To finish my Typhoon I am trying to find out where the "pig tail" electrical connections fit, on British 60lb rocket projectiles. They are fitted into the rear of the rocket motor but I can find no pictures, in any of my references, or net searches, of where they connect on the aircraft. Logic suggests somewhere on the rear of the rocket rail, but where? Or are the connections directly in the wing? I doubt this but would like to know for sure. I have seen models with the "pig tails" added to the rockets and hanging down, as per a picture in "Typhoon/Tempest in action. I have yet to see a model with them connected at both ends. They are, for obvious reasons left disconnected until just before take off. I would like to show them fully "hooked up" to indicate that take off and, therefore, death and distruction to armour, :-) is Imminent.
Thanks.
Mal

Hi Mal,

The only info I found about this was from an article about RAF WW2 60lb rockets in general. It says:

".....a firing cap was fitted with a lead going right through the cordite to the rear where it was fitted with a plug which hung down, known as the pigtail.

This plug was fitted into a socket UNDER THE WING of the aircraft, and when the firing button was pressed by the pilot, the electric charge ignited the firing cap causing the cordite to burn......"

It isn't specific about which aircraft it is refering to, but it is the only thing I could find.

Thanks Martin, I think I've read the same before, but for several reasons I believe it actually attaches to the rail.
I do have plans that appear to show them connected to the rear rocket rail mount. However it isn't clear where and the rear mount, on the plans, is not the same as the actual rail. The rockets stand off from the wing a ways, because of the rails, the pig tails may not reach the wing? Nowhere, on plans or drawings, or indeed on the model, are there any indication of sockets in the wing. The fact that the rails were not a Permanent fixture would suggest a connection through the rail?
As you can see I'm pretty convinced that the pigtails did attach to the rails, my dilema is where, exactly?
Mal

I found this pic of a kit on ipmsstockholm, it does look right but no references are given.

Thanks again Martin, that's about where I figured they would go. I'm a bit troubled by the pic, though. The rear rail supports are different to the kit I have and the fins are (+) this way on, instead of (x) this way.

Mal

get one of those books about the typhoon at your local hobby shop?

I have several books on the Typhoon, as do others I know. None, that I've seen, show the connection. I have also done several searches, on the net, all to no avail. This one of those cases where the pic you need is not available. One will, no doubt, turn up after I finish the model, showing that I have connected them wrongly
Mal