60 " Searchlight Transport

Tony Smith · #1 10-05-08, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Thanks for the info, Alex.

The axles on the searchlight itself are not suspended at all and it would not take much of a bump on the road to shatter the glass reflector, or badly knock the carbon rod feed rate mechanism out of action.

Regards,

David

Not at all. I have a GE searchlight (albeit an 18in, but it's the same as a 150cm GE) and it's tough as nails. It's a common misconception that the reflector is a glass mirror - IT'S NOT! Hollywood has a lot to answer for when they suggest that a quick burst from a Machine Gun will shatter a light, BS! It's a cast and machined aluminum disc that's coated with Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal similar to Titanium, with a much higher stability and reflectivity than Chrome. Although my reflector still has a couple of corrosion spots, the reflector will still cause serious burns on a sunny day if you get in it's focal spot, and will actually light a match!! The glass lens is actually small segments that are designed to flex and not shatter, while the carbon rod feed is so overengineered that the odd road bump or two would not knock it out of alignment.

Phil Waterman · #2 10-05-08, 17:20

Here is a link to an operational 1942 60" Anti-aircraft Searchlight which has been at our Rally in New Hampshire a number of years http://cckw.org/weare_2006_084.JPG

Take a look around the rest of http://cckw.org/ and you will find some more photos of the search light - look particularly in the Weare Rally pages.

This thing when it is operating is a great bug attractor.

Cheers Phil