Warbird Information Exchange

Hello everyone! I just joined after finding this sight, because I enjoy old aircraft instrumentation. I'm brand new to the hobby, and recently came across what I hope is junkyard gold?









I found this at a Marine Exchange store in Bellingham, WA, for $25 in a bin full of old marine compasses that all trashed and bad quality brands. At the bottom was this gem, so I snatched it. I did some quick searching and came up with a close match for a Bendix-Pioneer Gyroscope instrument 1828-1-A U.S. Aviation compass. It has no tags or any identifying numbers on it other than the patents listed on the back, which is how I narrowed my searches originally. After some swirling around in circles, she still points true.

I'd like to do a refurb on her, to get the dial a little whiter and perhaps touch up the exterior a bit, and a thorough cleaning. Recommendations? I've not done this, and don't really have the money to ship it off somewhere. I should preface that I work on old tallships for a living, and have fidgeted with old machinery and engine parts before, so I'm not intimidated by this project at all, just looking for some hints.

The questions I have:

1. Is this really a Bendix/Pioneer Compass?
2. If so, what where some aircraft it was in?
3. If I open up the bowl to refill the liquid, what type of alcohol would it be, and is the paint marking the cardinals radioactive glow paint?
3.5 There are two bolts on the bottom of the instrument, one center of the chamber, and another slightly aft and angled on the flange of the back. Which is the filler cap?
4. Any other information about this find is useful.

Thanks for any help! This is a cool forum with a lot of neat stuff going on!
Dan in Bellingham

B-16 compass. Used in a wide variety of WWII aircraft, large and small. They're in L-5s and P-40s, I know that for sure.

By the looks of it, that is Radium paint. Don't lick it. If you have access to a geiger counter, they go off light a roman candle if it's radium. Your local Fire Department should have one.

You're missing the data plate that goes on the front bottom of the compass. See those two little screw holes. The big top hole is where the light bulb went.

If I were you, I'd leave the dial as-is. Tape off the glass and decal (using delicate rice tape or an equiv.) and lightly spray it with a flat black paint.

B-16's generally sell from $30(rough)-150(Nice) on eBay

Good find.

Taylor

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Taylor Stevenson

Taylor,

Thanks for the information!! I suspected that it may be radium paint, I may confirm that later, but that settles whether or not I will try to crack the case and refill the bowl. No need exposing myself to radiation. I'll take your suggestion on the rice tape, thanks. I plan to use this as decor for now, though I have an idea about how I might now have a useful compass that's somewhat more resistant to deviation to place in my car.

The spot where the light bulb goes actually had the wire and plug, but I removed them, as I'm going to wire in an LED in it's place.

Once again, thanks for the help! Now that I'm getting into this collection business, I'll have to figure out what to collect next...I'd love to find an old altimeter, and I'd really like a Revi 16 sight, but that's a rare one.

Dan

Compass fluid is a kerosine type liquid.
There should be a plug on the bottom IIRC.
There is a gasket on the glass side and a diaphragm on the rear.
The radioactive issue is pretty low unless you scrape the markings off and eat the chips.

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Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
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#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

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Fill plug should be on the top, with a lead washer seal under it. The bottom screw is support/adjustment for the center bearing. Leave it alone.

You can fill it carefully through the top and get rid of most of the air bubbles, or immerse it in a can full of compass fluid (or kerosene, but it will cloud over time)

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.