pages 26 to 48.

Transcription

pages 26 to 48.

© 2001 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission.
For the next hour and thirty-five minutes, Commander Byrd was busy with all his
watches, sextant and sun compass. Suddenly he came forward, shook my hand, and
declared—we have reached the North Pole. We circled the Pole for a few times and
started our return. After about six hours, we sighted land, which certainly looked
good to both of us. It took another hour to reach the coast of Spitzbergen. The oil
pressure was still up in the leaking engine, although half of the oil had been lost. In a
great tribute to the navigation skill of Commander Byrd, we reached our destination
within less than a mile of our intended point of return. In one hour more we were at
King’s Bay and after a smooth landing we taxied up to the place we left sixteen
hours before. Our mission was accomplished.”
Note: The navigation instruments included: a Waltham 18-size sidereal watch; a
Longines 25-size chronometer with power reserve; a Longines chronograph with
two registers; a Pioneer Instrument Bumstead Sun Compass; a Pioneer Instrument
aircraft sextant; and a Bendix wind drift indicator.
Airship Navigation Watches, c. 1920
Junghans Watch Company
Germany
The two watches were used in tandem by the Zeppelin Navigator. The one on the
left is the conventional timekeeper, while the one on the right is an elapsed time
chronograph.
Instrument Panel Watch, c.1922
Hausmann
Italy
This watch was in the cockpit of an airship
named Roma, purchased by the U.S. from Italy
after WWI. On its maiden voyage, a fault in the
controls caused it to dive into high tension
wires and explode. This watch was one of the
few items to survive the crash. 4.1.2001
26
Society of Military Horologists Chapter 143
Navigation Chronometer, c.1927
Elgin Watch Company
Elgin, Illinois
Presented to W.F. “Bull” Halsey, Jr.
when he was designated a Naval
Aviator, this navigation chronometer is a B.W. Raymond model with a
power reserve dial and chronometer accuracy. 6.4.2001
Pocket Watch, c.1933
Hamilton Watch Co.
Lancaster, PA
Made as a prototype for the Navy, this 16size model 992 watch was used by Admiral
Richard Byrd during his arctic and antartic
explorations. 10.1.2001
27
Finding the South Pole—Admiral Richard E. Byrd
Preface: For many years I have been intrigued with the exploits of Richard E.
Byrd, arctic explorer extraordinaire. Perhaps my interest was honed by the fact
that he and I were both naval aviators, and that I acquired a watch bearing his
name that was reputed to have been used on one of his antarctic expeditions.
He was the first man to fly over both the North and South Poles. In this article, I will attempt to summarize the exploits of the South Pole flight as related
in his book, Little America, by highlighting the precision of the navigation and
the significance of timekeeping in reaching this goal.
he golden age of aviation exploration occured during the nineteen twenties and
thirties. Lindbergh made his eventful flight across the Atlantic, and the airship
“Graf Zeppelin” completed its around-the-world trip. It seems new records were
being set almost every day in terms of the distances aircraft were flying as well as
the speed and daring of the incredible aeronauts. Two of the greatest flights occurred
under the aegis of U.S. Navy Commander Byrd: first flying over the North Pole in
1926 and then three years later flying over the South Pole.
Richard Byrd was a man of many talents and great ambition. He was a natural
leader, a stickler for detail, and a person who believed thorough preparation was the
best way to deal with the harsh environment of Antarctic living and could bring success. But above all he was a man with a mission and was convincing enough to find
friends from many governmental and private sources to finance his trip. After assembling a very talented crew with many skills, he set out by ship with three planes and
provisions to explore by air and by ground this great uncharted territory.
This is his personal story of the South Pole flight:
“On November 25, 1929, the weather seemed perfect for the flight. The final
report read perfect visibility. No clouds anywhere. The meteorologist remarked that,
if you don’t go now you may never have another chance as good as this. And that
T
Bumstead Sun Compass, c.1929-1938
Pioneer Instrument Company
United States
This instrument was used on polar expeditions by Admiral Richard E. Byrd. At the
pole a conventional compass does not
work, so this compass, incorporating a
watch mechanism, was developed for
navigation.
