Two mystery items

[Larrythepilot]

A couple of months ago I was cleaning out a display case that contains WWII aircraft radios, instruments and navigation devices. On one of the shelves I found the two items in the attached pictures. I have no idea what they are, or how they got there. I don't think the two items in the pictures are related; it was just convenient to photograph them together. Neither item has any numbers or other markings. I think both are made out of brass; both are non-magnetic, but heavy. The round item has a lens at one end, and a bail across the other. The hook (made of steel) in the larger piece is set in rubber, so it moves a bit. Since we are a WWII museum, and the pieces look old, I assume they are from WWII, but I don't actually know that. Do any of you, by dumb luck, happen to know what these items are? What they are used on or for? Thank you for your help.

 

[elbmc1969]

The one on the right is some sort of anti-vibration mount, but the hook has me baffled.

Is the lens convex (magnifying) or just flat?

 

[Larrythepilot]

The lens in the round one on the left if flat, not magnifying. Items viewed through the lens are not distorted in any way. However, the lens appears to be a bit tinted, like a tan color. Perhaps it was once amber, but has faded to tan. White paper viewed through the lens has tan, or slightly amber, color.

 

[GrauGeist]

Is it possible that the "lens" may have been a black out cover for a duty station, such as navigation or communications?

The material used to darken the lens (darken = diffuse) may have deteriorated or flaked off over time.

 

[Larrythepilot]

I'm sure that's possible. I just have no idea where the part came from. I'm hoping one of you will look at the photo and recognize the item, and know where it came from.

 

[Engineman]

Hi Larry,

The "bracket" is crusty. Are you sure that there are no markings or stamps anywhere on that part? Looks a little like a P51 seat height adjuster lever, but that is just an observation.

Eng

 

[Larrythepilot]

Hello Engineman,
I had examined the part thoroughly before I said that there are no markings, but to be sure I just ran the crusty areas against my fine wire brush wheel, and used fine steel wool on the inside concave areas. There really are no markings of any sort.
Larry

 

[acengraver]

A couple of months ago I was cleaning out a display case that contains WWII aircraft radios, instruments and navigation devices. On one of the shelves I found the two items in the attached pictures. I have no idea what they are, or how they got there. I don't think the two items in the pictures are related; it was just convenient to photograph them together. Neither item has any numbers or other markings. I think both are made out of brass; both are non-magnetic, but heavy. The round item has a lens at one end, and a bail across the other. The hook (made of steel) in the larger piece is set in rubber, so it moves a bit. Since we are a WWII museum, and the pieces look old, I assume they are from WWII, but I don't actually know that. Do any of you, by dumb luck, happen to know what these items are? What they are used on or for? Thank you for your help.

The item on the right is a mount for the Fairchild A-10 Sextant. I suspect the item on the left could also be associated with the sextant. I will post a photo of my mount when I have the opportunity. Here's a phot from the internet showing the bracket woth the yellow label on it. The hook hung from a hook in the observation bubble.

 

[SaparotRob]

Hey there, acengraver. Cool find.

 

[Larrythepilot]

Yay! Yes! That's it! Thank you. And I think we have that sextant, or at least one very similar to it. Is there any chance to get a picture of the mount in actual use, with the sextant attached?

Also, we have a light like the one in the picture of the sextant. Maybe the lens object I have does go along with the sextant items. I'll have to check when I am at the museum again. I think we have some documentation with the sextant, in the wooden case. I'll have to look.

Merry Christmas,
Larry

 

[mjfur]

Excellent work acengraver!

A-10A Aircraft Sextant

 

[Larrythepilot]

Excellent work acengraver!

A-10A Aircraft Sextant

Hello mjfur,
Yes, acengraver did indeed do excellent work. And your drawings of various sextants helped as well. This morning I'm working in my shop on the display of the Bf-109 tailwheel strut that forum members helped me with, but I hope to get over to the airfield (where the museum is located) and have a look at our sextant this afternoon. I am now very curious to know if the round item with the lens in one end is part of the sextant, and to see if there is a drawing for how the bracket attaches to the sextant.

 

[bse7entn]

I just came across this in my project, gives an idea how the sextant arm is mounted.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Larrythepilot]

Thank you, bse7entn. Now I understand.

 

[Larrythepilot]

I made it to the museum yesterday and had a look at the sextant in our Radios & Instruments display. It is a Bendix model 3014-2-B, military number AN-5851-1. Turns out I don't have any documentation for it. However, the neat thing is that at the top it has a folding U-shaped loop to attach the sextant to the hook on the suspension arm that acengraver identified. With the addition of the drawing supplied by bse7entn, I now understand how the system functions. ..... While I had the sextant out, I examined it to see if the small round item with the lens in one end appeared to fit anywhere. It does not. ..... Thanks to all of you who helped to solve the ID and function of the larger piece (suspension arm). Happy New Year to everybody.