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Subject: Re: astrocompass still in use
From: Ken Gebhart (gebhart@XXX.XXX)
Date: Thu Sep 26 2002 - 00:44:59 EDT
Hi Robert.
I heard my name called. Yes, we have 2 or 3 astrocompasses in stock now,
and 2 more coming in in a month. These are very hard to find now. We have a
fellow in Chicago who keeps an eye out for them on the military collectables
circut. He generally scrounges up 6 or so every year.
BTW a list member mentioned the MD-1 on the B-52. I think this was an astro
TRACKER not an astro compass. It would lock onto stars automatically and
translate to a lat/long for the navigator. It also gave the azimuth of each
body observed, and that would translate automatically into a true heading for
the airplane in order to check its gyro compass if desired, thus performing
the function of an astrocompass.
Ken Gebhart
Robert Eno wrote:
> The only place that I know of would be Celestaire out of Wichita,Kansas.
> They have been carrying them in their catalogues for years. I honestly
> don't know if that holds true today.
>
> Mr. Gebhart, are you out there? Can you confirm this?
>
> I can understand your lust! They are beautiful and functional
> instruments. Make sure that you get a base standard with it as you need
> one of these to mount it properly.
>
> >I looked on the image with a rare lust.
> >Where is one to be purchased now, and for what cost, I wonder?
> >
> >Brian W
> >
> >At 05:18 AM 9/25/02, you wrote:
> >>Ah, you have brought up a topic which is very near and dear to my heart.
> >>The Astrocompass. I bought one in 1983 from a fellow who had a warehouse
> >>full of these items, as well as MK IX RAE Bubble Sextants.
> >>
> >>I have always considered the astrocompass to be not only a utilitarian
> >>device but also a work of artistic beauty.
> >>
> >>The astrocompass is still in use in Arctic Canada; in fact according to
> >>one of my contacts in the airline industry, its use -- as a backup system
> >>for maintaining a heading -- in small aircraft such as twin otters, is
> >>still mandatory.
> >>
> >>So you can see that it is still in use for it's originally intended
> >>purpose.
> >>
> >>I still have a set of the original instructions that came with the unit.
> I
> >>used to have a paper entitled "Using the Astro Compass as a Transit" but
> >>it has long since dissapeared.
> >>
> >> >The astrocompass lives on. A major utility company in California
> >> >allows engineers and architects to borrow one to evaluate solar access
> >> >to a building site. Here is their online manual:
> >>
> >><http://www.pge.com/003_save_energy/003c_edu_train/pec/toolbox/tll/app_no
> tes/astro_comp.shtml>
> >
> >Brian Whatcott
> > Altus OK Eureka!
>
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