New to this forum. Can anyone Identify this Compass - Aircraft of World War II

mrrcp · 10-10-2007, 08:28 PM

Hi; I'm new to this forum. I'm a pilot myself but I haven't flown for quite a few years and I miss it. Can anyone identify this compass? I think it came off of a military aircraft but I'm not really sure. I don't think it's from a ship. It's old and made of brass underneath the black paint. Their is only one marking on the top that a young guy told me said Mazda, 12V. I can't read it so I'm taking his word for it. If you have any information, let me know. Thanks! I'll try and upload a couple of photo's.

Wurger · 10-11-2007, 04:05 AM

Welcome to the forum.

Emac44 · 10-13-2007, 11:17 PM

G'day mccp welcome to the site. Sorry can't help you with the compass

grob · 10-14-2007, 03:40 PM

Hi and welcome from the UK

evangilder · 10-14-2007, 04:58 PM

It doesn't look familiar to me, but it might be out of a vehicle as well.

ccheese · 10-15-2007, 10:28 AM

MRRCP: Welcome to the forum. I work for Mazda, and to the best of my
knowledge Mazda doesn't put compasses in autos. You can buy an after-
market compass, but it doesn't look like that. Sorry....

Charles

HoHun · 10-15-2007, 05:01 PM

Hi Mrrcp,

>If you have any information, let me know. Thanks! I'll try and upload a couple of photo's.

I've just had a look at a 1930's book on air navigation, and it seems that the compasses of the day usually had a mechanism to rotate the scale to the desired heading, where it would be clamped down to fix the position of auxiliary markings which signalled the desired position of the compass needle.

As long as the compass needle was between these auxiliary markings, the airplane would be on the pre-selected course.

Does that sound like the compass you have? From the photographs you posted, I can't make out all of the details, and I'm confused about the function of the silver-metallic part ...

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

DOUGRD · 10-21-2007, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoHun

From the photographs you posted, I can't make out all of the details, and I'm confused about the function of the silver-metallic part ...
Regards,Henning (HoHun)

If I'm not mistaken the silver cylinder at the back of the compass is the electrical connector for the light in the compass. See the tube running from the silver cylinder to the top front? The light bulb housing is that forward termination point.

10-11-2007, 04:05 AM	#2
Wurger Siggy Master Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 13,972	Welcome to the forum. __________________

10-14-2007, 04:58 PM	#5
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,807	It doesn't look familiar to me, but it might be out of a vehicle as well. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

10-15-2007, 10:28 AM	#6
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,309	MRRCP: Welcome to the forum. I work for Mazda, and to the best of my knowledge Mazda doesn't put compasses in autos. You can buy an after- market compass, but it doesn't look like that. Sorry.... Charles __________________ I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either....

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10-13-2007, 11:17 PM	#3
Emac44 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brisbane Queensland Posts: 1,579	G'day mccp welcome to the site. Sorry can't help you with the compass

10-14-2007, 03:40 PM	#4
grob Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 63	Hi and welcome from the UK

10-15-2007, 05:01 PM	#7
HoHun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,765	Hi Mrrcp, >If you have any information, let me know. Thanks! I'll try and upload a couple of photo's. I've just had a look at a 1930's book on air navigation, and it seems that the compasses of the day usually had a mechanism to rotate the scale to the desired heading, where it would be clamped down to fix the position of auxiliary markings which signalled the desired position of the compass needle. As long as the compass needle was between these auxiliary markings, the airplane would be on the pre-selected course. Does that sound like the compass you have? From the photographs you posted, I can't make out all of the details, and I'm confused about the function of the silver-metallic part ... Regards, Henning (HoHun)