A friend of mine has got one of these, which he says is a Mk 2 model used in Lancaster bombers for use on polar flights when regular compasses weren't viable.  He's curious about the tripod stand that's with it though, and whether this gives it other uses?



I thought I'd throw this up on here as Google searches are drawing a bit of a blank.  Anyone have any info on these and their usage?

Haven't a clue but don't you just love that old style army font?

There might be something in this


pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic2-3-183.pdf

Well, if it sits on a tripod, perhaps it's doing an impression of an Austrian 1866 Rocket? .
Now, as you brought  the subject up. ............

Mollinary

Could it double up as a theodolite?

Quote from: Fenton on 16 February 2015, 09:10:41 PM
pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic2-3-183.pdf

Thanks for the link, interesting stuff in there but no mention of the tripod?  I'd assume that in flight it would have been either fixed in place or held in the hand, so no use for the tripod?  And fitting it to a tripod while the aircraft is in motion wouldn't be the most stable option for it?

Quote from: Subedai on 16 February 2015, 09:43:26 PM
Could it double up as a theodolite?

Possibly, but there's no telescope on it from what I can tell?  

There is of course the possibility that the tripod is of no connection and was simply put next to the compass at some point in the last 70 years.