Senkpfad - landing lights?
 

Gentlemen,

I found in a wartime private diary that in the dark on a large airfield, they landed with 'Senchpfad' which must be the misspelled Senkpfad, landing lights. Am I correct?

Re: Senkpfad - landing lights?
 

What language is it in?


In German: Landelichter

Otherwise, it appears to be a compound word referring to a path and a dialectical word.

Re: Senkpfad - landing lights?
 

The german word should be Sinkpfad. Literally descend path. In todays aviation they use
4 lights next to the touchdown zone. 2 white lights and 2 red lights means
on descend path. More red lights means too low, more white lights too high.
It is a visual aid to maintain a stable approach. It is possible that similar
devices were used by the Luftwaffe.

Stefan

Re: Senkpfad - landing lights?
 

Thanks, Stefan. It was written in the personal diary of a Hungarian pilot. Deciphering a handwritten text is enough difficult but when it contains misspelled foreign words as well, it is a new level of challenge...