Some aircraft parts I picked up in Lincoln
Another Decca navigation system was HiFix, which got used in several parts of the world for accurate surveying
Chain 5 indicates that the distance recorded is half a furlong from the reference point.
The length of 5 cricket pitches...
10 chains = one furlong.
I am told that this measurement of distance is not currently used for aviation.
The length of 5 cricket pitches...
10 chains = one furlong.
I am told that this measurement of distance is not currently used for aviation.
Last edited by CISTRS; 13th Aug 2023 at 06:05. Reason: Spelling
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In my experience, the fuel gauges were marked in bushels (8 imperial gallons)
Spent a few years in the hydrographic survey world radeng and part of my job was flying the HiFix stations ashore to be set up and dismantled at the end, put a receiver in the aircraft as well so could fly around coast lines and map those as well. Part of it was revising maps made by Captain Cook, amazing how accurate he was when you consider the technology he was working with.
Avoid imitations
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Let’s not forget the AS355….fuel gauges marked in %. Obviously, you needed to know the percentage of what it meant.
I worked out that our base fuel pump delivered 1% every five seconds, or 12% every minute.
What could possibly go wrong? Thankfully, it never did, it worked a treat but obviously the fuel gauge was always checked afterwards.
I worked out that our base fuel pump delivered 1% every five seconds, or 12% every minute.
What could possibly go wrong? Thankfully, it never did, it worked a treat but obviously the fuel gauge was always checked afterwards.
Ah the joys of a survey flight.
Daily bread/ water/ fresh fruit / mail runs to the Decca engineers ashore so that they didn’t go short.
Setting up trisponder ( with the a/c as a slave station) ashore so that the Surveyors could “get control “ of the survey area. Usually involved dropping a couple of sailors off on a mountain somewhere with trisponder, cement mortar and white paint so that they could build a trig point.
And the joys of the ‘Canberra’ Williamson camera with the lens through a hole in the floor and the crewman hanging out the door trying to line up the grid lines.
When we had finished surverying the Jason’ Islands last surveyed several hundred years ago by, strangely enough, Lt Jason, they were found to be several hundred meters out. Not bad considering the kit they had !
All said and done, some of the best flying of my career.
The first Decca chains were set up for D Day, and most of them were initially for maritime use. Rather more accurate than LORAN which was long range . Indeed, Sky wave synchronised Loran (SSLORAN) was used for bombers on raids to the Ploesti oilfields, but of course was only of use at night, because long range propagation around 2 MHz generally doesn't exist during daylight hours. I hear that ELORAN (extended LORAN) in the 100kHz region is making a comeback because it's much harder to spoof than GPS. Where Decca Navigator really took off was with the deep sea fishing fleet (anybody remember back when we had one?). after WW2., when trawlers were getting bigger and going further up ito the White Sea. That was also when the Merchant Fishing Vessels Radio Rules.came about, because greater ranges were needed than could be obtained on 2 MHz.
Thread Starter
Thank you for the replies. All very interesting.
Is there any way to determine that said part came from said aircraft? At all possible to determine if it actually came from an aircraft and not a spare, off a boat etc?
I have a Vulcan fuel gauge. It has `bay` written on it so I assume it was used in the servicing bay for calibration and not necessarily from an actual aircraft?
Is there any way to determine that said part came from said aircraft? At all possible to determine if it actually came from an aircraft and not a spare, off a boat etc?
I have a Vulcan fuel gauge. It has `bay` written on it so I assume it was used in the servicing bay for calibration and not necessarily from an actual aircraft?
Thread Starter
And the Phantom FGR2's reconnaissance pod was by EMI.
I learned to use Decca at Dartmouth but the only time I got to use radio aids to navigate, there was no Decca chain in the part of the world we were in and I had not done the course on LORAN so I was not a lot of help once the hard part of the world slipped off the radar. The best advice I could give was “steady as she goes, Hong Kong is roughly two days in the direction we are currently pointing.” Fortunately, they were not relying on me. Never understood how those Air Force Johnnies got to unfurl the chart in that tiny little cockpit, let alone draw lines on it.
Just curious but which shop are we talking about? I just spent a few days near Lincoln and may have missed a major attraction… although me credit card may hold a different opinion of course.
In Germany the Scouts were in pounds, the Gazelles in kilograms and the bowsers delivered in gallons or litres.
What could possibly go wrong!
What could possibly go wrong!
Are you sure? I have this vague recollection that the altimeter subscale setting, on the widebody I flew, was marked in furlongs. Or was it the flap gauge? Hmmm, can't remember clearly ... must be getting old. Were the fuel gauges marked in volume of Olympic swimming pools? Gosh, the memories are all rather fuzzy now ...... 🤪
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https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-me...-metric-system