I'm hoping one of the forum members can explain exactly what these power supply points (pictured) on the flight line/ramp were used for, i.e., would they be to run lights and maintenance tools when servicing planes, or would they be something used instead of a start cart?  These are located at the former Frederick Army Air Field, and are at very regular intervals all along the ramp.
 
Regards,
 
Andy


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WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org

Coastdef,  This is the first that I have seen.  I have walked most of the B-29 airfield ramps here in Kansas and haven't run across these. Wasn't the Frederick AAF a multiengine training field. Those would be handy for lights and equipment used on the ramp.  Have you ever opened one up to see what kind of connectors are used?  These airfields were built very similar but they are all different. The engineer in charge must have had a lot of discretion on building his airfield. Very interesting plugs. Are your hangars and runway in good shape there. Great Bend in loosing a couple of hangars to the wrecking crew and PrattAAf will lose another hangar soon.  I read last night in one of the reports right after the war that they felt lucky the runways lasted thru the end of the war with B-29 use. Now 63 years later some around here are in excellent shape. Better than the new ones the FAA is building today.  Most were not nearly as thick as the story tellers reported. Great construction of runways, ramps and buildings. Guess people actually cared at one time about quality. Hard to beleive all this construction was completed with most of the men in the war.   Thanks for the picture.   Phillip

I believe that these waterproof recepticles were placed in various locations for easy access to whatever equiptment being used nearby required the various voltages, thereby negating the use of generators or long extention cords. The longer the extention cord the more voltage drop at end were the power is needed. Example; the closer to the power source the less loss of rpms in a electric drill. The female and male configurations would differ on the voltages. Being in the ground, I would assume that a possible twist lock type male to female connectors on both and a molded rubber boot over the over the male connector on the cord of the device using the power to keep out the water. The voltages today would be 230 and 115 volts. 

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

Phillip,
 
Frederick was an advanced twin engine school, then moved into transition training of B-26's and A-26's late in the war.  I haven't ever gotten one opened up to see what they look like, but I suspect Janos is correct; probably a unique connector.  I'm going to take some tools and open the one nearest to our hanger in the near future.  When I do, I'll post a picture or two.
 
We only have two original buildings left on site; the sub-depot hanger and the adjacent engineering shop.  They are in relatively good/improving condition, although roofing is an ongoing problem.  The runways and ramps are complete and almost all original and in excellent condition.  As you say, very well built; not that thick, but lots of reinforcing and good quality concrete.
 
Regards,
 
Andy
 

ORIGINAL: walkerarmyairfield

Coastdef,  This is the first that I have seen.  I have walked most of the B-29 airfield ramps here in Kansas and haven't run across these. Wasn't the Frederick AAF a multiengine training field. Those would be handy for lights and equipment used on the ramp.  Have you ever opened one up to see what kind of connectors are used?  These airfields were built very similar but they are all different. The engineer in charge must have had a lot of discretion on building his airfield. Very interesting plugs. Are your hangars and runway in good shape there. Great Bend in loosing a couple of hangars to the wrecking crew and PrattAAf will lose another hangar soon.  I read last night in one of the reports right after the war that they felt lucky the runways lasted thru the end of the war with B-29 use. Now 63 years later some around here are in excellent shape. Better than the new ones the FAA is building today.  Most were not nearly as thick as the story tellers reported. Great construction of runways, ramps and buildings. Guess people actually cared at one time about quality. Hard to beleive all this construction was completed with most of the men in the war.   Thanks for the picture.   Phillip

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org

Those receptacles are for portable lighting, heaters, and power equipment and were installed at most large air field facilities. The Second Air Force Heavy Bombardment Phase Training Bases also had receptacles that would connect to the aircraft external power plug-in on aircraft so equipped, as well as running lights and other equipment. Here are a couple of photos of receptacles that have survived at Herington and McCook. These are located just off the edge of the parking aprons on the hangar side, and are spaced at regular intervals the length of the apron. Phillip, the reason you haven't seen them up in Kansas is probably because they were removed for easier mowing after the war. Coffeyville and Independence have the same style receptacles as Frederick, while all the Kansas and Nebraska bomber training fields I've explored have (or had) just the few located off the concrete surface as I've posted. The bomber fields were not designed by the same Corps of Engineer group that drew up the Basic and Advanced training stations. The receptacles are definitely added-on features at most Second Air Force fields, while Training Command bases had the ones like at Frederick, wired and laid at the same time as the concrete was poured.

Scott

This receptacle is just north of the Weight and Balance Hangar at Herington:
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This one is located just south of Hangar #629 at McCook:
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All 2AF B-29 hangars also had a ground pit with external power receptacles. These pits are located near where the nose was situated when the airplane was parked in the hangar. These are approximately one foot by one foot in size, and about a foot deep. Most of these pits were filled in with concrete when the hangars were converted for grain storage, but several at McCook are intact. The one I've posted is located in Hangar #629 and still contains the electrical connections and original wooden door. Sorry about the photo quality.
 
