Blind flying panel identification.

Could it be a Navigator’s or Co-pilot’s/student’s panel?

The Bristol Sycamore has a similar arrangement but not quite the same as yours.

In this case the small hole is a for a rim wound 8 day clock. The reason for this is to provide clearance to the tightly fitting glazing panel immediately in front and to the right of the panel.

Ok I now have the piece and the crackle paint obscures any marks if any. The approx size of the holes are shown on the photo. So top centre would take a turn and slip, bottom left an artificial horizon and bottom centre an altimeter. Does this configuration help towards a positive Id? I was looking at cockpit photos and wondered an Auster variant might be a possibility.

Looks like the type fitted to some CCF hurricanes

The real clue is the small instrument hole. This is most likely for a two and quarter inch (57mm)or 2ATI sized bezel (there were a few instruments made at 60mm) There were no 2ATI sized British primary flying instrument until the early 1960’s, so this fact alone dates panel. The larger hole on the top row would contain an AH because the hole PCD is close that of the cut out but all the holes are on the same PCD. Hence it’s can only be Vacuum mk1 or 2 because the latter mk’s had one hole larger and slightly farther out to accommodate the fast erect button. The lower middle hole has a 6 o’clock cut out which is the classic shape for a mk14 or 19 altimeter and is the only one with this cut out, so it’s safe to say what that’s for. The ASI top left is a three and an eighth inch (80mm) or 3ATI size so it’s not fitted the larger mk9 series ASI, which again strongly points to post WW2 when the 3ATI ASI’s were first introduced.

Thank you for all the suggestions so far. I had thought maybe link so that rules that out. I still do not have the piece in hand, once I do hopefully I will be able to add more information.

The Link Trainer did not have a separate Blind Flying Panel. All instrumentation was mounted in a common panel.
(Early Bi-plane variant on the left; standard Link layout on the right; although the Artificial horizon, Direction Indicator, and top instrument positions are blanked off.)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]256131[/ATTACH]
It also utilised the standard 6A/942 Rate of Climb Indicator.

As Bruce comments; this is not a standard Mk.1B BFP although it retains the 1B layout.

Link Trainer?

Agreed Bruce, its also does not have the “typical” blind flying mounts or mounts for the vacuum pipes plumbing.

Test equipment perhaps.

Cheers Mike

Its not, as the rate of climb position is very small indeed.

It will be for something quite specific I think.

This is a Mk.1B. It differs by having the centre lower hole enlarged for fitment of either the pilot’s repeater Mk.1 for the D.R. Compass
or the Direction Indicator.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]256085[/ATTACH]