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Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:09 pm
by Splitpin
Two obviously aircraft related objects unearthed by a friend of mine a while ago, while working on a site in the central Otago region.
Nothing else was found.
The clock fits nicely into the area beside the compass (which still floats on its mount) but may not be linked.
I doubt that it was a crash site, as some wires in the rear have been cut, and as I said nothing else was found ... but, it may have come from a crash site at some time.
I love this stuff ....

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Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:17 pm
by emfrat
I really wouldn't know, but it looks more like a stopwatch than a clock - an aviation clock would surely be a 24hr one? Then again, maybe it pre-dates the days of night flying, and is just used for elapsed flight time?

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:56 am
by Charl
Well the compass certainly had night flying in mind, I am tickled by the arrangement of those little red lightbulbs: Two up, Reginald, and one down!
You could always write to the Airpath Instrument Co and ask for whom that part number was destined? :)

ASCO Aeronautical, Inc.
P.O. Box 360406
Columbus, Oh 43236-0406

Then you could easily follow up and find out if there was a clock in the panel!

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:40 pm
by Splitpin
Cheers gents, good thoughts.

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 8:34 pm
by Lindstrim
Have a read of this thread regarding the chronometer

https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/waltham-a1 ... ck.144251/

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:30 am
by Splitpin
Lindstrim , what a great link thanks very much. I'm also a bit of a watch collector (replicas)so it helped with that as well.
Its confirmed as a type A13A. I thought that even though it "fits" into the vacant space, it doesn't belong there.
An artificial horizon and compass would be a more logical grouping, but when I put inside the case, the two adjusting knob things on the case line up with cogs on the clock itself.

On Charls advise I've sent photos to the manufacturers, so maybe we can find out more.

Thanks again for the link.

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:39 pm
by Splitpin
In the meantime .... Image
As to what panel it was attached to is still a mystery.
Its a shame I cant show you how the two" knobs" line up with the cogs on the chronometer( very hard to photograph) ... not, just a clock as Lindstrim said.

The temptation to clean the whole thing up is strong, but I think for now I will leave it as is (at the finders request) ....I wonder what happened, if anything ...and how did it end up where it was?

Re: Urban aviation archaeology mystery.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:50 am
by Sonnyj