Mystery Instrument found in box of interesting things.

[Getragdogleg]

I have a friend who owns an ex MOD bunker, the bunker was part of an RAF station and was part of a chain of 4 that were used for wartime and post war radar stations.

He arrived today with a box of odds and sods, mostly ceramic insulators and glass insulators that were used in his bunker (his was where the engines were mounted and the power cables all ran to and from) but in amongt it all was this :




It seems to be unused, there are no fitting marks from any screws and the two brass inlet pipes on the back (otherwise plain) still have crimped brass covers pushed over them.

The numbers on it are: WK IXE * Rr 27456 / 44
REF NO. 6a 985.
D 10/2/45.

Can anyone identify what it is and what it might have been used in.

Thanks.
Paul.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

It's an ASI (Air Speed Indicator).

Can't tell you what a/c it is from though.

[Gokartmozart]

Wind speed indicator gauge ?. Does seem a bit low only going to 30 odd knots. Probably coupled with a direction indicator.


May have been used for general weather measurements or as total speculation could have been related to possible use in conjunction with gas attacks ?.



Just seen GG's post and realised I typed a load of bks. The 6 on the gauge would be 60 knots not 6.

Edited by Gokartmozart on Friday 17th December 20:02

[Sprouts]

check here
http://www.spitfirespares.com/spitfirespares.com/p...

[Sprouts]

here it is
http://www.warbirdsite.com/museumspitfire.html

[tank slapper]

A Mark 9E airspeed indicator, of which there are many variations depending on what they were fitted to. From what I can gather from searching around a bit, the 6a/985 will tell you which aircraft, if you can find a reference somewhere.

[Getragdogleg]

Good lord above you lot don't muck about !

Very interesting, I will get a few pics of the funny little motor that also generates a 3 phase output and powers a small but very high revving gyroscope. I have no idea what the hell that is for either but It is an interesting thing to watch working.

Thanks for your help.

Does anyone want or need the airspeed indicator ? I would sell it if I thought it was going to someone who would use it or cherish it more than me. I just bought the box of stuff as it contained lots of bunker related miscellenia and that is what I am into.

[Simpo Two]

No-one has commented on the '10.2.40' which I presume to be a date...

Getragdogleg said:

Good lord above you lot don't muck about !

Anorak City here mate!

Getragdogleg said:

I will get a few pics of the funny little motor that also generates a 3 phase output and powers a small but very high revving gyroscope. I have no idea what the hell that is for either but It is an interesting thing to watch working.

50p says it's for an artificial horizon, a cunning device that measures an airplane's falloverness.

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 17th December 21:05

[Getragdogleg]

Simpo Two said:

No-one has commented on the '10.2.40' which I presume to be a date...

"10.2.45" is written on in small neat handwriting on the front face, I had surmised it was a date.

I can see no evidence this instrument has ever been fitted or used.

[Simpo Two]

Getragdogleg said:

"10.2.45" is written on in small neat handwriting on the front face, I had surmised it was a date.

OK, too small to read properly! At a guess it's a calibration date.

[Gokartmozart]

Getragdogleg said:

Good lord above you lot don't muck about !

Very interesting, I will get a few pics of the funny little motor that also generates a 3 phase output and powers a small but very high revving gyroscope. I have no idea what the hell that is for either but It is an interesting thing to watch working.

Thanks for your help.

Does anyone want or need the airspeed indicator ? I would sell it if I thought it was going to someone who would use it or cherish it more than me. I just bought the box of stuff as it contained lots of bunker related miscellenia and that is what I am into.

You could contact the Spitfire Spares site linked earlier.

[Getragdogleg]

Gokartmozart said:

Getragdogleg said:

Good lord above you lot don't muck about !

Very interesting, I will get a few pics of the funny little motor that also generates a 3 phase output and powers a small but very high revving gyroscope. I have no idea what the hell that is for either but It is an interesting thing to watch working.

Thanks for your help.

Does anyone want or need the airspeed indicator ? I would sell it if I thought it was going to someone who would use it or cherish it more than me. I just bought the box of stuff as it contained lots of bunker related miscellenia and that is what I am into.

You could contact the Spitfire Spares site linked earlier.

I might well do that, I did not just post up here to sell it though, I think it is an interesting part to put on the office desk and look at but if someone wants it more than me then I may well sell it.

The other question I have is how does it work ?

I assume it is a device that reads the difference between the two tubes on the back ?
The tubes are marked "P" and "S"

[eharding]

Getragdogleg said:

The other question I have is how does it work ?

I assume it is a device that reads the difference between the two tubes on the back ?
The tubes are marked "P" and "S"

Pitot and Static, and yes, essentially that is exactly what it measures.

[Eric Mc]

ASIs operate by taking air pressure readings.

P possibly stands for "pitot" ande S for Static.

I might be wrong.

Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th December 23:10

[Getragdogleg]

And again thanks for the speedy responses.

I know a very small amount about this sort of thing and I thought the P stood for Pitot but was too shy to just come out and say it in here in case I was wrong ! I would not have got Static though.

Its a sort of shame it's such a nice part, I would not have any problem pulling this to bits and converting it into a rev counter and fitting it to a car if it were just another random common instrument. I have always wanted to do an Aircraft inspired hot rod, maybe out of a large drop tank.

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

ASIs operate by raking air pressure readings.

P possibly stands for "pitot" ande S for Static.

I might be wrong.

There'd be an R for Rake surely...?

[Eric Mc]

Bugger - should have been a T. Now amended.

I'm tired - OK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th December 23:12

[eharding]

Eric Mc said:

Bugger - should have been a T. Now amended.

I'm tired - OK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th December 23:12

Now rhen Eric, you know Simpo Rwo is nororious for raking the proverbial.

Ooooh - ir's carching.

[Eric Mc]

eharding said:

Eric Mc said:

Bugger - should have been a T. Now amended.

I'm tired - OK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th December 23:12

Now rhen Eric, you know Simpo Rwo is nororious for raking the proverbial.

Ooooh - ir's carching.

I no, of corse.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Simpo Two said:

50p says it's for an artificial horizon, a cunning device that measures an airplane's falloverness.

Wartime and early post war British AHs were operated by air driven 'pendulous vanes', even the Mk 4 AH as fitted to the JP worked that way.

75p says it's for driving the Turn & Bank Indicator.