Searchlights.

Searchlights on the Gibralter peninsula, protecting against Nazi air attacks in 1942.

Thanks for this goes to the International Bomber Command Centre at:
https://www.facebook.com/InternationalBomberCommandCentre/posts/1107289472656628

 

Searchlights and fireworks light up the night sky as the unconditional surrender of Germany is celebrated in Red Square.
Moscow, Soviet Union. 9th of May 1945.

 

Searchlights and the intense flak faced by aircraft attacking German warships (Admiral Scheer) in Wilhelmshaven on the night of 20-21 July 1940.
No.61 Squadron lost three Hampdens during this raid.

 

Coning aircraft:





WWII SEARCH LIGHTS OVER LOS ANGELES, CA Feb. 25,1942 SUSPECTED JAPANESE AIR RAID

 

ATS officers operate a searchlight.



ATS officers-in-training operate a searchlight, 1944

 

From: http://www.dcm.nt.gov.au/territory_remembers/historical_articles/equipment_of_world_war_ii/the_searchlight_batteries_that_protected_darwin
"Equipment of WWII - Essential defence against night air-raids - the searchlight batteries that protected Darwin."

As pointed out below, this image is actually a (unrestored) version of a B&W image of Gibralter found elsewhere.

 

An Avro Lancaster on the runway before taking off for an air raid, with searchlights indicating the height of the cloud base, 1943

 

Searchlights sweep the night skies over London.
http://www.military-history.org/articles/world-war-2/blitz-ww2.htm

 

German Searchlight battery
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/author/joris/page/49



Searchlight or Flak spotlight flakscheinwerfer 34



Flakscheinwerfer über dem Brandenburger Tor, Herbst 1943.

 

Searchlights and antiaircraft weapons of the 3d Defense Battalion on Guadalcanal point upwards to detect and destroy Japanese aircraft bombing Allied forces.
Department of Defense photo (USMC) 63327
http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extContent/usmc/pcn-190-003133-00/sec9.htm

 

From: http://ww2today.com/11th-november-1940-italian-fleet-attacked-in-taranto-harbour
A reconstruction of the British raid on Taranto with shipping, flares and searchlights in a night sky.
The Italian fleet at anchor in the harbour at anchor in the harbour is under attack from aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm.
Searchlight beams shine brightly up into the night sky, there are low flying aircraft and numerous shell bursts also illuminate the sky.
A torpedo moves rapidly through the water towards the Italian battleship Littorio in the centre of the composition.

 

Might as well be searchlights at night: (Flakscheinwerfer bei Nacht, Maße ca)
Flak only!!! ? Correct?


What flak and anti-aircraft fire looks like form the air; the thin lines are shrapnel and the thicker lines are tracer shells.
Royal Air Force bombing raid over Brest, France, January 31 1941.

 

Berlin Zoo Flak Tower

 

Awesome topic as well as the pictures.

 

Love these Fred

 

Only one 5 Star Vote? (Top of the page...)
No one seems to be using this. Pick a thread folks and rate one right up there. K? (Not necessarily this one._
- I mean pick a really toppo one and pump it up. (Just let us know which you think is the best on on the forum here.)

I am interested in seeing what results. i.e. If this Invision Power based forum has a way of letting visitors (and members)
know that one + thread is, in particular, SPECTACULAR.

My vote is, with 966 replies and 116,052 views to date (Jan 18th 2016) is for: Lancaster Bomber 514 Squadron
- which is all about our favorite veteran E.A.Campbell - K? Thread begun and managed by his son: E. Campbell



Nose art: 514 Squadron - E.A. Campbell and Jack Chapman, Lancaster A2-C

 

951
I do not think that 'Darwin' pic is correct. There are no hills that high near the town/city.

Click on the pic and it says "Gibraltar'.


John

 

There's nothing remotely that high...Stokes Hill...is a small hill.
These pics are great...certainly an aspect I haven't delved into...
All that Shite has to come down somewhere though...

 

yes interesting topic...seldom talked about....a quintessential symbol of WW2 IMO...denoting an aura of fear--the night time attack!...civilians , somewhat unprotected and defenseless against the fast, powerful bombers.....the humans trying to locate aircraft with ''giant flashlights''....[ they didn't call flashlights flashlights in Britain, did they?.]......now obsolete...

 

We say torch in Australia...but like many (American) words, flashlight is increasingly heard here...