Ferrari Mailing List: Re: No Ferrari Content - Waltham Aircraft Clocks.

[Peter Rychel (dino308gt4]

One less thing to rely on electricity. Back in those days, all instrumentation were mechanical, so that would have included the clock as well.

I haven't taken mine completely apart, but I've had the case back off and the componentry are mighty substantial. Must be to survive radical temperature swings, high frequency vibration, etc. Also, it's one of the most complicated clocks fitted to an aircraft, with 24 hour main dial, date, elapsed time (with a night/day display indicator because that sub dial is 12 hr!), hack seconds, and chronograph - all requiring a lot of "juice" from the mainspring (almost a couple of nickels thick!).

Mine still has a (faded) US Navy stamp on the back...

Peter

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From: Ferrari <ferrari-bounces+dino308gt4=hotmail.com [at] ferrarilist.com> on behalf of Hunter Schultz <hunter.schultz [at] gmail.com>
Sent: September 26, 2016 5:32 PM
To: PeterGT4
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] No Ferrari Content - Waltham Aircraft Clocks.

 

Very cool clock. Probably an A-13A model. Standard issue for military aircraft for a long time.

As a watch enthusiast (ask me about my Citizen Electronic running at 43.200 beats per hour) I can safely say that an automatic version would more complicated to engineer for an aviation environment and to mil spec. That and the rotor would be rather hard pressed to keep turning to wind the mainspring. Can you say barrel roll? 

Anyway, as for the 8 day power reserve for the mainspring, that makes sense from an operational standpoint. You had to set it before each flight so it makes sense to have it running for longer periods of time between missions. Less fiddling with it when a pilot got in the aircraft to do their pre-flight checks.

I suspect that while they were fairly accurate per se, they did need to meet certain performance standards. So, another reason for the 8 day power reserve is that a mainspring powered clock (or watch) will lose accuracy during the last portion of the power reserve -- in this case the last 24 to 48 hours.  

Get it serviced and mount it. great conversation piece.

On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 5:33 PM, Doug & Terri <dnt [at] dock.net> wrote:

Ok – we’re a pretty smart bunch – and I am stumped. I just got a Waltham clock from a military aircraft.  Looks similar as one from an SR71.  Surprise surprise – eight day WIND UP clock with a stop watch button.  Here are the questions:  1)Why is it a wind up; and, 2) why is eight days?

Onward

DOUG

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