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[longshanks]

Hi Folks,

Reading John Lambert's excellent coastal forces book, came across the term 'Fighting Lights'.

Anyone any ideas what these are?

Regards
longshanks

[John W E]

The  fighting lights were used to identify
friendly vessels during a night fight so as not to blast your own ships
out of the water.

aye

john

bluebird

[longshanks]

Hi John,
Sorry for delay in replying - been away!
 
I guess they must have been low vis lights.
I wonder what format they are?

Cheers
longshanks

[PkBoo]

Hi Longshanks, the only thing that google came up with was an excerpt: These were red and green lights which could be flashed together as an emergency recognition signal. They were the initial IFF (identification, friend or foe) installation. The only (b&w) pic I could gather was in this link: http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/44c.htm. Use the find function to find the fighting lights of the USS California. Boo

[kiwi96]

Hi.
I have found this out so far.

They consist of an 18" high unit that houses 3 lights,
in a traffic light manner.

The squadron commander replied, "I don't know who you were firing at."
Still uncertain, Scott ordered Tobin's three ships to flash their battle
recognition lights. Lights green over green over white in a vertical
position flickered momentarily to starboard. Satisfied at last -- and
four minutes had elapsed -- Scott at 2351 ordered Resume Firing! "

May be of  help.
Adrian.

[White Ensign]

... but just for British ships as due the German Imperial Navy it was forbidden to send out signals at light, except an absolute emergency case.
This has lead to the loss of the Black Prince, which had made a mistake on a turn due the night fights and went through between two german battlelines.

On my HMS Velox there is such a fighting light mentioned in the plan, sitting on a single rod midships. The "fighting-lights" had been also ment for entering ports due wartimes, as they had been locked by portable mine-barriers and nets to avoyd any Submarine or fast Torpedoboat attack.
When entering the port at night, they had been asked for their identification. After it was checked the barriers had been removed and the waiting boat had permission for entering.

The lights had been a mixture between red, green and white lights which had to be given in a certain line, but had been just hardly visible, with lower intensity as the standard signal-lights.
Just my penny- hope it was out of any help.
Jörg