28
Explorer’s Watch, c. 1930
Longines Wittnauer Watch Company
New York/Switzerland
A watch used on Admiral Byrd’s
Antarctic Expedition of 1933. It has a
24-hour dial, a seconds dial at 24, and a
power reserve dial at 12. These watches
were timed from a Naval Observatory
time signal at the South Pole Station.
was that. The Ford Trimotor was loaded,
gasoline and food supplies placed aboard, the
gear checked. I made a careful check of the
watches and chronometers which were
among the last things put aboard. For days I
had nursed the chronometers, checking them
against the time tick broadcast every night
from the U.S. We knew their exact loss and
gain. We had to know. An error in time
would put the Bumstead sun compass off
and our geographical position as well.
“At 0320 hours (3:30 a.m.) , the plane and its crew of four were off. The skis
were in the air after a run of 30 seconds, all engines of the Ford Trimotor were in
perfect sync. As the plane gained altitude the course was set for the Axel Heilberg
Glacier, better known as the ‘Hump.’ This was the highest point to be encountered
on the flight. Whether the plane could traverse the icebound pass with the weight of
its load of gas and gear was an unknown.
“From time to time landmarks would appear in the form of Depots formed by
huts and gear stacked by ground parties of this and other expeditions. Keeping on
course was possible by using the sun compass and by taking constant readings of the
drift indicator. Since the wind came from the east, it was necessary to nose the
plane 10 to 20 degrees to the left of the true course to make good a straight course
to the south. Had there been anyone below he would have been surprised to see a
plane headed well to the east but flying steadily to the south.
“By 0915 hours that fateful morning we had reached the ‘Hump.’ Our altitude
was 9,000 feet, climbing steadily all the while. All of the spare gas tins were now
depleted and cast overboard. It had taken us longer to reach the mountains due to
head winds. Using the stopwatch I could calculate our speed over the ground. If we
were to make a passage through the pass we needed greater maneuverability than
we had at that moment. Once we entered, there would be no retreat. But we needSociety of Military Horologists Chapter 143
29
ed power to climb. The pilot gestured—overboard—200 pounds! Which would it be,
gas or food, in case of a forced landing?
“The decision was made. A bag of food went spinning out to the glade. But the
down drafts became even rougher. More! And so another bag went flying—in total,
450 pounds of food—enough to feed the four of us for two months. The sacrifice
was the saving factor. The plane leaped with a sudden jump, clearing the floor of the
pass by several hundred feet.
“Finally we were over the ‘Hump’ and the floor of the plateau stretched before us
in a white immensity to the south. The Pole lay dead ahead over the horizon less
than 300 miles away. We laid our line of flight on the 171st meridian.
“The drift indicator showed a wind from the east. The influence of the drift on
the course was always a bothersome element. The sun compass was vital to keep
the plane on course. Now ground speed was needed to know when we arrived at
the Pole. By timing with a stopwatch how long it takes a point on the ground to run
the length of the drift indicator, then turning and passing over the object again, it was
possible, using tables, to calculate the speed.
“As we neared the Pole I attempted to shoot the sun with the bubble sextant. At
1238 I finally shot the sun. It was quite low, but the sight gave us a line of latitude
which confirmed our dead reckoning navigation. So the Pole was actually in sight
but I could not yet spare it so much as a glance. Chronometers, drift indicators and
compasses are hard task masters. At 1314 hours Greenwich Civil Time, our calculations showed us at the South Pole at an altitude of 11,000 feet.
“Turning back over the spot I dropped a small flag weighted by a stone. For a few
seconds we stood over the spot where other explorers also stood many years before.
There was nothing now to mark that scene—only desolation and solitude. And that
in brief, is all there is to tell about the South Pole. One gets there, period! It’s the
effort to get there that counts.
“We put the Pole behind us and raced for home.”
