Jerry, you have a PM…;)

Well I figured if I’m going to make a joke I should at least try and help.

I noticed in the original picture that the needle is vertical down. My first thought is that in fact it is not two words, but one and the hanging needles is giving the illusion.

I thought that as well but they don’t line up…

There was/is a near identical gauge to the one in your picture that I know of which was, I think 6A/1025 339FG which went up to 87 Gals and was fitted to the Beaufighter. The only text on that at the top is FUEL GALLONS as you have on yours.

Ha, thats the one we based the replica gauge on a Smiths Mk.4…

Nearest second match I found was 6A/896 which was a 140 Gallon gauge which again, had FUEL GALLONS at the top, but beneath about where the text on your is was “OVERLOAD TANK” on two rows.

Sadly I’ve not found any other close match but the most common extra words I’ve seen in white at the bottom of a gauge are either “Capacity XXX gals” or “Level Flight”.

I’ve seen those as well now after many hours trawling the net, but nothing like the Whirly one, I will try Smiths PLC next week and see if they have any archive material for this gauge… Would Westlands have a list of what they put in the ruddy thing?

Don’t know if that helps.

Mate at least you’ve tried and in my book thats means alot… ;):D

*I’d post pics of the gauges but their from a copyright source. PM if you want them.

Thats OK I’ve already got them… 😉

Stuart

UNLEADED FUEL
ONLY

I’ll get my coat… 😮

You know sometimes I think, would it really matter what we put on the gauges, it certainly would make it a lot easier and would people notice or even care…

Hmmm… 🙁 Well can anyone tell me the correct Air Ministry stores number/3digit F.G. number for the Whirlwind Fuel Contents Gauge shown? Although I understand that early aircraft types like the Whirly may have been deleted from the A.P.1086 list if they had been declared obsolete by the end of 1945…

Any instrument collectors out there care to make a educated guess of the likely text for a Smiths Mk. IV FCG?:

We won’t come round to relieve you of your little finger if we find out you’ve made a mistake, honest;)

Stuart

I’ll ask… 😉