What the . . . ???
So, this is a “WW2 in color” - as in “picture” forum, and I’m not allowed to post pictures?
- Ron Cole
This is my “4th” post! Almost there . . .
My 5th! Lets see . . .
Yaaa!!!
Anyway . . .
I’d like to share these, and would be happy for any constructive input.
- Ron Cole
Apologies. We have had major issues with spammers posting pornographic images on their first post. The post limit is an attempt to allow the mods and the automated anti-spam systems a better chance of catching them before they post such images.
I should have known. Thanks for the explanation.
- Ron
Any idea what the flags or whatever they are to the left of the windsock mast mean?
They are made of thin sheet metal with holes punched into them and painted red. They’re attached to the cable from above, but not anchored at the base - leading me to believe they’re for wind measurement of some kind.
Frankly - I haven’t seen them in any other pictures.
- Ron Cole
Thanks.
I had assumed that they were some sort of signal to pilots in the air, like semaphore flags in a navy.
The holes could equally be to allow wind to pass through them, in the same way that modern plastic and canvas banners have flaps cut in them for the same purpose. Which could be more consistent with ensuring that they didn’t flap around so that they could be seen by airborne pilots than with a wind measuring device. Especially as a windsock is on the tower to the right of the picture.
oh good pics
My first thought was that they were some sort of corner reflector - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_reflector - to aid navigation. But that was probably wrong.
My second thought was they seem to be hung from a radio wire (not just any old cable but a wire for radio communications) and maybe they had a purpose in changing the impedance of the line or some such. But that was probably wrong.
My third thought was that maybe 3 discs meant “the Admiral is in town look busy”, 2 discs meant “admiral is not in town take it easy” and 1 disc meant “hurrah it’s poets day”. But that was probably wrong too.
So to summarise - I am clueless.
I’d think they serve the simplest purpose of all, much as “helo-balls” serve today: hang them on a thin cable so as to warn of an otherwise non-visible obstruction through an apparently visually clear space.
Here, cables across rivers and such, have brightly coloured balls hung on them, or the cable has a ball (which also has the ability to shine in low-light) threaded on it, so that a low-flying helo pilot is aware there IS a suspended cable present on that flightpath.
Given that in any airforce such hi-jinks as “buzzing the tower” took place, and low-flying with a wingtip between a chimney and and aerial would be a temptation, I think the hanging disks in this picture are simply “Warning: Obstruction !” devices.
Kind Regards, Uyraell.
Good pic ! thx