# Corsair F4U-4 light/lamp on fuselage behind cockpit



## Jyffe76 (Nov 30, 2017)

Hi everyone 

I have wondered what the light behind of the cockpit was actually called? ID light, section light or what? I tried to find information about this light and didn´t find much in the net. I´m planning to add this light to my rc model and I´m interested to know what was the right color of this light. I have seen red and white ones. And I also would like to know what was the purpose of that light, how did they use it?

Thanks in advance

Jyffe76


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## Micdrow (Nov 30, 2017)

Afternoon Jyffe76, so far every reference I seen labels it as a identification light or a dorsal identification light but so far have not seen a label for a specific color.

Hopefully some one has more


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## Wurger (Nov 30, 2017)

It was the clear one as memo serves.


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## Airframes (Dec 1, 2017)

Yes, it would be clear (white light), the standard for upper fuselage I.D. (navigation) lamps at the time.
It's purpose was to indicate the position of the aircraft at night, from above, with the wing-tip nav lamps (red port, and green or blue starboard) showing the direction of travel, and was / is based on the same arrangement for ships, where the 'white' light would be on the masthead.
Today, on current aircraft, this has mainly been replaced by a bright red, strobe 'anti-collision' beacon on the upper fuselage and or fin, and some currently airworthy 'warbirds' might have a red light replacing the 'white', depending on local authority regulations.

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## Wurger (Dec 1, 2017)

Additionally there was also the tail clear lamp as well.


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## Airframes (Dec 1, 2017)

Yep, with some aircraft types having a white lamp above a red lamp, but generally white. That is, a 'clear' bulb, but often with a white translucent cover, which appears white when not lit (as opposed to clear), whereas the dorsal lamp was generally a clear bulb beneath a clear cover.

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## waroff (Dec 1, 2017)

> Yes, it would be clear (white light), the standard for upper fuselage I.D. (navigation) lamps at the time.
> It's purpose was to indicate the position of the aircraft at night, from above, with the wing-tip nav lamps (red port, and green or blue starboard) showing the direction of travel


On the top of fuselage, this is not the "tail running light"(nav) that you describe but the "section light". This light could be steady or flash by the key switch.

EDIT::

the "tail running light" had a frosted clear or opaque(white) lens and the "section light" had clear lens.
The lenght is 4"9/16 for recognition light or section light.(a running light with same shape is 3" lenght only), the tail position light on F4U is 1"1/2 dia


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## Jyffe76 (Dec 4, 2017)

Hi,

Many thanks to all of you for your help


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