Info needed on searchlights used by Germany in WWII

Discussions on the equipment used by the Axis forces, apart from the things covered in the other sections. Hosted by Juha Tompuri
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Verfasser
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Info needed on searchlights used by Germany in WWII

#1

Post by Verfasser » 03 May 2003, 18:44

Good morning to all:

I am in contact with a lady who served as a searchlight operator in Frankfort during the late 40s. In her telling the details, she mentioned size as 200 and 450 but didn't remember what the numbers signified. My feeling is that these referenced the candlepower. Does anyone know for sure? And would there have been three zeros following those numbers? ie, 200,000 candlepower.

Many thanks for the answers and any other details about those searchlights you might have.

Verfasser

daveh
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#2

Post by daveh » 03 May 2003, 19:53

I think the 200 refers to the size of the searchlight not its power.
150 and 200 cm were allocated to every heavy flak unit (Delve 1992, p. 32
Delve 1992: Delve, Ken; Jacobs, Peter: The six-year offensive: Bomber Command in World War Two. Arms and Armour Press, London 1992. 190 p. ISBN 1-85409-142-5

The 200cm Flakscheinwerfer 40 enetered service in 1940. I have no references to a 450cm searchlight but as I have little on the subject this may be simply be my lacking information. (A search on google produced a japanese reference)

I have seen refences to, but not read
Sound Locators, Fire Control Systems, and Searchlights of the German Heavy Flak Units 1939 - 1945
Muller published by schiffer

The possibility that 450 refers to a measure of candlepower is a less likely one as other brief reference suggest searchlights produce millions pf candlepower. However perhaps the 450 is a metric equivalent ??

Hope this was of some help


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Scott Smith
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#3

Post by Scott Smith » 04 May 2003, 03:11

I'm interested in this subject too and would appreciate any additional information.

The Searchlight 40 is indeed 200 centimeters in diameter. It is rated at 2,430 million candlepower, and its range effectiveness is reported to be 60% over the standard 150 cm searchlight.

The 150 cm searchlight was powered by an 8 kilowatt generator in the field and had a venetian-blind type of shutter. The arc-lamp was 135 million candlepower and had a range of 5,700 yards at a height of 5,000 feet. With the beam dispersed the range was 3,500 yards.

Source: Handbook of German Military Forces. U. S. War Department, 1945. Louisiana Univ. Press, 1991; p. 356-357. ISBN: 0807120111.

This book is available from Amazon to support this very site ONLY by clicking my link below:

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Verfasser
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Dave and Scott

#4

Post by Verfasser » 04 May 2003, 03:17

Between the two of you, I got what must be all there is to know about those lights. Really appreciate the help!

Many thanks to all........Verfasser

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