Editor’s Note: Richard Byrd led a number of expeditions to the South Pole. On
these occasions he used several types of chronometers and watches. His detent
chronometers were an Adams # 5837 and a Frodsham #3412. His chronometer
watches were both Longines and Hamiltons. All were timed and “put up dry” since
there were no known oils available up to the 1940s that could withstand the frigid
weather.
The South Pole flight chronometer was a Hamilton 21-jewel, 36-size chronometer watch. Another timepiece kept at the “Little America” base was a Longines 24hour mounted chronometer watch. The stopwatch was a Hamilton prototype 19jewel,16-size chronograph. One of then-Commander Byrd’s watches was a
Hamilton 499E— a 21-jewel, 18-size model. The other instruments used for navigation—the sun compass, drift indicator, and bubble sextant—were later refined and
used by the U.S. Navy in World War II. Admiral Byrd received many decorations
and honors for his polar expeditions.
30
The Epic Flight of the Tingmissartoq
n 1933 Colonel Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh made a
30,000 mile swing around the Atlantic Ocean. Long over-water flights, a wide
range of weather conditions, the necessity for accurate navigation, and the scarcity
of landing sites were all problems that were to face aviators until the end of the
decade. The results of this flight and the challenges they overcame were well documented and served as an important reference for both military and commercial
pilots.
The name of the Lockheed Sirius monoplane used in the flight was given by
Greenland Eskimos and meant “The one who flies like a big bird.” The plane was
equipped with pontoons and featured full dual controls. The cruising speed was 103
knots, at which speed 25 gallons of fuel per hour were used. On the 1800 mile flight
leg from Bathurst, Africa, to Natal, South America, the total fuel capacity was 440
gallons carried in the floats and wing tanks. The engine was a 9-cylinder Wright
Cyclone F of 710 horsepower. It was fitted with a Hamilton controllable pitch propeller.
The flight was undertaken primarily to look at possible routes that could be used
for air service between North and South America and Europe by Pan-American
Airways. However, there was a secret mission as well. The Lindberghs flew from
South America north through the Caribbean, selecting air base sites that could be
used for military operations in time of war. On a personal note, the writer spent time
at several of these bases during World War II in Northern Brazil, the Guianas, and
Trinidad which were selected by the Lindberghs on this flight. Overall, the trip lasted
more that five months during which time the seaplane traveled 30,000 miles, visited
three oceans, four continents and 21 countries. The Greenland Ice Cap and Atlantic
Ocean were each crossed in both directions.
The basic panel instruments were of the best type available at that time for both
visual and blind flying. Special equipment included a collapsible rubber boat and
emergency radio gear for the ocean flights. The navigation equipment included two
complete radio outfits for transmitting and receiving and a fixed loop for taking accu-
I
Lindbergh’s Aviator Watch, c. 1927
Longines Watch Company
Switzerland and United States
This unique watch was designed and worn by
Charles A. Lindbergh, the first aviator to complete a non-stop transatlantic flight in May
1927. Its uniqueness is derived from the outer
rotating bezel that allows a direct reading of
the Greenwich hour angle of celestial bodies
(stars and sun) for finding one’s position while
flying. The inner Weems dial can be set to the
exact time using a radio signal. This watch has
a 16-size B.W. Raymond movement and can be
adjusted to five positions.
31
rate bearings by heading toward the sending station. Mrs. Lindbergh did all the radio
work, transmitting and receiving in Morse Code, being in contact with South
American stations and ships at sea. Along with this, an Air Almanac, a Line of
Position Book, a bubble sextant, Mercator charts, and two second-setting navigating
watches, one reading in arc, were in constant use. Lindbergh stated that the two
navigating watches kept time to within a fraction of a second, most remarkable considering the conditions to which they were subjected. All of the celestial navigation
sightings were done by the Colonel and were only used as checks on their dead
reckoning course. Wind drift was calculated by using a ground speed and drift meter.
In laying the course, wind drift was accounted for by the slight curve in the course
followed. You will note that the plane was nearly on the original course when she
turned left to sight the S.S. Westfalen. Overall, the flight from Bathurst to Natal
took 15 hours, 55 minutes and only one course correction was necessary.
