Can anyone tell me if some of the cockpit instrument panels in British Military aircraft were fitted with American clocks? (ie timepieces)
I have a 8 day Bulova Clock which I believe is American made with a British Ref number of 6A/2958. Does anyone know what era or type of aircraft this would be from?
Is there any reason why the RAF would have used American clocks as opposed to British (Smiths) clocks?
(incidentally the clock I have is order no W-535-AC-31412 Part No 21AE Spec No 94-27970-A.)
Thanks in anticpation of any help.
By: FLY.BUY - 8th February 2005 at 21:47
Oliver, Many thanks for taking the time to reply to this, interesting to have found out something about the clock. Thanks again, Fly.Buy.
By: NC900 - 8th February 2005 at 19:10
Hi Fly-By,
Just saw your request, I’ll try to be usefull and simple…
So you’ve got a clock marked with the RAF stores Ref. N° 6A/2958, this ref. normally indicate that is a Mk. 4B clock. This ref. was certainly issued in the 50’s and will certainly suit many British aircraft… according to the prefix “6A/” this clock should be of British design and/or spec. and manufacturer (but there is exceptions… as usual…)
Where it become a little bit tricky…
The Bulova clock Mfr’s N° 21AE is a A11 type and normally carried the RAF stores Ref. N° 106A/529. The 106A/ prefix stand for an US design and manufacturer…
The A11 and Mk.4B clock are of the same design and dimension and can fit the same hole. The clock Mk.4B is fitted with an English movement and fluorescent (the A11 is luminous).
So it’s possible that your clock was upgrade with an English movement back in the 50’s. I think, at least for me and for the moment, that is the only rational explaination about the mixed references. (but somebody may know more about that).
Here is the data for the A11 clock and some of the most famous a/c that use it.
106A/529 :
BULOVA
Type AN 5743-1 / AC-A11
MFR’S Part N° 21 A.E.
F.S.S.C. N° 88-C-583
8 day Sweep second
Luminous
2 ¼’’ Diameter
used with AIRACOBRA ; MITCHELL ; BOSTON ; CATALINA ; C47 ; KITTYHAWK ; LIGHTNING ; MUSTANG ; LIBERATOR ; THUNDERBOLT ….etc… etc..
I don’t know much about which type aircraft use the 6A/2958, but shouldn’t be too difficult to find out.
hope that will help 🙂 , Best regards
Olivier
Sign In
February 8, 2005 at 7:50 am