Compass for lancaster bomber?... - The Military Watch Resource

foilguy · 04-08-2010, 10:38

Went to the biggest Antique fair in Europe today. Newark Fair. picked up a couple of bargains

....an '85 CWC Quartz military watch (£10), with original regimental strap, and this beast. for £30 i thought what the heck!!

It's sprung, and apparently has the Lancaster? attachment on it. As normally when stored it's just the top part within a grey wooden box.

Part numbers 6A/893 for compass & 6A/366 for the base

Flightpath · 04-08-2010, 14:17

Hi Paul,

what you have there is an Air Ministry O2 observer's compass for takeing bearings. Used in all larger RAF aircraft inc. Lancaster, Sunderland ect. The compass is usually painted grey, althought yours has the azimuth circle on it the sighting prism with sun filters (mounts on the square lug) is missing.

The mount is to hold it in the observer's position (dome or a hole in the roof) for takeing bearings.

Pilots in Lancasters and Sunderlands had 'Type P4' (Spitfire/Hurricane had P6 until 1941 and then P6/P10).

Hope this helps,

cheers,

-John

lysander · 04-08-2010, 14:23

Might be older

Lancaster office:

jimmy jones · 04-08-2010, 14:24

that is to cool congrats..

foilguy · 04-08-2010, 15:13

Thanks for the info John, appriecated. Obviously someones stripped off the paint and mounted it on the mahogany base. It's one of those interesting curios. For £30 i thought 'would look good on my desk'

Plus i always know where north is now

Cool to think it was a bit of kit used in one of the WW2 planes.

Flightpath · 04-08-2010, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by lysander

Might be older
[/IMG]

That's the P.4 pilot's steering compass in the Lancaster, Paul's compass goes in the astrodome for the nav to take bearings (stored when not in use). The nav would take a bearing with his O.2 compass and tell the pilot what to set his P.4 compass at and follow it.

Here's my P.6 compass with a Spitfire A.S.I. & MKII clock and other items in my collection...

The P.6 compass is about 1" diameter smaller than the Lancaster's P.4 compass.

cheers,

-John

tmpass · 04-09-2010, 06:59

http://www.compassmuseum.com/aero/aero.htm

I found my U.S. compass during my house move, it looks very similar to the one in the Lancaster pic John posted above.

I'll take some pics this weekend.

These are definitely nice pieces to pick up on the cheap.. I got mine in a box of aircraft parts. One the pieces was a radial engine thermometer, used for finding dead or non firing cylinders.

Klaus · 04-13-2010, 04:00

Only a curios: the base mount is the same of the RAF Astro-compass: it can be used by both the instruments.
Congrats for the nice finds!

04-08-2010, 10:38	#1
foilguy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Posts: 2,110	Compass for lancaster bomber?... Went to the biggest Antique fair in Europe today. Newark Fair. picked up a couple of bargains ....an '85 CWC Quartz military watch (£10), with original regimental strap, and this beast. for £30 i thought what the heck!! It's sprung, and apparently has the Lancaster? attachment on it. As normally when stored it's just the top part within a grey wooden box. Part numbers 6A/893 for compass & 6A/366 for the base

04-08-2010, 14:17	#2
Flightpath Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Aussie in Norway Posts: 1,871	Hi Paul, what you have there is an Air Ministry O2 observer's compass for takeing bearings. Used in all larger RAF aircraft inc. Lancaster, Sunderland ect. The compass is usually painted grey, althought yours has the azimuth circle on it the sighting prism with sun filters (mounts on the square lug) is missing. The mount is to hold it in the observer's position (dome or a hole in the roof) for takeing bearings. Pilots in Lancasters and Sunderlands had 'Type P4' (Spitfire/Hurricane had P6 until 1941 and then P6/P10). Hope this helps, cheers, -John __________________

04-09-2010, 06:59	#7
tmpass Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Medway, Massachusetts Posts: 404	A link for you if you haven't viewed it already http://www.compassmuseum.com/aero/aero.htm I found my U.S. compass during my house move, it looks very similar to the one in the Lancaster pic John posted above. I'll take some pics this weekend. These are definitely nice pieces to pick up on the cheap.. I got mine in a box of aircraft parts. One the pieces was a radial engine thermometer, used for finding dead or non firing cylinders.

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04-08-2010, 14:23	#3
lysander Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,626	Might be older Lancaster office:

04-08-2010, 14:24	#4
jimmy jones Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: CHICAGO Posts: 140	that is to cool congrats..

04-08-2010, 15:13	#5
foilguy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Posts: 2,110	Thanks for the info John, appriecated. Obviously someones stripped off the paint and mounted it on the mahogany base. It's one of those interesting curios. For £30 i thought 'would look good on my desk' Plus i always know where north is now Cool to think it was a bit of kit used in one of the WW2 planes.

04-13-2010, 04:00	#8
Klaus Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 106	Only a curios: the base mount is the same of the RAF Astro-compass: it can be used by both the instruments. Congrats for the nice finds!