Skylighters, The Web Site of the 225th AAA Searchlight Battalion: The Skylighters and the Night Fighters: P-61 Technical Information -- IFF Equipment in the P-61

IFF Equipment in the P-61:
Recognition Lights Control Box and Control Assembly

Enemy infiltration of air formations became quite a problem during the war, so the Indentification Friend or Foe (or IFF) system was developed in order to be able to distinguish whether strange aircraft sideling into the group were to be fired upon or not. The Identification Friend or Foe system included radar transmitters and receivers that were to be used with codes that were changed daily. In addition, white, red, green, and amber lamps mounted on the aircraft's underside were also set to predetermined lighting sequences. This recognition light system was controlled by the control box depicted above. The control box features a keying switch (upper right) that was used to send visual Morse code messages.

The recognition light control box mounted in the cockpit of a Black Widow.

RECOGNITION LIGHTS CONTROL ASSEMBLY (34 K)

An unused recognition light control assembly, which would be mounted elsewhere in the cockpit.