Spitfire XIV - green position light on starboard wing ?

[sevenless]

Bug or feature?

 

Saw this in a vid here:

 

Spitfire XIV Vs ME262 (IL-2) - YouTube

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by sevenless

[AndytotheD]

Is it not a recognition light? If I remember correctly, there should be a green, yellow, and white recognition light on spitfires. I had no idea they came on in game though.

[sevenless]

1 minute ago, AndytotheD said:

Is it not a recognition light? If I remember correctly, there should be a green, yellow, and white recognition light on spitfires. I had no idea they came on in game though.

 

Yep seems to be an identification light. But why/how is it turned on in the game? Never saw that before.

 

MKVIII and MKXIV underwing identity lights (spitfireforums.com)

[ShamrockOneFive]

11 minutes ago, sevenless said:

 

Yep seems to be an identification light. But why/how is it turned on in the game? Never saw that before.

 

MKVIII and MKXIV underwing identity lights (spitfireforums.com)

 

There's a separate ID light toggle in the controls. Some aircraft have three lights on the underside of the wing. The Spitfire IX has one on the underbelly. I didn't know that the XIV had one on the underside of the wing.

[sevenless]

Just now, ShamrockOneFive said:

 

There's a separate ID light toggle in the controls. Some aircraft have three lights on the underside of the wing. The Spitfire IX has one on the underbelly. I didn't know that the XIV had one on the underside of the wing.

 

Thanks, yep. I just hadn´t known about and/or used that feature before. Seems to be one of those toggles to switch it on/off.

 

 

[kestrel79]

They are the formation lights. I want to say just some of the late war US and British planes have them. Had no idea these were a real thing either until I accidentally turned them on once. I don't recall any other game modeling them maybe DCS not sure. Still a nice detail.

[migmadmarine]

IRL you could toggle different color combinations to correspond with that days IFF code for AA gunners, don't know if you can cycle different color combinations in game though, not tried. 

 

[AndytotheD]

49 minutes ago, kestrel79 said:

They are the formation lights. I want to say just some of the late war US and British planes have them. Had no idea these were a real thing either until I accidentally turned them on once. I don't recall any other game modeling them maybe DCS not sure. Still a nice detail.

DCS has them on the P-51 and P-47 have red green and amber lights in the right wing. and the Spitfire IX has a white recognition light on the top and the bottom. 
 

theres an image on shamrock’s blog with the P-47D-22 using them. Those little details really make the sim.

Edited April 22, 2021 by AndytotheD

[ShamrockOneFive]

10 minutes ago, AndytotheD said:

DCS has them on the P-51 and P-47 have red green and amber lights in the right wing. and the Spitfire IX has a white recognition light on the top and the bottom. 
 

theres an image on shamrock’s blog with the P-47D-22 using them. Those little details really make the sim.

 

This one

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

Initially I thought it was due to the fact that the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road...   ?... sorry, couldn't resist.

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, kestrel79 said:

They are the formation lights. I want to say just some of the late war US and British planes have them. Had no idea these were a real thing either until I accidentally turned them on once. I don't recall any other game modeling them maybe DCS not sure. Still a nice detail.

 

Not just late British and American planes but early ones as well - the Hurricane, P-39, A-20, and Spitfire Vb all have them. IIRC the only one that doesn't have them is the P-40.

 

1 hour ago, migmadmarine said:

IRL you could toggle different color combinations to correspond with that days IFF code for AA gunners, don't know if you can cycle different color combinations in game though, not tried. 

 

Yes, and the lights could be flashed on and off as a form of visual Morse Code. I have a working recognition lights box from a P-47, and it's neat to see them toggle on and off.  

Edited April 22, 2021 by LukeFF

[jollyjack]

10 minutes ago, JG1_Vonrd said:

Initially I thought it was due to the fact that the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road...   ?... sorry, couldn't resist.

 

Them British drive on the right side of the road that is. Uhh, left thus. Only the Belgians messed it up, as trucks only drive at the left (since brexit), and the rest right-sided.

 

[kestrel79]

How were they used in real life? Forming up over the Channel in bad weather? Training? Communicating if their radios were out or radio silence? I'm assuming they would turn them off when closer to the enemy. 

 

Any use for them in game compared to the regular nav lights people have found?

[[CPT]Crunch]

Like an IFF code, you'd get the color sequence for the day, such as green with red or single yellow, multiple combinations with three, your base flak would also have the code, but if you made your approach outside of the designated approach corridor, even with the correct lights, you'd still be subject to getting shot should your radio be out.

 

Maybe someday in the future this will be a campaign feature, get so close to any base without the proper approach, radio contact, and ID under poor viability or lighting and ...  Bamm.  No more god like flak, just angry at everybody in general, but only when they're a genuine unknown and legit threat, in immediate threatening range.

Edited April 23, 2021 by [CPT]Crunch