
PB

[PETERTHEEATER]

RNAS Ford circa 1951 - Mimic board in ATC:



Photograph courtesy Reed Business Information Ltd via Flightglobal

[REF]

Mildenhall's Mimic Board taken today

[REF]

One on display at Debach