Research question - instrument lighting...

[geneb]

I'm doing some research for a friend of mine that's working on making reproduction instruments for WWII era flight simulator cockpit builders.

What methods were commonly used in WWII fighters and transports for instrument face lighting?

At a guess, I would assume the following three, but I don't know how "prevalent" each would be (or not be):

1. Radium Paint
2. Interior side lighting (bulbs around the perimeter of the face, between the face and bezel

3. Post lighting.

Also, what is the common method of illumination for GA types like the Cessna 172?

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.

g.

[The Inspector]

Several years ago the Seattle Fire Department paid a visit to the recently opened MoF checking for Radon gas. Thet got to the basement and about flipped out when their instruments started buzzing and clacking like something out a bad 1950 Sci-Fi "B" movie about 40 foot long cockroaches.
Turns out all the instruments stored, cataloged, and bagged as well as a P&W JT8-1 that had been used by an A&P school as an xray prop were sending readings through the roof. The SFD demanded that all the instruments be destroyed because they used radium on the dials. I believe that an amicable agreement was reached after a lot of years of haggling between the MoF and SFD.

[skymstr02]

A lot of early military aircraft instrument lighting did have radium faced intruments with ultra violet spot lights illuminating them.

Early Cessna 172's have a spot light on the cabin ceiling with a red lens over the fixture and a grain of wheat bulb in the wet compass, and later models have individual postlights and an internally lighted compass.

[JDK]

Being more specific as to types and nationalities would help in being able to answer the question, as the answer is currently a huge field.

There a plenty of good references out there in books, too.

[geneb]

Inspector:
Easy fix! "Sure, no problem. We'll destroy all of these artifacts right after you're done tearing down every building in downtown Seattle that's on the historical register!"

skymstr02:

Do "newer" GA aircraft use internal side-light illumination?

JDK:

Sorry, I should've mentioned that.

I'm interested in hearing about US, British, German and Russian lighting methods. If there's a known source for this information, please let me know and I'll be happy to chase it down.

Thanks all!

g.

[skymstr02]

skymstr02:

Do "newer" GA aircraft use internal side-light illumination?

Yes, some of the newer higher end general aviation aircraft do.

[n5151ts]

...flashlite in the mouth electrical failure lighting system.

[Wheels up]

There is a pretty dead giveaway for the year 1939. There was a change in USAAC aircraft to a post lighting method. There were many many instruments (both the 2 and 3" variety, engine and flight) that were equipped with a 3V Mazda bulb at the upper starboard mounting ear. Thus the device was only held by 3 remaining screws...not 4. The aft end on this post had the coaxial connector like the later B16 compasses had on their lights. It should be an instant year identification when seeing panels with a cutout at this upper strbrd corner as this was abandoned the next year for unkown reasons to me. So this applies to 1939 only...a commonly overlooked and unknown detail.

[JDK]

JDK:

Sorry, I should've mentioned that.

I'm interested in hearing about US, British, German and Russian lighting methods. If there's a known source for this information, please let me know and I'll be happy to chase it down.

First stop: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_q ... i_n8809021

Cockpit: An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Interiors by Donald Nijboer/Photographs by Dan Patterson. Howell Press, 1 713-2D Allied St., Charlottesville, VA 22903; 176 pages; over 160 b&w and color photographs; $39.95.

The Pilot's Notes (http://www.afeonline.com/shop/product_i ... cts_id=476) on RAF and RN FAA types will cover lighting details, and how to use them, likewise I'd recommend the series of books by Eric 'Winkle' Brown on flying the majority of W.W.II trypes; most have an annotated line drawing of the cockpit, which (usually, IIRC) covers the lighting where fitted as a seperate item.

[The Inspector]

geneb,
I like the way you think! I stay away from Seattle in general and especially the CBD. I pass through to go South on I-5 to the MoF, otherwise I take I-405 and put up with the coffee drinking, phone using Eastside Yuppies and Yuplets.

[geneb]

JDK: Thanks!

Inspector: Do you happen to know if the '109 at the MoF is accessable? I've got another side project I'm working on and I need access to a '109 for cockpit photography.

tnx.

g.