WW2 Japenese instruments

[OZFrog]

G'day all I have two instruments from a Japanese plane and was wondering if, from the serial numbers, I can find out what plane they were fitted to and where that plane was lost, ultimately finding out how my Grand Father came to have them in his possession as he was in command of the Adelaide during WW2?

 

[mhuxt]

Hi OzFrog,

In my experience, the serial number of the individual aircraft doesn't appear on the instruments fitted into it.

Best you *might* be able to do is determine what type of aircraft it was, however in many cases instrumentation was standard. If there is any kind of manufacturer's plate/label on the instruments, you might have a chance of determining the aircraft type, but as noted it's not certain.

 

[fubar57]

Could you post photos of the instruments? Many smart people here who could identify them or point you in the right direction.

Geo

 

[OZFrog]

Thanks Blokes, I will do just that and post the pics.

 

[OZFrog]

There we go. Not as clear as I had hoped but I think you get the picture (no pun intended )

 

[mhuxt]

Thanks for posting the photos. Are there any tags, labels, plates etc on the back?

 

[Aozora]

A book to get - but not cheap Japanese Aircraft Equipment 1940-1945 (Schiffer Military History): Robert C. Mikesh: 9780764320972: Amazon.com: Books

The first instrument looks like an Army Type 98 turn and bank indicator -

second one should be a Navy Type 92 Compass Model 2. The outer ring can be rotated to set the heading course?

 

[OZFrog]

Thanks For the info, would both these have been in the same plane or are they likely to have been from different types?

 

[mhuxt]

They're both Yokogawa instruments (bottom line, large characters). The lower one is indeed a Type 92 Model 2, so aozora's spot-on with that one. The upper one however is a Model 1 turn-and-bank indicator. I think I can see an anchor (=Navy?) inspection stamp on the right hand side, next to the screw, however what I can't see is the date of manufacture. That would have been stamped into the blank spaces in the lower middle row. The stamps would tell you year and month of manufacture,which might at least help you rule out various aircraft types. Can you tell us what the stamps in that row are?

 

[Aozora]

They're both Yokogawa instruments (bottom line, large characters). The lower one is indeed a Type 92 Model 2, so aozora's spot-on with that one. The upper one however is a Model 1 turn-and-bank indicator. I think I can see an anchor (=Navy?) inspection stamp on the right hand side, next to the screw, however what I can't see is the date of manufacture. That would have been stamped into the blank spaces in the lower middle row. The stamps would tell you year and month of manufacture,which might at least help you rule out various aircraft types. Can you tell us what the stamps in that row are?

Navy Model 1 or Model 2 T B Indicator?

Indicator, Turn and Bank, Japanese Navy, Model 2 | National Air and Space Museum

Found more images of the same instrument type: Collect Air | Good Stuff P-40 Etc (scroll way down)

Manufactured by Tanaka Keiki.

 

[mhuxt]

Gak, sorry, brain-fade, it's a Model 2, I'm guessing Navy due to the anchor stamp.

You'd think I'd learn by now, one stick = 1, two sticks = 2.

 

[Aozora]

View attachment 243861View attachment 243862
Thanks For the info, would both these have been in the same plane or are they likely to have been from different types?

Re: the data plates: the top line is the instrument type; next line is serial number (stamped) Navy Anchor (stamped)
3rd line is Showa (year - stamped) Month (stamped); followed by manufacturer.

Neither instrument has a year/month stamped into the plate, possibly indicating wartime production? Because the instruments were common to most naval aircraft it would be almost impossible to know the aircraft type, but with their common manufacturer it is possible they both came from the same aircraft.

(from Mikesh):