discussion Edge of WWII Runway?

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I'm about finished on my D-Day diorama and now just doing the base, but I want to put the C-47 just off the runway and so was wondering is it just grass to runway and are there any markings on the runway like painted lines to mark the edge?

Adrian

 

[Guest]

Adrian, the old WWII runways around me are basically just concrete up to the grass. Interestingly though the closest one, Metheringham was one of the few fitted with the FIDO system for fog dispersal. This is from Wikepedia:

Metheringham was one of a small number of RAF stations equipped with an early experimental Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO) system. The station was provided with seven large fuel tanks, which pumped petrol into two large pipes running up either side one of their runways. Once the open flame burners along the length of the main runway were ignited the intense rising heat would lift and disperse the fog leaving a visually clear and illuminated runway.

Not all RAF stations were FIDO equipped and when dense fog affected the county it was not unknown for aircraft from several stations to be diverted to RAF Metheringham for a safe landing, returning to their home stations when the foggy weather cleared. Volunteer observers at the surrounding Royal Observer Corps posts were specially trained and provided with coloured rocket flares (Code named Granite) to guide any aircraft lost in thick fog towards the limited number of FIDO equipped stations.

The only other airfields in Lincolnshire fitted with FIDO systems were RAF Fiskerton, RAF Ludford Magna and RAF Sturgate and there were only 15 FIDO stations in the UK, mostly on the east coast.

Disappointingly there is nothing left of the FIDO system now.

 

[Lee W]

Adrian, I think you'll find its tarmac to grass and vice versa, from what I've seen, there are no markings, hope this helps?

Lee

 

[Lee W]

Having been pipped to the post by Richard, I think you'll find his info more useful than mine

Lee

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Thanks Richard,

I could do some sort of half tubing along the edge to represent this I guess just to add a little extra.

Adrian

 

[Guest]

Hope this link works and am allowed to post it

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/f-i-d-o/query/FIDO

Pathe news film of FIDO in action and shows close up of the pipes at side of runway.

 

[Guest]

What a great clip. Perfect shots of FIDO there to use as reference.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Yeah great clips, but would it have been seen around the D-Day time, I'm guessing there were gaps in the pipe work for planes to be parked on the grass?

Adrian

 

[stona]

Excellent bit of film, thanks for posting the link.

Aside from the great shots of the FIDO system I quite enjoyed Bennett's little contribution. It's hard to tell he was an Aussie, he'd dropped that accent which he must have had when he first came to the UK.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I'm using a roll of that scenic grass stuff and have scraped off a corner ready to make this the runway, may be a stupid question but what colour should I paint the concrete, I use Tamiya paints btw

Adrian