Lancaster interior info?

Put me down for a signed copy 🙂

No better pic of the GPI I’m afraid. But to go back to the original question here’s a picture of the df control wheel.

Bri, were the Astrographs ever exchanged for the GPIs on the Lincolns or did Astrographs cease to be used?

The Lincolns I worked on were RAAF long-nosed ones. I don’t think our navs used astrographs. They did use a Drift Sight, which gave them drift angle which, I think, was input manually on the GPI.

The ADRIS had an AMU (Air Mileage Unit) which had a stepping motor output (M-type repeater) of airspeed, plus an API which gave lat/long readouts. The AMU needed a kick every now and then, because it had a post office relay that could ‘stick’ – they were a pain to set up I can tell you!

The maps were secured under a perspex cover – hinged, I think.

Although it wasn’t really accurate, the ADRIS was quite an advanced system for its time, as other air forces relied on sextants and radio nav. ADRIS was self-contained and used in British aircraft because radio nav could be used to detect the aircraft.

Further developments resulted in the GPI Mk 4 series, which had Doppler inputs. Then a development of that item was the moving map system used in the TSR-2.

I could write a book on the development of navigation systems!

Bri 🙂

Great pics, thanks!

Hindenburg – my guess is that Stirlings wouldn’t have received them, as (if my understanding is correct!) they were a very late war introduction, and in somewhat short supply. I wouldn’t have thought the Stirling was considered important enough in late 1944 or 1945 to get them over the main force Lancs and Halibags, or B17s and B24s.

Just supposition, of course!

I`ve never seen a G.P.I. fitted to a Stirling but would be interested to know if they ever were Smirky ?.

There you go Eddie,it`s in the Navs position and the loop aerial is directly overhead within the cockpit canopy,hence no egg shaped DF fairing.I`m not sure how this handwheel would work as it`s not connected to the DF loop tube in the centre, so you couldn`t turn it.Perhaps this is just a visual, dare i say `bodge`,but I could be wrong……apologies if I am, as the rest of the interior looks SUPERB !!!

Thanks,
It’s NX665 at the museum of transport and technology in Auckland NZ

Very nice picture and a slightly different control wheel.

Lots of black paint, which aircraft is it?

thanks -I nicked it :diablo:

Nice Pic Smirky,as far as I`m aware Eddie,Lancs were only fitted with the DF loop controller in Smirkys photo,perhaps someone will correct me if I`m wrong.I`ve got the handwheel and body for this ,but not the light coloured alloy drum with the scale etched on it.

Thanks for the pic Smirky! Very useful!

No better pic of the GPI I’m afraid. But to go back to the original question here’s a picture of the df control wheel.

Bri, were the Astrographs ever exchanged for the GPIs on the Lincolns or did Astrographs cease to be used?

Actually it wasn’t a spot, but a cross graticule with short arms and an arrowhead. That was projected down onto a map on the chart table.

Bri,

Thanks for the reply! I assume there was setting for both map scale, and “map origin”? Presumably the nav had to be pretty careful with how he set his charts up on the table…

Ed

Here’s a picture of the GPI MK1B 6B/406. As you can see it has hooks to attach to the Astrograph frame. I think it projects a spot representing the position of the aircraft onto the chart table. The wind speed and direction are dialled-in and the motors and gears keep the dead-reckoning spot on track.

Actually it wasn’t a spot, but a cross graticule with short arms and an arrowhead. That was projected down onto a map on the chart table.

The GPI was driven by the ADRIS system, and the DRC compass. ADRIS = Aircraft Dead Reckoning Instrument System, which used pitot-static inputs to derive position. DRC = Dead Reckoning Compass, which was a marvellously ingenious thing that hung in a small ‘dustbin’ in the aft fuselage to provide heading.

I worked on these items on Lincolns, but my memory is shortening!

Bri 🙂

Amazing stuff when you think that most of it only lasted a hundred or so hours of flying

Eddie, Check your email inbox, sent you the info on the S.B.A system and the B.A.B.S system…

Thanks for the info guys! The photo of the GPI is very interesting – you don’t happen to have a larger copy, do you, Smirky?

Hindenburg – luckily I’m just trying to find details and pictures of the equipment for a simulation – I don’t need to buy it! Is there any chance the type of DF loop control you mention was for early Lancs with a second R1155 for the Navigator? Or would the nav and W/Op cooperate to get a fix?

Incidentally, for Lancaster enthusiasts, it’s WELL worth seeing: http://www.factualtv.com/documentary/Nightbombers

Eddie,
I will take a look through the manuals and see what I can come up with for you.

Hi Eddie,The DF loop was controlled by a three pronged handwheel directly fitted to the bottom of the DF loop tube,the degree scale being around an aluminium drum above the hand wheel.This was fitted to the left hand side of the Nav above his head.The Stirling and Halifax were fitted with the teleflex system as the DF loop was position out of reach of the Navs position.The remote DF loop stuff is around but scarce.the Lanc type I had years ago and is now fitted in Jeremy Halls Lanc nose section,it`s the only `loose one` I`d ever seen…and cost me ALOT of money even 15 years ago..GOOD LUCK !!

Here’s a picture of the GPI MK1B 6B/406. As you can see it has hooks to attach to the Astrograph frame. I think it projects a spot representing the position of the aircraft onto the chart table. The wind speed and direction are dialled-in and the motors and gears keep the dead-reckoning spot on track.