interesting UK Airfield relic thats well marked.

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

I can't believe I left it so long to clean this relic!!!!
I found it around 8 months ago at a former UK WW2 airfield, it was covered in a concretion of mud with nothing showing, but was interesting in that it was made of alumimnium. Sadly I didn't clean it immediately, in fact I soon forgot about it altogether and its been sitting in the boot of my car ever since, even traveling to Normandy with me. Anyway tonight I was looking at pictures of relics on this site and suddenly remembered it.
I retrieved it from my car and gave it a soak, the water softened the mud and then a liberal sponging soon revealed all the markings.
The top is marked
'ROTAX-HARLEY APPVd AIRCRAFT LANDING LAMP. MADE IN ENGLAND'
and at the bottom
'MODEL 8 E.D PATENTS} 372285, 430401, 456571 & OTHERS SERIAL No 2951'
Can anyone provide any information about this, Perhaps the aircraft that used it or a photo of the system in situ.
Thanks for looking.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Adrian Stevenson]

Does this help? Scroll down to about the 5th page from bottom and there is two pages about landing lights made by this company:

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi...0-%200741.html

Funny how the name Rotax has come up twice on the forum in the last week or so.

Cheers, Ade.

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Ade,
Thank you for your help, the speed of your replies is uncanny!.
It makes fascinating reading very interesting, I actually remembered as the name Rotax came into sight, that Steve T had recently posted the thread with the Rotax dashboard. I guess it must have been a large wartime manufacturer.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Gary J]

Rotax seems to have had a fair few subcontracts to the RAF ...
.. Instruments, lighting systems, generators, engine starters to name but a few ..

No Doubt the politicians of the day had a bucket full of shares in the company !!

Gary J.

[Steve T]

Nice find !

Perhaps one day mine and your Rotax relics should meet up

Steve T

[Rick]

Rotax not to be confused with the German company of the same name, were based in Wilsden London and produced all manner of things. Later they amalgamated with Lucas who became later in life Lucas aero space, the Rotax company produced Radio sets, generators instruments especially for the aircraft industry.

Nice clean peice of Ally there looks to be the lamp retaining bezel, but from which aircraft, i dont know.

regards
Rick

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Thanks for the details Rick very interesting and yes Steve T that would be good maybe Beltring or Detling if you go? Carry on as we are and in a few years we might have enough peices to build our own aircraft.
LUCKYSTRIKE