Navigation Lights and Glare Shields

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of glare shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights - I'll start the thread off with:-

Type 23 Duke Class Frigates

Lower masthead lights (primary and standby)

1. Single glare shield mounted below the upper light. The lights are stepped with the upper light further aft than the lower.

HMS Northumberland F238 MOD_45154788 wallsend.jpg

HMS Northumberland F238 at West India South Dock bridge wiki Katie Chan.jpg

2. Single glare shield mounted below the lower light.

,,F237 HMS Westminster wiki wallsend.jpg

,,F237 HMS Westminster 090812 013 gibdan.JPG

,F78 HMS Kent carries out manoeuvres off the coast of Djibouti. MOD_45158509.jpg

Note; HMS Portland F79; HMS Sutherland F81; HMS St. Albans F83; HMS Iron Duke F234; Monmouth F235; HMS Montrose F236 & HMS Richmond F239 were also so configured.

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of glare shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights - I'll start the thread off with:-

Type 23 Duke Class Frigates (continued)

Lower masthead lights (primary and standby)

3. A pair of glare shields, one each mounted below the upper and lower lights.

,F82 HMS Somerset MOD_45153155 scotstoun.jpg

,F231 HMS Argyll MOD_45153839 (2).jpg

F231-HMS-Argyll-025 sea-forces (2).jpg

,F231-HMS-Argyll-025 sea-forces (3).jpg

4. An absence of glare shields.

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of glare shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights - I'll start the thread off with:-

Type 23 Duke Class Frigates (continued)

Upper masthead lights (primary and standby)

5. The lights are mounted vertical with a seperation. Attachments will show that in some installations the stepped configuration results in the upper of the two lights projects further forward than the lower, whilst in other installations there is a very clear stepped configuration with the lower of the two lights projecting further forward than the upper. At some angles however the step seems to result in a near vertical allignment.

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of glare shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights - I'll continue the thread with:-

Type 45 Daring Class Destroyers

1. Lower masthead lights (primary and standby)
Located on the foremast centreline, below the Racal Decca Type 1048 (E/F Band) Surface search radar fwd projecting radar platform, the lights are mounted in pairs, vertically, but appear not to have any separation between them.
Only one tapered spatula shaped (my description) glare shield is fitted and is mounted below the lower of the two lights. The shield tapers towards the bow of the ship.

1 Dragon D35 Liverpool 28.4.12 DSC00801.jpg

2 Duncan D37 Liverpool 26.6.16 IMG_0703.jpg

2. Upper masthead lights (primary and standby)
Located atop the Comms mainmast, these lights are without a glare shield.
Viewed from three different angles off the stbd bow; these three images (by WNSF member 'gibdan') are included as examples of the navigation lights when illuminated. Visible are the upper masthead light atop the Comms mainmast; the lower masthead light on the panelled foremast above and behind the bridge; and the stbd side light (green) mounted in a fwd position on a sponson, below and slightly fwd of the Phalanx waist gun.

[ivorthediver]

Well Harry " What a glaring Pun " unintentional of course eh Harry , but thanks for posting them ....food for thought a nice collection of photographs Harry ......well done

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of Navigation Lights and Glare Shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights and Side Lights - I'll continue the thread with:-

Type 45 Daring Class Destroyers (continued)

3. Upper masthead light; Lower masthead light & the Port and Stbd lights are all illuminated
The purpose of this post is to identify that in some circumstances the uniformity of lights being illuminated in the same combination (all top or all bottom) in their respective locations, may vary. Presumably this is apparent on the bridge control/test panel, since the primary and standby circuits are different, or in case of a defective lamps/LED's

6 D37-HMS-Duncan-008 seaforces.org.jpg

6a D37-HMS-Duncan-010 seaforces.org.jpg

6b D37-HMS-Duncan-011 seaforces.org.jpg

4. Lower masthead light illuminated; Stbd Side light illuminated (primary and/or standby) but is the Upper masthead light illuminated.

Image taken during the arrival of HMS Diamond into her affiliated home port in very poor weather.

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of Navigation Lighs and Glare Shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights and Side Lights - the thread continues with:-

Royal Norwegian Navy

This post is seeks to identify that in some circumstances the uniformity of lights being illuminated in the same combination (all top or all bottom) in their respective locations, may vary. Presumably this is apparent on the bridge control/test panel, since the primary and standby circuits are different, or in case of a defective lamps/LED's

Further to the previous post Type 45 Daring Class Destroyers (continued); para 3. Upper masthead light; Lower masthead light & the Port and Stbd lights are all illuminated - This post illustrates a different combination of lamps/LED's illuminated, see:-

HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen F310; lead ship of the Fridtjof Nansen class

In this sequence the Upper masthead lights have the top lamp/LED illuminated; the Lower masthead lights and the port and stbd Side lights all have the bottom lamp/LED illuminated.

