# In Flight Blade Tracking Lamps



## Cookie bomb (Jan 4, 2014)

Living in Lincolnshire it is not unusual to come across aircraft related items. I have recently acquired a set of In Flight Blade Tracking Lamps. I only know this because it says so on the box. My question is what are they and what aircraft were they used on? The part no is WASP NSM 3053 PT 'C' 
The lights have sealed units fitted, General Electric 4580 450w 28v marked Aircraft Landing Lights. The lamps are 2 Grimes Model K3s mounted together on a bespoke bracket. The whole thing has the appearance of being manufactured in the workshop as against factory production.
I could be miles off, however I suspect they were used for trimming the rotor blades on a helicopter around 1967 ish. I would like to get them lit up as 400,000cp x2 sounds totally awesome. I haven't worked out how to create a 28v power sauce yet. The relay box contains a solenoid switch I can see no part that would create a strobe effect. 
Anyway WHAT DO YOU THINK?


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## tyrodtom (Jan 17, 2014)

In Army Aviation we used a small hand held narrow beamed spot light, with different colored reflectors on each blade to check blade tracking, It could even be done in flight.
The light didn't flash on and off to give the strobe effect, the blades flashing thru the beam did it.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Jan 17, 2014)

Very cool find CB and thank you for the explanation Tom.


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## tyrodtom (Jan 21, 2014)

There were also systems for checking blade tracking that used strobe lights, but they didn't need or use that big a light source.


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## gumbyk (Jan 21, 2014)

The landing lights wouldn't be able to create the required strobe effect. I guess it'd be used the way tyrodtom described.


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