Aircraft Control Wheels

Hi I have pictures of a Calcutta yoke if your still seeking it.

Very nice Steve, you didn’t hang around with that one! Cables are a pain but it does seen a shame to chop them off. A cable tied loop and a tall block with the grip on top works but JDH’s box idea is best. Just needs proper woodwork skills and an even bigger shelf!

Make or have made a little boxplith for it to sit on that can hide the wiring.

Guys,

I won the recent auction for the Red Arrows Gnat top

It’s arrived & is luverly 🙂

What the general opinion on the wiring ? It seems a shame to chop it off, but I’m not likely to ever need it again & it “b*ggers” up the display.

This stick top came with an RAF “serviceable” tag … would be shame to deliberately destroy it.

What would you do ?

I would also welcome a big glossy book of stick grips, yokes and maybe even (for the particularly perverse) throttles. The Donald Nijboer books, Cockpit, Gunner and Cockpits of the Cold War are a constant delight, as is Air Ministry’s book of spade grips. The ergonomic design is fascinating and the finding has turned into something of an obsession. Fascinating to see other people’s collections to.

The Donald Nijboer books are indeed excellent, a very similar book to this is “At the controls” The Smithsonian National Air and Space museum book of cockpits by Tom Alison and Dana Bell.

Other good books are “Control in the Sky” the evolution of the aircraft cockpit by LFE Coombs and also “The aircraft cockpit” again by LFE Coombs.

All fore mentioned books have lots of pictures of various cockpits, instrument panels, sticks and yokes covering WW1, WW2 through to modern day jets both civilian and military.

If anyone needs ISBN numbers then these can be provided. Great reference guides!

I would also welcome a big glossy book of stick grips, yokes and maybe even (for the particularly perverse) throttles. The Donald Nijboer books, Cockpit, Gunner and Cockpits of the Cold War are a constant delight, as is Air Ministry’s book of spade grips. The ergonomic design is fascinating and the finding has turned into something of an obsession. Fascinating to see other people’s collections to.

Hi Martyn, I certainly don’t doubt the role of the mute switch, just didn’t think it would be in such a prominant place. Vixen has it tucked away on the throttle box I think.

Thanks Ian (been scanning Hunter F.6 stuff most of the day!) & Rob, funny how different types did things in different ways, again the Vixen releases all weapons from the one trigger switch (but then no guns, just GW, RP & bombs) after the weapon of choice has been selected – can’t beat British ergonomics!

An illustrated guide here is certainly possible and desirable!

Absolutely!
I can never find these APs, same for the wheels one.
Certainly looks like a Meteor F.8 grip, but can’t confirm correct AC No.

Just thinking out aloud, FAA aircraft used an audible approach system, could this be why ‘mute’ may be found on single seat Naval aircraft?
Rob, I doubt ‘M’ would be for munitions as it’s too general a term, hung stores/weapons type selection was usually via a box elsewhere.
I think AMs attachment pretty well confirms it as ‘mute’.

Hi James and all!

As I mentioned earlier, the purpose of the ‘mute’ button was to cut out all exterior ‘noise’ (read Air Traffic/Ground control etc) between the crew, the right hand button would have been used as suggested for stores release on ‘single seat’ A/C as per the AC10800 picture, you are quite correct this was fitted to the F8 Meatbox, hence RP (Rocket Projectile).

I totally agree with you all on the production of an ‘Observers book of British Aircraft Control Grips’ and will quite gladly offer any (limited) knowledge I have and pictures!

Regards,

Martyn

GYD

Aren’t all the various stores released by the main firing finger trigger, after the type of weapon has been selected on the box?

Learning curve for me also:)

To quote from the PN’s

“the gun-firing trigger is on the forward side of the control column handgrip”

“the bombs/RP release pushbutton is on the control column handgrip”

Hence why i thought ‘M’ was munitions release.

Rob

Hunter sticks definitely had a dedicated ‘bomb’ button and ‘gun’ trigger:

But the actual firing / dropping of them is from the right hand button on the stick top.

Aren’t all the various stores released by the main firing finger trigger, after the type of weapon has been selected on the box?

Learning curve for me also:)

You did a very good job. Those centre caps are hard to find.

Not much of a story really… picked up the center hub years ago, then found the control wheel on ebay. She was in pretty bad shape with water staining (see pics). I managed to fix her up to her present state…

Now that really is nice! Is there a story behind it?

B-24 Liberator…

What a fine selection of sticks! The Russian types are very exotic, I’ve never summoned up the courage to spend serious money although there was a Hind column and grip on ebay recently, cheap but missing bits. Speyer sounded like a good day out Steve, something of a window shopping treat. Here’s an unmarked AC1400, just to illustrate more combinations. It has a brake lever from a different AC1400 which I had a good while ago, part number ACM 75209. I like the wartime American buttons which have ‘bombs’ written on them. No doubts there!
I’m quite a fan of helicopter grips, plastic or not. The enclosed was listed as AH64 prototype but probably isn’t. It’s more likely Kiowa or Cayuse but doesn’t have the wrist rest moulded into it. It was cheap in the States, but by the time customs and the post office had their share had nearly doubled. Any ideas?

Totally agree James, the selection of munitions type is indeed from a separate switchbox on the starboard shelf. But the actual firing / dropping of them is from the right hand button on the stick top. So my presumption at the time was that to avoid confusion between selecting armaments or camera these buttons were marked ‘M’ and ‘C’ respectively.

I’m certainly not going to argue with Air Ministry’s explanation given his extensive knowledge in this area, just merely explaining my own logic :).

Rob

If not, is there any interest in starting a central list like that ?

Absolutely!
I can never find these APs, same for the wheels one.
Certainly looks like a Meteor F.8 grip, but can’t confirm correct AC No.

Just thinking out aloud, FAA aircraft used an audible approach system, could this be why ‘mute’ may be found on single seat Naval aircraft?
Rob, I doubt ‘M’ would be for munitions as it’s too general a term, hung stores/weapons type selection was usually via a box elsewhere.
I think AMs attachment pretty well confirms it as ‘mute’.

OK guys,
Just to really stir things up here.

A while ago I found some pics of an AC 10800 which looks identical to the AC1400 & AC10522. The sticktop was forsale somewhere. ( not eBay ). The text said it came from a Meteor MK 8 ( I cannot confirm this is correct )

I stored the pics locally on my harddrive. They are shown below.

This has the marked safety cover & “blank” buttons

So it appears that all combinations of safety covers & buttons were available……

Of course the combinations we now see & photograph may not have been available in the 50’s. I’m sure many of these sticktops have been stripped & rebuilt since then.

Another question for all you experienced collectors – Is there anywhere on the internet where I can look up an AC number to find out where the stick was used & what it should look like ?

If not, is there any interest in starting a central list like that ?

So just to confirm Alan what we are talking about is the same button on the same stick top but with different purposes, right? Because according to the PN’s the button which is marked ‘M’ but as you say can be left blank too according to type was for the use of bombs, rockets etc. It makes no mention of a ‘mute’ button!

Rob