Hi forum members
I was given this interesting item recently and am struggling to identify it. It seems to be a sextant of some kind manufactured by C. Plath Hamburg. I originally thought it might have been nautical related, but the label on the reverse suggests it has an aviation function related to Gatow?
It’s very large and is quite heavy being all brass construction. Possibly might be WW1 era ?
Any ideas or information would be really appreciated.
Thank you very much
By: Mothminor - 26th November 2024 at 19:45
The letter titled “Avigation” in the Correspondence section of this 1933 issue of Flight magazine might be of interest –
https://archive.org/details/sim_flight-international_1933-04-06_25_14/p…
By: Terry Parker - 26th November 2024 at 17:18
Another image of Observer Corps item:
By: hypersonic - 25th November 2024 at 21:15
Almost certainly sextant related. Might also be used to confirm cloud base?
If it is from Gatow – then it can’t be WWI. Gatow was officially opened 1 Apr 1936, as a Staff College modeled on the RAFC at Cranwell. Later to become RAF Gatow and the HQ of RAFG.
H
By: hurri109 - 25th November 2024 at 18:14
Thank you, very interesting, certainly looks similar ?
By: Terry Parker - 25th November 2024 at 17:07
Perhaps part of a Bearing plate (similar to that used by the Observer Corps, see below) evidently incorporating part of a sextant.
By: Sabrejet - 25th November 2024 at 16:44
Well it certainly looks like a sextant but I think it’s incomplete.
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November 25, 2024 at 2:25 pm