Scott


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Scott,  Thanks for the info on the power outlets.  I never really looked to the side of the ramps at the bases around here. It would have taken some pretty long extension cords to reach the B-29 and B-17 from the hangar outlets. I had one of the remaining runway light fixtures from Great Bend and will try to find it.  It was a glass lens about 2 1/2 inches tall and about 8 inches diameter. had a thin pot metal flat cap. Down in the fixture can there was a  105 or 120 lumen flood light bulb that shined up vertically. Very little light was emitted vertically but to the sides it was good. You could run over them and not cause any problems due to their flat construction. With the pilots running off the edges of the runways and the strong concrete footing supporting them the lights were not damaged. The damage to the tires by the edges of the runways caused them to fill and sod the edges. The fixture probably was a crouse hinds. The obstruction lights off the Great Bend control tower are Crouse Hinds.  This was the only survivor at Great Bend that I could find. The 17/35 runway had new lights installed for current use. The  two other abandonded runways were left alone. But the city mowers clipped the tops off and ruined the lights along two of the 8,000 runways.  They dug one of the fixtures out at Walker with a back hoe and the concrete block is 4foot by 4 foot and 5 feet tall. An impressive chuck of concrete to hold the fixture. When the light fixture is removed you have an opening of approx 8 inches and a foot deep. Great for cattle to step into and break a leg.  Other interesting items are the wind tee's.  A company in New York made the one at Great Bend.  There is one of the big wind tee's in an open field east of Dalhart Texas.  Must have been a grass practice field or maybe a rancher bought one of the ones from the two abandoned airfields at Dalhart and used it on his airstrip. It would be nice to recover it and restore. 

Phillip just brought up the tetrahedrons installed at the WWII fields. These things are gigantic when you get up next to them, and they are actually a cool piece of engineering. I've been trying to track down the final disposition of those in Nebraska with little luck. After the bases closed most of the tetrahedrons were dismantled. The Air Base Historical Society in McCook has saved theirs and it is in storage. Ainsworth did have theirs at one time, but I don't know if it is still around today.
 
In Kansas, Great Bend and Herington still have their tetrahedrons in place. Herington's has been moved from between the runways to a site on the southeast end of the parking apron. I took a few photos of it a few years ago. The south Squadron hangar is visible in one of the photos. You'll notice the ballast hanging on the front of the tee--this is necessary because the tetrahedron was re-skinned with metal at some point. They originally were covered with fabric, and the metal sheet throws off the weight and balance considerably. There are other surviving tetrahedrons around, but I can't find my list right now.


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Here is what the inside of the base looks like. The switch and wiring has been replaced over the years, obviously. The slip-rings are used to electrify the lights that surround the tetrahedron for night usage. These really look neat when you fly over in the dark. The lower pivot bearing is also visible in this photo. This unit was built by a Chicago contractor, and is serial number 294.

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Scott,  Thanks for the tetrahedron pictures. Pratt still has theirs and in the original location.  About 20 years ago the FAA went to Great Bend and put windsocks at the ends of the runways and a lighted sock next to the tetrahedron. They told them it would give conflicting indications of the wind so they took down the tetra.  The locals raised hell and saved it from the county dump just in time.  But the big vertical shaft was missing so a local maching shop remanufactured a new one. It is back in service, thank goodness they didnt take out the concrete mount. Great Bends would have been salvaged if the locals hadn't replaced it.They just about lost it.  They did away with the big 36 crouse hinds beacon and replaced it with the little flashlite beacon the FAA likes.  The beacon is lost.  I know where the one that Russell had, it was the old airway beacon , 24 inch as I remember. A guy has it but wont part with it yet. Atleast it is safe from the salvage yard.  Did you have any luck with the Pratt airport manager on the items?  I noticed 2 I think hexagon shaped areas in the hangar at GBD. They were probably jack locations. They would be in approx wing location. They were filled in with concrete.  Thanks,  Phillip

Phillip,
 
Ginny told me the Great Bend tetrahedron story a couple of years ago--she's a strong-willed individual to get that thing re-installed!! I had forgotten about Pratt still having theirs, Strother Field at Winfield still uses theirs as well. I will post a few photos of some airfield lighting fixtures that I dug out of the ground later. I'll scan a photo of the Harvard AAF rotating beacon and tell it's story too.
 
Scott

Scott
 
Another interesting one on GBD.  There is a foundation that supported a control tower just west of the tetrahedron. They moved it over to the north side of the NE-SW runway.  They had a lot of drag races in the early 60s there using the old taxiway along the runway, then when Fuller Brush built their plant off the northeast end thay wanted the perfectly good runway closed and of course the city complied with no questions ask. We used the runway until l970.  They have resumed drags again.  The Tower was shortned in height some when it was moved to its last location.  I was working at the airport fbo the day the winds blew the tower over. Thats where I got the dual obstruction lights.
It was sad to watch it topple over but it did take a high wind to do it.  The structure had rotted away and it was only time.  I dont know why they constructed the wooden tower in the middle of the field as they had the steel one along the ramp like all the other airfields.  This tower was similar to the one in use at Salina until they built their new one. I think around 5 or 6 years ago.  I wonder if any of the airfields you researched had this wood style tower constructed in the middle of triangle. 
Philllip

Phillip,
 
That is the first I have heard of a centrally located control tower at any 2AF base. I have some photos in my possession that don't show this tower during late '45/early '46. I wonder if it was built for use by the Civil Defense organization when they used GBD as a base of operations? That is a very interesting development. FYI, most of Nebraska's normal control towers were entirely constructed of wood, including the legs.
 
