Danny, this question of yours somehow landed in the thread on Horse-Play in the Mess so I've given it a stiff talking to and brought it here where it belongs.
...capola (capoli?)...
"Capolae", I rather think. After my time - sounds thoroughly unhygenic and claustrophobic to me ...... bunker only fettled once a month ? ...... hope they issued you with a good air- freshener ! What was it all for ? - to protect you against wayward aircraft, or to survive the atomic exchange ? (as Laarbruch would be a radioactive charnel house by then, not much point really).
Did you have a sort of flare tube to pop the 'red's out ? How long was your "shift" down there ? Sanitary Arrangements ? Tell us more - I never heard of these things in my life.
Don't think a CA/DF set (they were operated by the Skilled Man/or Maid in the Tower Approach Room [in later pattern Towers], they had a "slave" set upstairs so that one operator could do both Local and Approach when things were quiet).
In general: Those poor old joannas ! On TV saw one hefted a good hundred yards or more by a reconstructed Trebuchet. Struck the "Lost Chord" when it speared in ! ("Caution - Low Flying Pianos ?")
Poor man's version: (Hawarden 1942) "Duty Pilot" (Prune taken off flying for the day) on grass by side of threshold, kitchen chair, Verey pistol and big bag of reds. Fire at will if sees two Spits intending to land on the same spot at same time. R/T "Local Control" ? - don't be silly ! (mixed bag of Spits, newly assembled Wimpeys and God knows what from ATA plus visitors - often 20 + in circuit. Control not possible). Looks like rain ? - bring your groundsheet.
But they were good days .............
Danny.
It was a little musty shall we say each time I entered for the sole purpose of dusting the ARC52s and there were certainly no sanitary arrangements for the skilled man / maid in the tower to use. When the hooter when off as it did monthly my job was to run around with an SLR looking aggressive so quite what went on in them I will leave to those that know what I'm talking about to explain. Very much their purpose was to prevent the occupant being turned to dust in the event of the unmentionable happening but as to their effectiveness in that scenario I think we all know the answer. During the start of my tour the cupolae, the Ops Bunker and bits of the bomb dump were the only hardened structures on the Station but then the COC and HASs appeared, peace broke out and some time later it all became Weeze Airport.
I have a vague recollection of a CADF in the eastern end cupola but cannot recall any opening in the structure to pop off a flare. As said earlier I don't even remember if there was a caravan. Swinging the PAR was a regular task but no recollection of a caravan trundling up and down at the same time. Given that the Glide Path and Localiser occupied spots at both ends I'm sure if there was a caravan there I'd have been a regular visitor for a brew while fettling the ILS and while I fettled regularly there was definitely no tea drinking.
John