T he Lindberghs used one of the second-setting watches when taking sextant
sightings; the other second-setting watch was equipped with a dial graduated in
degrees. With the equation of time set by means of the second-setting (hack) feature, Mrs. Lindbergh could read the Greenwich hour angle directly from the watch
face to be translated into Longitude. The hour angle watch was the Colonel’s own
invention and was made by the Longines Watch Company. The other watch was a
Patek Phillipe with a power reserve indicator. Commander R.V.H. Weems, the father
of aerial navigation, wrote in this same time period that the timepieces developed for
navigation made accurate navigation positions commonplace. Thanks to radio time
signals and quality timekeeping it was quite simple to find the correct instant of time
within one or two seconds, amply close for practical navigation.
Presentation Watch, c.1930
Agassiz Watch Co., S.A.
Geneva, Switzerland
This presentation watch was given to Col.
Roscoe Turner by Pratt and Whitney Aircraft
Co. Turner was the winner of many national
and international air races in the 1920s and
30s.
Roscoe Turner shown with his tiger Gilmore. Turner
had a parachute and oxygen mask made for Gilmore.
32
Pocket Chronograph, c.1930
Ulysses Nardin, S.A.
Geneva, Switzerland
Originally made for the German Navy,
this clock was later appropriated by
the Russians and used in the Soviet
Navy. 34.1.2001
Submarine Operations Clock, c.1940
Kiengle-Uhrenfabriken, A.G.
Schwennigen, Germany
Taken from a German submarine captured at sea, this clock was used in the
submarine communications room.
36.1.2001
Navigation Watch, c.1930
This deck watch was probably used for
general timekeeping or as a comparing
watch for navigation when set to a time
signal. The watch has a 35-size case and
dial with a 16-size movement. 50.1.2001
33
Deck Watch, c.1930
Rolex, S.A.
Geneva, Switzerland
This deck watch was assigned to the H.M.S.
Furious which was sunk in the Mediterranean
Sea early in WWII. 32.1.2001
Navigation Watches
American Waltham Watch Co.
Waltham, MA
These three watches were used for aircraft navigation. One was made for the U.S.
Navy Bureau of Aeronautics and the other two for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
c. 1928
Vanguard model, 23J,
gold center wheel and
gold settings.
24.1.2001
c. 1931
Vanguard model, 23J,
six positions. 25.1.2001.
c. 1927
Vanguard model, 23J, six
positions. 26.1.2001.
34
Sidereal Watch, c.1930
Waltham Watch Co.
Waltham, MA
Sidereal time is vital for navigation
because it allows you to calculate the
position of various stars. The right ascension of a star crossing the meridian is
equal to the local sidereal time at that
moment. This relation allows you to correctly orient a star map, if you know the
local sidereal time. 13.1.2001
Chronometer Watch, c.1933
Elgin Watch Co.
Elgin, Illinois
This watch was made for the Bureau of
Aeronautics, U.S. Navy, for air navigation in
the 1930s. It has a 40-hour power reserve
known by airmen as an up-down indicator.
12.1.2001
35
Instrument Panel Clock, c.1938
Junghans Gebruder, A.G.
Schramberg, Germany
Used by the German Air Force in WWII,
the clock can be manually set and
wound from the back. 33.1.2001
Navigation Watch, c.1940
Seikosha Watch Company
Japan
Identical to elapsed time watches used by American pilots, this watch has a standard
12-hour dial, an inner 13-24 hour dial, a sweep second hand, and a 30-minute register
dial. The markings on the back designate it for aviation use. 11.4.2001
36
War in a Stringbag
hile reading one of my favorite magazines, Aviation History, I was struck with
the story of Britain’s remarkable bi-plane torpedo bomber of WWII, the Fairey
Aviation Co. Swordfish. This airplane, although obsolete before its time, carried out
some of the most daring assignments of the war. In essence, because of the professional courage and skilled airmanship of the pilots who flew them, the Stringbag, as
it was known, became the symbol of British carrier aviation during the war. This torpedo bomber, mine-laying, reconnaissance, anti-submarine attack plane delivered
crippling blows against enemy seapower again and again, sinking more than 350,000
tons of enemy shipping, destroying or damaging 30 enemy capital ships and more
than a dozen UBoats. At the height of the war, 26 squadrons of the Royal Navy
Fleet Air Arm were equipped with this durable plane.
