Searchlights

[Sniper_Fox]

Is it possible to put em on your own ship?

if not how do i add starshells to my ship?

[Stealhead]

I think the usable search light on a sub would be a no go but I know somehwere on this site there are some mods that do add the ability to use the star shells. Though I must ask why on earth would you want use a search light on a submarine aginst anything that has a deckgun that is just asking for trouble as a bright light gives them a target to shoot at though I guess you could use it on small boats.

If you scaled the Searchlite down to the size of a hand held
spotlite and made it a useable weapon?

Would be cool when doing some Missions.

It's totally possible to do.

If you want a pre-built model with all the trimmings?
Check out the Spot Lite on the K-Ship in GWX.


Then make it a weapon you can fire.

[Rockin Robbins]

Actually there was a mounted searchlight on fleet boats after the war. I don't know if boats had them during the war though. Davey!!!!!!!!

[gimpy117]

no point...they give away your position...

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Actually there was a mounted searchlight on fleet boats after the war. I don't know if boats had them during the war though. Davey!!!!!!!!

They certainly did:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0817220.jpg

S boats also had them:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0815611.jpg

[edjcox]

Ok Folks searchlights were used routinely by Subs. They allowed for communication with surface vessels and aircraft via morse. They were fitted with colored filters to again indicate and signal.

They were seldom if ever used to designate or locate a target vessel. They were used to signal and IFF as well as provide a means of guiding a rubber raft, etc.

All these uses were of course carefully thought out and controlled in order to not endanger the vessel.

They were very useful and a part of the ships equipment.

Starshells were also used but mostly with handheld 25mm shells, again for the purpose of signalling and IFF. A larger starshell cannon fired over a target into the air beyond could provide a silouette for targeting and identification. Very hazardous technique but employed effectively by U Boats. In an era were radar was new and unreliable, boats were fitted with night optics (larger aperatures) in the observation scopes and in handheld binoculars. Enhancing visibility with a starshell heaved above and beyond a target was a godsend to those attempting to engage at night. Of course lighting up the sky worked both ways and the glitter of white phospher aided DD's and gun crews in finding the subs periscope. Glints off the optics were dead giveaways and the bane of sub skippers..

Japanese subs were fitted with an effective countermeasure. It consisted of a weighted bamboo periscope dummy that was deployed and attracted a DD into a run. These decoys were employed to bait and attact a DD into a run that would provide a Sub sitting silently a target they could predict a bearing on.

The last thing a lookout might see is the bamboo persicope being run over as a torpedoe cuts through the water into the DD's side...

A DD commander may well have wondered how he was sunk..

[Sniper_Fox]

I was wondering about searchlights for a surface ship actually.

I hate not being able to effectively see my targets at night when engaging in a drawn out gun battle.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by edjcox

Ok Folks searchlights were used routinely by Subs. They allowed for communication with surface vessels and aircraft via morse. They were fitted with colored filters to again indicate and signal.

They were seldom if ever used to designate or locate a target vessel. They were used to signal and IFF as well as provide a means of guiding a rubber raft, etc.

All these uses were of course carefully thought out and controlled in order to not endanger the vessel.

They were very useful and a part of the ships equipment.

Starshells were also used but mostly with handheld 25mm shells, again for the purpose of signalling and IFF. A larger starshell cannon fired over a target into the air beyond could provide a silouette for targeting and identification. Very hazardous technique but employed effectively by U Boats. In an era were radar was new and unreliable, boats were fitted with night optics (larger aperatures) in the observation scopes and in handheld binoculars. Enhancing visibility with a starshell heaved above and beyond a target was a godsend to those attempting to engage at night. Of course lighting up the sky worked both ways and the glitter of white phospher aided DD's and gun crews in finding the subs periscope. Glints off the optics were dead giveaways and the bane of sub skippers..

Japanese subs were fitted with an effective countermeasure. It consisted of a weighted bamboo periscope dummy that was deployed and attracted a DD into a run. These decoys were employed to bait and attact a DD into a run that would provide a Sub sitting silently a target they could predict a bearing on.

The last thing a lookout might see is the bamboo persicope being run over as a torpedoe cuts through the water into the DD's side...

A DD commander may well have wondered how he was sunk..

Never knew about the bamboo periscopes. Good thing no one figured out how to connect a mine to one. Just think drop off a few mines with fake scopes attached outside the Bungo....