Beacon and Tower, Airway

Red metal framed Airway Beacon with beacon light on top and Tower in museum

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Object Details

Physical Description

Airway Beacon Light, last one operational in USA. A 24" rotating beacon light, with coded red signal light and control units. Top five feet of tower included. Removed from Crestline, Whitewater, California (near Palm Springs).

Alternate Name

Airway Beacon and Tower

Key Accomplishment(s)

Last Operational Air Beacon in the U.S.

Brief Description

Night flying presented special hazards for air mail pilots. In the 1920s, the Post Office established a system of lighted airways marked by powerful rotating beacons. Placed 16 km (10 mi) apart, they rotated every 10 seconds and were visible 60 km (40 mi) away.

Credit Line

Transferred from the Federal Aviation Administration

Inventory Number

A19730705000

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

EQUIPMENT-Ground Control Apparatus

Materials

Steel, aluminum, copper, glass, paint

Dimensions

3-D: 185.4 × 172.7 × 454.7cm, 438.6kg (73 in. × 68 in. × 14 ft. 11 in., 967lb.)

Country of Origin

United States of America

See more items in

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location

National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Exhibition

America by Air

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9ee4848b6-eed9-445c-b0b1-4b4542a7a199

Record ID

nasm_A19730705000