What was this plane and how does it relate to military horology? To begin, it was
both a land plane, a carrier plane, and, with pontoons, a seaplane. On land it was
flown from advanced bases with short runways. At sea, six British aircraft carriers
housed 13 Swordfish squadrons. Equipped with pontoons, they flew reconnaissance
missions from cruisers and battleships.
It was 1933 when the British Admiralty asked Sir Richard Fairey to design an aircraft that would fulfill every naval requirement except air defense of the fleet. The
assignments were many, and it specifically had to carry heavy loads of 2000 pounds
of mines or torpedoes in a dive attack speed near 200 knots.
The following year the first prototype was produced. It was test flown success-
W
Navigation Watch, c. 1937
Swiss made, 24-size, fully jeweled watch
used on Stringbag flights. See following
page for additional information.
37
fully and named the Swordfish. During the test period, while trying it out with all the
different load requirements, a pilot remarked, “No housewife on a shopping spree
could cram a wider variety of articles into her STRINGBAG!” And so, the name
stuck.
The production aircraft was a large bi-plane constructed of tubular steel with
some duralumin but with a fabric covering over the aft fuselage, wings, and tail.
Since it was to be based on aircraft carriers, its wings had to be foldable and its landing gear strong enough for pitching decks.
The plane was powered with a 690-horsepower, 9-cylinder radial engine, driving
a 3-bladed metal propeller. It had a cruising speed of 90 knots and a range of 600
miles. It was capable of carrying a 1600 pound, 18" diameter torpedo, a 1500 pound
sea mine or equivalent weight in depth charges or bombs. For defense, it inadequately had a Vickers gun in the front cockpit, fired by the pilot through the propeller. The
Lewis gun in the rear cockpit was fired by the air gunner or observer. The third
crewman was the navigator who sat next to the pilot in the front cockpit.
It was the navigator who used the unique watch mounted on the instrument
panel. Since many missions were flown at night in pitch-dark conditions, navigation
accuracy was extremely vital. For carrier operations, the plane took off, flew to the
target, dropped its weapon, flew back to the carrier that had now moved to another
location with no lights or radio signal. Of course the opportunities for getting “lead
poisoning” were always present from enemy flak, fighter aircraft, and incendiary cannons. Then there were the other risks, from bad weather and barrage balloon cables
to having your carrier sunk as you were about to land. But war is hell, isn’t it?
The watch shown on page 37 was hand-held by the navigator. What is unique (I
never saw another one like this) is the movable 360-degree register around the bezel.
It is held in place by a spring-loaded knurled screw. According to one of the plane’s
pilots, the 360 register was used in flying search patterns. That meant at the start
point, the departure time was noted by the minute hand. The course was flown
dependent on the minutes that elapsed. The next leg of the search would begin after
an hour of flying time. The actual radius would be dependent on the flight speed.
This type of search pattern was used primarily in finding the home carrier, downed
airmen, and enemy ships.
The designation on the back of the case is HS4, which means it is in the British
Hydrographic Survey category four. Category one is chronometers; two, chronometer watches; three, deck watches; and four, dashboard watches, and on to HS11,
general purpose wristwatches.
38
An Operations Watch, c.1940
Adolph Lange and Sohne
Glasshutte, Germany
19.1.2001
Submarine Operations Watch, c.1940
Adolph Lange and Sohne
Glasshutte, Germany
Known for its accurate timekeeping, this deck watch was used by the German
Navy during World War II for submarine service. It has dials for the time, seconds,
and power reserve. 18.1.2001
39
Elapsed Time Chronograph, c.1940
Maker Unknown
U.S.S.R.
