Twas the night after Christmas.....

[Wolf]

And all around the forum, not a sound could be heard.... not even a mouse

During all the investigation that has been done off forum has anyone got any gauge regarding any attendance by base medical teams or by the PJ's at the scene of the 'incident'.

V/R

Wolf

[SouthyR1]

Im with you on that one wolf, been checking for any new posts ever day, but no one seems to be posting, maybe the weekend will bring us some joy!!!

Andy

[redsocks]

This is because people now realise how much BS the witnesses are trying to spin us, JB this is not going to do you no good for your retirement book but quite simply people arnt that stupid!

Redsocks

[AdrianF]

Okay
Moving on..

Sort of on the subject of Christmas.. Christmas Lights... 'Light Alls'
Does anybody know exactly what kind of lighting system 'light alls' would have consisted of. Ian Ridpath has a link on his website to a company selling generator powered work lights. I was wondering if anyone has any additional knowledge of the types of lights on issue at the time?
Do the malfunctioning light alls have a part to play in all this?

Adrian

[AdrianF]

I've sort of answered my own question.
The light alls were probably metal halide type light carts. Maybe someone can confirm this?
If this is the case it might explain the light alls malfuctioning, the cycling when they malfunction is described on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_halide

During my quest for this info I came across this http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=92396&highlight=tank
Now I have got to get me one of these!! I haven't stopped laughing since I came across this. Camping in the forest could suddenly become a lot more fun with one of these beauties

Enjoy

Adrian

[Silvertop]

"Now we're observing what appears to be a beam coming down to the ground!"

Or maybe a beam coming up from the ground ?

I wonder how often light-alls were used at Woodbridge/Bentwaters? - they could have been in the back of the shed for years.

[AdrianF]

Quote:
"Now we're observing what appears to be a beam coming down to the ground!"


Or maybe a beam coming up from the ground ?

Silvertop, the same thought did cross my mind too.
Read the whole thread there, especially the last post. Maybe the idea of a practical joke is a possibility? I've always thought this was unlikely due to nobody coming forward to claim it, but seeing this in action does make you think.
There is a link on that forum to one of these lights doing it's business
http://www.big-boys.com/articles/mosulbombs.html

Adrian

[Observer]

Hi all

I'm back after a break, Interesting theory re the pencil thin beam from one of these spot lights.
I suppose it could have been a pratical joke. Halt says one beam came right down to where he was standing which suggests that if the beam was being projected from the ground upwards he must have been almost standing on the lamp unit???
I think you need to look at what might have had these spot lamps in the air, helicopter? No body heard one. What could carry these lamps without making much noise, Airship? They all said they heard a humming noise which could have been the electric motors on an air ship.

Did the US Navy who had ships in the North Sea at that time decide to put one over on the USAF as a Christmas joke. They were great rivals and were always plotting against each other. The US ships would be very aware of how close to the coast Woodbridge was and its exact location.
With this senario in mind, it could quite as easily have been some other force. Or was it a NATO plotted exercise to test the USAF for airfield defence. Were Navy Seals landed to carry this out? It was only a 4/5 mile trek from coast to forest.

Obs

[AdrianF]

I read a post somewhere on here recently about a red filter being found in the forest after the events. Does anyone know if this was fact or just rumour?

Adrian

[Observer]

Hi Adrian

Re the red torch filter, it was me who posted this some time back on the forum.
My friend and his son who lived in Woodbridge town and who had several US airmen as friends all went out into the forest some days after the event, [although it was not public knowledge at that time, but the grape vine was in full swing on basses] found in the undergrowth down one of the logging tracks a USAF issue flash light with a red filter over the lense. He kept it as a souvenir and still has it.

Obs

[AdrianF]

Thanks Observer
Nice little souvenir. So lets say some jokers on base took one of these xenon arc lights from a chopper, took out a torch with a red filter into the forest and decided to have some fun. Maybe they dropped the torch while laughing so hard. It's possible I suppose. Thing is where or who are they??

Adrian

[Observer]

Hi Adrian

Yes its possible that this is what happened, but bare in mind the orders that all aimen were under.

From my friendships with several servicemen and their families i was told several times that any problems or unservice like activity off base on British territory or involving British locals would cause a disiplinary action and none that i knew would risk playing about or causing trouble off base.
They also took a very dim view if British Police had to come on base for enquiries. Airman involved were usually posted State side straight away and this did happen now and again, usually from trouble in Ipswich pubs on a Saturday night. Most i gather from being started by Brits, Nothing new there then.

Obs

[Wolf]

Does anybody know exactly what kind of lighting system 'light alls' would have consisted of.

USAF Light all


V/R

Wolf[/img]

[AdrianF]

Thanks Wolf,
Good find. That's a serious generator they are sitting on.

Adrian

[IanR]

You can also see a couple in the distance on a runway on this page
http://members.aol.com/thudeur2/bitburg.htm
Search down for the phrase "NF-2 portable light carts", which seems to have been the more official name for them.

Ian