Which planes was this compass used in ??

[Mark D]

Hi All

My friend has this compass that he would like to sell, but we do not know the value. It is missing one of the support springs but looks complete. Probably goes in a bomber or something.

[Dan K]

The "A M" tag indicates the British Air Ministry. Your compass most likely spent time aboard an aircraft of the RAF (I'll let you figure out how it got to Pennsylvania).

Surf your way through the following website. Pull down and click on "instruments" (left hand margin), and I'm sure you're bound to come across similar or identical compasses. It should also give you a ballpark on worth as well.

http://spitfirespares.com/SPITFIRESPARE ... /home.html

Happy hunting!

[Swiss Mustangs]

courtesy of google

WWI AIR MINISTRY FLYING BOAT BRASS COMPASS AND MOUNTING BRACKET the liquid filled type P4A spit bar compass with Air Ministry stamp and numbered 6A/745, mounted in a gimballed shaped brass bracket, 35cm overall height



Martin

[Dudley Henriques]

Hi All

My friend has this compass that he would like to sell, but we do not know the value. It is missing one of the support springs but looks complete. Probably goes in a bomber or something.

Looks like a P4A. These were common in Spitfires and Hurricanes and several other early WW2 Brit aircraft. In the Spit it was mounted in front of the stick horizontally like a boat compass.
Perhaps Bill Greenwood can fill you in. He owns a Spit.
Dudley Henriques

[tom d. friedman]

wow thats a beauty!!! many instruments both allied & axis were used on a variety of aircraft, thus it's hard to pin point it's origin of what plane it came from. instruments such as fuel gauges, & flap indicators for example can be identified to specific planes.

[262]

sir,
I know it fits in a tiger moth.it took 3 days to seal it.it leaked all over.bill

[retroaviation]

I could be wrong and probably am, but I think there's one in our Swordfish, just outside my office. I'm just too lazy to spread the wing and climb in the cockpit to see.

Gary

[muddyboots]

Gary, you tease!

[RAMC181]

P4A and the similar P10 compasses were standard fit in Lancasters.
Spitfires, Hurricanes, Typhoons etc used the P8 compass.
Chipmunks, Masters and some Spitfires used the P6 compass.

All the best,
PB