Scott

Scott,  I will look thru the Great Bend Newspaper this week when I am up there and see if there are any pictures of the base. They had stock car races around the triangle just after they got the base.  Could be some pictures of the drag races with the tower in the background. Seems I remember someone telling me about moving that tower across the base. I will look into the local archives a little bit.  I will photo the  foundation. 
Phillip

I spoke earlier about the temporary taxiway/apron lighting used at the Second Air Force fields. Here are a couple of photos showing them in use and on my kitchen table. The B-29s are brand new 16th Bomb Group (VH)B-29B flyaways at Fairmont Army Air Field with one of the lights in the foreground. The cone base was painted yellow, and the lights are directional in nature as Phillip described earlier. The current day photo is of one of these lights that I was able to acquire a few years ago. I have three or four bases, a couple of good lenses, and a box of brand new bulbs dated 1943. If you look closely at the top of the lens you can see arrows pointing in the direction the light beam is most intense. I have fired up one of the original bulbs and put the lens over it, and sure enough, the light shines forward and aft in the direction of the arrows but gives little light to the sides. I believe these lenses came in red/green, blue, amber, and clear depending on their use.

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Here is my fixture:

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Scott,  I think the light is called a B-2 Type.  They did screw into a 3 foot tall cone that made a complete fixture.  I used to see the cones all along the sides of grass runways in Nebraska. The state must have bought up all there were left at the end of the war and marked the runway boundaries of the grass runways.  I have a set of these lights less the  bottom cones that I used on my airstrip on the farm.  They worked very well as they are adaptable to various angles.  Some of the ones here have have a little yellow plastic insert shaped like a half moon that slides into the little slots in the clear lense to make it colored in one on two directions.  The bulbs are 1/2 diameter and about 2 inches long. With a three hole band soldered on the base of the bulb to fit into the spring loaded fixture. I remember the extra bulbs being stored in a block of wood with holes drilled for the bulbs and the hole lined with green felt. No damger of breaking the bulbs during moving them around.  This whole package came in a foot locker type storage box.  They had a little rubber washer in the base so that when you tightened the bottom mount they could be mounted in various angles.  Great things like this were designed and built during the war. Scott thanks for sharing the picture so people see what was used. 
Phillip

I've attached a couple of pictures of the tetrahedron at Frederick AAF; one is a wide scale view, and the other is of the lighting fixtures.  They appear (at least to me) appropriate to the WWII period; can anyone comment if they are an original type or not?  You can't quite see it, but they just use a regular incandescent bulb.
 
Regards,
 
Andy
 
 


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WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org

Andy,  Your tetrahedron looks like the original. All of them we have up here in Kansas are of the same type as yours. There is probably a data plate on the frame or mounting that gives the manufacturer. The Crouse hinds electrical connector is also most likely from that period. The tetrahedron was cloth covered orginally.  You are lucky to have the original in good condition. Some years ago the FAA in their wisdom thought we should replace these with the little orange windsocks. Some airports did and then later put these back.  I would imagine your city has replaced the edge lights along the runways with the modern fixtures that stand 12 to 18 inches tall with a light at the top.  If you look around in some of the old buildings there you may find the original crouse hinds runway lights.  If you still have the 24 inch rotating beacon that has a green lense on one side and a clear lense on the other side, it could be an original airway beacon or a conventenial rotating beacon.  Some were in use before WW2 as airway beacons that had clear lense on both sides.  Crouse Hinds was and is still the foremost Airport Lighting company producing airport lighting.  I have one of the crouse hinds fixtures that you photographed in my garage lighting. My car shed came from Pratt Army Airfield. It has conduit and fixtures by crouse hinds. I would venture to say that your crouse hinds could very well be the original on the wind tee. I am sure they were lighted during WW2 because the control towers operated 24 hours a day here.  The Great Bend Army Airfield has numerous circuits leading to the wind tee when one goes bad they just tie into another pair of wires.  You might post a photo of the rotating beacon and its tower if you can.  Just a side note in looking thru my Walker Army Airfield at Victoria , Kansas  files, the airfield lighting costs were $42,062.00 which was a little more than the cost of the dirt work to build the airfield.  Andy keep us posted on your findings on the Airfield electrical system.  Phillip

Andy,
Crouse Hinds was one of the fore runners in waterproof and explosion proof electrical lighting fixtures and conduit fittings,etc. The lighting fixure you show is not waterproof. It should have a glass screw on globe over the bulb to protect it from the elements. It appears to be a replacement  of the original or a jerry rig since there is no gasket between the condulet and lighting fixture that is not a recognized waterproof fixture by the National Electrical Code. This input is based on what I can see in your photo. 

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53