This chronograph was made for the Russian
Air Force and used for aerial navigation during World War II. The watch has 19 jewels
and two dials for measuring seconds and
minutes. 44.1.2001
Chronometer, c.1940
These navigation chronometers were used on a large naval intercontinental aircraft. One watch was set on present local time and the other on
Greenwich Mean Time. Alternately, when taking star sights, one watch
would be set to sidereal time. Both watches have a power reserve of 36
hours. 51.1.2001 and 52.1.2001
40
Pocket Watch, c.1940
Swiss
Bigelow Kennard & Company-Retailer
Boston, Massachusetts
This 8-day watch was allegedly presented to
John F. Kennedy upon his induction into the
U.S. Navy Patrol Torpedo Boat Service. The
case is engraved with his squadron number,
PTBSQN8, and his initials. 48.1.2001
Pronotelemeter, c.1940
Seikosha
Japan
Watches such as this were used by the
Japanese Navy on their warships to time their
artillery shells. This, combined with the dye of
the shells, gave them greater accuracy over
increased distances. Each ship was issued
shells with a different dye, so that each ship
could identify their hits to better judge their
accuracy. 9.1.2001
41
Military Chronographs
ne of the most versatile watches used in military operations is the chronograph. During
WWII, the Navy used this type of watch for navigation and for gun control. Before the use of radar,
the range of the large guns (cannons) would be
determined by measuring the time interval between
the firing and the explosion of the shell. In fact, to
make certain it was the shells from a specific ship,
each ship marked their shell explosion with a special
dye. So, for example, your ship’s shells were red and
the ship’s shells alongside were blue, you knew
which ones came from your cannons and adjusted
your sights accordingly.
As aviators, the chronograph was our most
valuable instrument. It could serve as a tachometer
in determining speed over a given measured distance. It was also key in navigation when used in
conjunction with a hand held Model J Dalton com- Dalton Model J computer.
puter. Keeping track of elapsed time was particularly
crucial when flying combat missions from aircraft carriers—before the development
of the Global Positioning System. Imagine taking off, flying to the operations area,
and engaging the enemy. Then return, to where you think the carrier is—which has
moved from position A to position B on your chart. There was no radio beacon for
homing in, just “dead reckoning navigation.”
O
Elapsed Time Aircraft Clock, c.1940
Hamilton Watch Co.
Lancaster, PA
This is a prototype of an elapsed time aircraft clock used on U.S. naval aircraft in
WWII. 37.1.2001
42
Hamilton Watch Co.
Model 23, 16-size, 19 jewel timepiece with
stopwatch.
Dual Dial Chronograph, c. 1970
Hamilton Watch Co.
The best instrument to do this was the
elapsed time watch-clock fastened to the
plane’s instrument panel. These clocks were
usually of the eight-day type and were made
by a number of makers. The one most favored by collectors is the Hamilton-Elgin
four orbit clock made for both the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics and the Army Air
Corps.
These clocks were a cooperative project by both watch companies and were
based on the Chronolite model first developed by the LeCoultre Watch Company of
Switzerland. After Hamilton engineers made a number of design changes to modernize the movement, the result was an 8-day, 16-jewel elapsed time clock with a
24-hour dial and special chronograph and civil date features. The civil date was significant since many of these clocks were in aircraft used on the west side of the
International Date Line in the Pacific.
There were other watch companies that produced elapsed time clocks, notably
Breitling, Waltham, and Elgin. These were 8-day, 16-jewel, 12-hour dial clocks
designed for use as navigational instruments in aircraft. These clocks were less complicated in terms of their movements than the Elgin-Hamilton. However, they performed well in measuring elapsed time over a 12-hour period. The chronograph
mechanism was entirely separate and recorded time intervals from one-fifth of a second to 60 minutes.