Neither the Upper or Lower masthead lights have Glare Shields installed.

Attachments (all three include both the Upper and Lower masthead lights)
1st; taken fine off the stbd bow - image includes the stbd Side lights.
2nd; taken very fine off the stbd bow (from a point nearly dead ahead) - image includes the stbd Side lights but the port Side lights are partially obscured.
3rd; taken off the port bow - image includes the port Side light.

Original photographs by by WNSF member 'gibdan' in Gibraltar

[Little h]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of Navigation Lighs and Glare Shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights and Side Lights - the thread continues with:-

Royal Oman Navy - Khareef Class OPV/Corvettes

This post offers up a number of attachments to show that the Lower Masthead Lights in this class of ship, are equipped with a Glare Shield that is mounted below the bottom lamp/LED. The Lower Masthead Lights are mounted on the centre line on the bridge roof sloping canopy

The shield configuration is akin to that installed on Westminster F237 and Kent F78, as illustrated in a previous post on this thread.

Although mounted below the bottom lamp/LED (as for the two Type 45 destroyers behind her in the 2nd attachment), the shape of the Glare Shield fitted to the Type 45's is quite different (see previous posts - a tapered spatula shape).

[ivorthediver]

Some attachments reflecting my observations of Navigation Lighs and Glare Shields associated with; a) lower masthead lights and; b) upper masthead lights and Side Lights - the thread continues with:-

Royal Oman Navy - Khareef Class OPV/Corvettes

This post offers up a number of attachments to show that the Lower Masthead Lights in this class of ship, are equipped with a Glare Shield that is mounted below the bottom lamp/LED. The Lower Masthead Lights are mounted on the centre line on the bridge roof sloping canopy

The shield configuration is akin to that installed on Westminster F237 and Kent F78, as illustrated in a previous post on this thread.

Although mounted below the bottom lamp/LED (as for the two Type 45 destroyers behind her in the 2nd attachment), the shape of the Glare Shield fitted to the Type 45's is quite different (see previous posts - a tapered spatula shape).

I recall seeing those down in Portsmouth a few years back , Harry with the Arabic motif on their starboard side , and posted a picture on the WNSF bu never did get a response as to who commissioned it .......but now I know ....thanks

[Little h]

My interest in warship Navigation Lights and their associated Glare Shields (where fitted) was piqued when I was making relatively frequent visits to the preserved Type 12 Frigate HMS Plymouth F126, then owned by the Warship Preservation Trust. At the time their ship grouping consisted of the Type 12 Rothesay frigate HMS Plymouth; the Oberon Class submarine HMS Onyx; (both from the Falklands War); the minehunter HMS Bronington; the German submarine U-534; and LCT 7074, the last surviving tank landing craft that took part in D-Day.

The collection was brought to Birkenhead in 2002 and was moored in the West Float of the Birkenhead docks complex.

Type 12 Rothesay Class Frigates (as modified) - the preserved Type 12 Frigate HMS Plymouth F126

Something was different on her bridge roof - that is when compared to what I remembered of my time in HMS Falmouth F113 in her as-built configuration, so:- using attachments derived from a number of sources online I will continue the thread with some observations relating to:- a) lower masthead lights; b) upper masthead lights; and c) Side Lights on this class of warship.

Where it all started for me.....

1. Lower masthead lights (primary and standby)

,, Plymouth Oct26 022 Bellini Tosi (2).jpg

,, 76204_291977180913595_125120622_n Museum Of HMS Plymouth F126 via fb (2).jpg

, 307977_291979760913337_1564715296_n Museum Of HMS Plymouth F126...jpg

A pair of glare shields, one each mounted below the top and bottom lamps. Note that the glare shield under the top lamp is much larger than that under the bottom lamp.
Of interest is that this Lower masthead light assembly is mounted immediately aft of the MF/DF bellini tosi crossed-loop aerial; and further fwd, but still on the fore and aft centre line is a whip aerial mounted atop the 4.5 twin gun turret.


2. Upper masthead lights (primary and standby)

, 222501_291980580913255_489287775_n Museum of HMS Plymouth F126 (2).jpg

Note; that on the attachment I have included an annotation - posing a question whether these two lamps are each mounted on glare shields, or just round base plates.

3. Overall light layout showing a) Upper masthead lights; b) Lower masthead lights; and stbd Side Lights (primary and standby in all instances)

, 620_HMSPLYMOUTH_14 nationalhistoricships.org.uk (2).jpg

Regrettably the images I took myself when she/they were open to visitors are alluding me at present. The attachments are derived from those showing Plymouth F126 in a very run-down condition prior to her being sold for scrap.