Just bought a aircraft clock

[beaupower32]

My totally awsome wife just got me a aircraft clock for fathers day, and want to see if i can find out what air craft it came out of.

The prop is from a droan

the clock is made from elgin national watch co.

here is the info on the back.

Order no.AC-34898
MFRS PART NO. 1776
SPEC NO. 94-27970 A
SER NO AF43-110834
EGLIN NA'L WATCH CO.

What I have found so far is that it was made in 1943 and might be from a P-40 or C-47. any way i can find out what it might be exactly from?

 

[vikingBerserker]

No idea, but that's pretty cool!

 

[evangilder]

Not sure how to determine that, although the Elgin watch and clock company is still in business. I wonder if they have records detailed enough to get that info, or if the just supplied the clocks and where they ended up was up to the services. Either way, it's a cool clock. Does it still work?

 

[beaupower32]

No, it doesn't work. Yet. I am looking around to see if I can get it repaired and working again.

 

[evangilder]

Make sure you pick a good shop with a good reputation and recommendations. There are a number of clock repair places that use WD-40 to free up stuck mechanisms instead of doing things the right way. WD-40 is NOT a lubricant, and it should never be used in clock mechanisms.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The only way you can find out where that clock was from is from allocation lists from the manufacturer (if they still exist on microfiche). The other way would be from an aircraft equipment list shown when the aircraft was delivered. Both like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

[Rogi]

If your clock was a Omega or something similar this would be much easier

You Elgin looks like a Elgin 8 day Clock (I beleive its a Elgin 562 Calibre), the 8 day was also produced by Waltham who might also have some records, I'm more into Omega watches as a hobby vs Elgin (I recently got into pocket watches) but if you want I could refer you to a couple watch forums where they could help you out. Other than that this is the only options:

Unfortunatley you have 2 options: Email Elgin and see if the lists pop up by chance or if they know anything about the serial number thats associated with the clock.

2. Email the appropriate individuals in charge of keeping records for which parts were allocated where on aircraft. You could get lucky and there could be a range of serial numbers that was put into a series of aircraft for example Serial Number 1-100 were put into P-40s 100 and up in P-51s.

I suspect that its completley random unfortunatley :S since these clocks were interchangable in diffrent aircraft, it could have started in a trainer and ended up in a P-40 (your SN is too early for a P-51 it was most likely a P-40, C47or earlier). Due to shortening of supplies most manufacturers used whatever was on hand. I have a 1940s pocket watch with the same dilema, a Keystone Case with the original intended client scratched out and re-used for another company due to supply and demand. Demand increased for watches during the 40s and supply was shortened so they would be able to keep up with other needs during the war period.

I'd use someone that you trusted in watch repair, every watch guy seems ok, but its like picking a used car garage, they all look great but you always get that sleazy feeling with most of them.


Hope that Helped

Igor

P.S> Pm me if you want those watch site links, there are many watch sites but only a couple really good ones with a great community and helpful attitude.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Very cool gift Beau!!!

 

[Edgar Brooks]

First, take it into a darkened room, and see if it glows; if it does, get it checked under a Geiger counter. I know that this might sound like alarmist nonsense, but, if it was painted with radium paint, and hasn't been updated, those specks on the glass could be paint particles, and, if you breathe them in, can be very nasty. The paint doesn't appear to have the classic "browning" of old radium paint, but better safe than sorry.

 

[Rogi]

First, take it into a darkened room, and see if it glows; if it does, get it checked under a Geiger counter. I know that this might sound like alarmist nonsense, but, if it was painted with radium paint, and hasn't been updated, those specks on the glass could be paint particles, and, if you breathe them in, can be very nasty. The paint doesn't appear to have the classic "browning" of old radium paint, but better safe than sorry.

I'd advise against this unless your going to use it, the Radium should be near dead anyway and unless you plan on using the watch there is no reason to ruin it with swaping the lume for other types, as crazy as this may seem most collectors want it as mint as possible and some wear and tear on the piece make it more desirable. The more the Patina of the piece is ruined the more see it as a reason to lower the price of the time piece (not that you'd get much for a Elgin, but just in case one day in the near 50-100 years your relatives decide to sell it and there populer, original Patina means everything to the collector, you can lose 20-70% of the value of the piece if you change things on the watch, even if its for the better.)

The Lume is probobly Tritium(not the tube trit, just reg trit) anyway or some ancestor of it, also toxic if consumed but so are most modern lumes, so don't break the glass, don't eat the lume and don't snif the timepiece :S If you plan on doing any of these when the dial is broken you've been warned

Unless the piece is broken don't touch it and leave it as is.

Watch Enthusiasts Orders!

Igor


Edit: the specs of dust on the dial are probobly specs of dust or dirt but if it makes you feal better in getting it tested if you shake the watch lightly and they keep sticking to the dial it might be radium, if you shake it lightly and it falls into another position then its probobly just reg. dust. Hope that helped a bit.

 

[fastidiouseddy]

Just joined this forum so I could reply to this thread> I have a clock that looks different on the face, but has the exact same numbers on the Data tag, except for the Serial number. This is a very low #6428. The clock does not run, found that it was over wound. I took it out of the case, released the mainspring, but it won't tick. I bought mine at the local Hamel, MN flea market for a buck. The dial face also has stamped on it US ARMY. Just wondering if you found out any more about it and if you had it repaired? Thanks, Ed

 

[Capt. Vick]

Interesting...

 

[Njaco]

I'm waiting for Jan and one of his "Time flies..." jokes.

 

[VERSUCH]

Unless you have specific paperwork for a specific aircraft, with that clock on it ...not much chance.
But on the upside its WW2 due to the AF43- (1943) contract, and it was fitted to just about every U.S Army produced aircraft,
be it Fighter,Bomber,Transport etc.
Its not a Navy clock...they will usually have B.U.Aero (Bureau of Aeronautics)stamped on it,
along with a new part number. Nice item.
Regards Mike

 

[T Bolt]

I have 2 of these clocks. The first one working and the second one not. If you can get it working it could be worth a couple of hundred dollars.