43
Pilot’s Watch, c. 1941
Longines Watch Company
Switzerland
In the 1930s, the Japanese Navy purchased several hundred of these wristwatches from the
Longines Watch Company. These were issued to
their elite aircraft carrier pilots and were worn
by the pilots who bombed Pearl Harbor. These
instruments had a “hack” mechanism to allow
the pilots to set the exact time for takeoffs and
for mission coordination. Also the center
Weems dial could be set to exact time according to a radio signal. This watch is engraved on
the back, “Japanese Naval Air Service.” Very few
of these watches survived World War II.
Navigation Sidereal Watch, c.1944
Elgin Watch Company
Elgin, Illinois
This 16-size watch is a B.W. Raymond model 590
housed in a 10K white gold case. It has 21 jewels, a gold center wheel, and gold settings.
7.4.2001
44
The pocket watch chronograph was issued to both Navy and Air Corps navigators for use on multi-engine planes when conducting patrol flights and bombing raids.
The model 23 made by Hamilton was a 19-jewel, 16-size timepiece. It was designed
to keep conventional time or, by using the stopwatch, to measure elapsed time,
Breitling, Longines, Minerva, Agassiz, and Wakmann also made chronographs for
the U.S. Government in this same size and configuration. When used on military
flights, each watch was placed in a small padded box or in a vibration-proof metal
canister with easy access. The watches would be set by radio signal or chronometer
before flight, since extended precision wasn’t usually demanded. However, when
used in conjunction with a sextant to take solar or star sights, accuracy was necessary. Although it wasn’t considered a chronometer watch, its performance was more
than adequate.
The last chronograph we will discuss is the strap chronograph or wristwatch.
Although these watches were not generally supplied to U.S. pilots as flight equipment, many pilots preferred using them, especially those watches that were designed
as a flight calculator on its bezel and dial. These circular computers with the logarithmic scale of a slide rule were ideal for calculating elapsed time, rate of climb and
descent, fuel consumption, rate of speed as well as other computations. German and
Japanese pilots in WWII were issued the two register chronographs with a rotating
bezel. Later, when NATO was formed, two register chronographs became standard.
During war time, with radio silence and moving ships, navigation became a skill
on which your life depended. With a chronograph in your hand or on your wrist and
a flight direction calculator strapped to your leg, off you went to find the enemy.
After the numbing fatigue of many sorties and flight at high altitude, the sheer terror
of slashing air attacks or closing in on an enemy ship through a hail of cannon fire,
you still had to go home. Now comes the search for your carrier, often times in the
dark, and wondering whether you can find it and make it down . Next comes the
thankful release of tension when you hook the landing wire, then tally who made it
back and who didn’t. That’s what went into most every flight! And with you as your
constant companion was your watch that helped to bring you back. Every watch
that went to war deserves to be treated
with respect and honor for the precision
and durability it gave.
Navigation Chronometer, c.1960
Rolex Watch Company
Switzerland
This four-dial chronograph is designated a
Daytona model. It is used for air navigation. and the bezel can be set to determine plane speed. 3.4.2001
45
Pocket Watch
C.L. Guinand
Le Locle, Switzerland
Presented to William R. Bricker, this presentation watch has Bricker’s initials inscribed on
the back of the case. The dial itself is engraved
with the anchor and initials of the U.S. Navy.
The case is solid gold, and the watch is configured as a split second sweep chronograph.
47.1.2001
Split Second Stop Watch, c. 1960
Maker Unknown
England
This is a conventional split second stopwatch
used for timing one or two events. It was
made for the British Navy and used by the
fleet air arm. The three dials have different
functions. The main dial is for split second
timing, and the secondary dials are for registering minutes and running seconds.
53.1.2001
Deck Watch, c. 1980
Moscow First Watch Co.
U.S.S.R.
A sweep second Soviet Naval Deck Watch, this
watch was used on board ship for navigation
and general purpose timekeeping on the quarter deck. 45.1.2001
46
Glossary of Terms
Chronometer-originally a name for a metronome, but applied to a precision timekeeper in 1714 by Jeremy Thacker. Now a general name for a non-pendulum precision clock or a watch, although purists insist that it means a timepiece with a detent
escapement, such as the marine chronometer. Makers of electronic instruments call
their timekeeping devices electric chronometers. The Admiralty named high precision
lever watches 'chronometers'. In Switzerland since 1951, no manufacturer has been
allowed to call a watch a 'chronometer' unless it has obtained an official rating certificate from one of the testing bureaus.1
Deck Watch-a large precision watch (16 to 36 size) placed in a padded wooden
box. After being compared with the ship's chronometer, it is carried on deck for use
by the navigator when making his celestial observations.4
Detent-consists of the foot, detent spring, body or blade, the locking jewel pipe,
and the horn. It is all made from one piece of steel. The detent is mounted to the
underside of the upper train bridge.4
Detent Escapement or Chronometer Escapement-a detached and single beat
escapement in that an impulse is received only during the swing of the balance wheel
in one direction. When the balance wheel returns, on its return of "dumb vibration"
it is done independently of the escapement.5
Fusee-a spiral conical grooved pulley of varying diameters designed to equalize
the torque applied to the movement by the mainspring as it runs down and to which
the chain is attached.4
Greenwich Mean Time-(GMT) the local mean time at the Greenwich meridian.4
Hack Chronometer-a standard two-day marine chronometer and, because of its
condition, it is not deemed economically feasible to make it seaworthy. Such as
instrument is just cleaned and brought to time and used as a portable auxiliary timepiece aboard ship.4
Lever-sset-type of hand-setting mechanism for watches, in which a lever is pulled
out from side of dial, to shift the mechanism from winding to setting condition. This
type of setting is favored by railroad watch inspection rules, because with it, it is
impossible to leave watch in setting position accidentally, which could cause an error
in timekeeping.3
Pivoted Detent-a detent which is mounted to a pivoted arbor and is controlled
generally by a flat spiral spring. The action of this type of detent is similar to that of a
chronometer spring detent. The difference is that it is pivoted and the coil spring
causes it to return to a locked position after it has moved to unlock the escape
wheel.4
Rack Lever Escapement-a lever escapement employing a toothed rack in place of
the lever notch meshing with a pinion which replaces the normal balance staff. First
47
invented by Hautefeville in 1722, and by Peter Litherland in 1791.2
Sidereal Time-the standard of time used by astronomers which is measured by
the motion of the vernal equinox or the time between two successive transits of a
fixed star across the meridian. A sideral day is 3 mintues, 56.6 seconds faster than a
mean solar day.4
Split Second Chronograph/Timer-a watch with two sweep second hands (one
above the other), each of which can be operated independently of the other. Useful
when timing two different events.5
Verge Escapement-the oldest known escapement. Although the inventor is
inknown, there is a variation of it in the sketches of Leonardo Da Vinci. The arbor,
which carries the balance and hairspring assembly, has two rectangular pallets, set at
90 degrees to 100 degrees to each other. The two pallets being spaced diametrical of
each other act on the periphery of the saw-toothed shaped escape or crown wheel,
as it is so often called. The crown wheel always has an uneven number of teeth
(usually 13 or 15). The action of the balance is nearly attached. However, there is a
slight recoil in the crown wheel.4
References
1.Bruton, Eric. Dictionary of Clocks and Watches. New York: Bonanza Books, 1963.
2.De Carle, Donald. Watch and Clock Encyclopedia. London: N.A.G. Press, Ltd.,
1950.
3.McNeil, Donald S. Jewelers’ Dictionary. Radnor, PA: Jewelers’ Circular Keystone,
1947.
4.Whitney, Marvin. The Ship’s Chronometer. Cincinnati: AWI Press, 1985.
5.Whitney, Marvin. Military Timepieces. AWI Press, 1992.
48
The Society of Military Horologists
NAWCC Special Interest Chapter 143
President, W. Edward Christiansen,
P.O. Box 1376, Newport, RI 02840
Secretary, Joseph Miller,
RR 1, Box 548, Scotrun, PA 18355

pages 26 to 48.

Transcription

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