E2A

The magnetic compasses of the E2 series are miniature instruments, developed for use as emergency or standby compasses where lack of space precludes the installation of the larger standby compass of the P type. They are of the vertical card-type, the compass card being graduated every 10 degrees with figures every 30 degrees. The cardinal points are marked by the appropriate letter. The compasses are designed to give a bench accuracy of and an operational accuracy of 10. However, with good flight conditions and a stable heading indication, interpolation may be made to an extent comparable with bench accuracy. Compass, Type E2A The bowl of the compass is of a plastic material with the lubber line marked on the front inside of the bowl. The stem supporting the compass system is mounted on a bracket which is screwed into the base of the bowl. The compass bowl is completely filled with a silicone fluid, chosen because it has no detrimental effect on the material of the bowl and because its temperature/viscosity changes are small. A bellows at the rear of the bowl allows for change of the volume of the liquid due to variation in temperature. The magnet system comprises a steel ring magnet to which is riveted a dome. The iridium- tipped pivot screws into the centre of the dome and rests in a sapphire cup secured to the vertical stem by the cupholder. The magnet system is therefore pendulously suspended. The compass card is attached to the magnet system by brackets riveted to the card and to the magnet. When the compass is inverted, the magnet system cannot become detached from the vertical stem since the clearance between the dome and the top of the bowl is insufficient to allow the pivot to leave the cup. Two pairs of adjustable correctors are fitted to a metal plate which is secured to the top of the bowl. When the corrector magnets are in the neutral position, index lines engraved on small circular rotatable plates above the magnets are aligned with fixed lines engraved on the main plate. The main plate is also engraved with the letters B and C against the rotatable plates, denoting the coefficients for which the correction is being made. The operating heads for the correctors are situated at the top front of the bowl, one on either side of the filler plug. The letters B and C are engraved on the rim of the top plate above their respective corrector operating heads. The operating heads are turned by a small E2 compass corrector key. Two radial slots in the compass mounting plate permit adjustment in azimuth to correct for coefficient A. A scale engraved on the rim of the top plate between the letters B and C enables the amount of movement to be assessed. The E2A compass is shown in Fig 1. Compass, Type E2B

The E2B compass is a variant of the E2A compass, the difference being that the E2B compass incorporates direct red lighting of the compass bowl. This lighting is achieved by means of a miniature 28 v DC non-magnetic lamp and a red filter. The intensity of illumination of the lamp can be varied by means of a standard pattern dimmer switch. The E2B compass is used in aircraft where the cockpit lighting is red. The E2B compass is shown in Fig 2. Compass, Type E2C The E2C compass is almost identical to the E2B compass but has a clear instead of a red filter around the internal lamp. It thus has direct white lighting of the compass bowl instead of red. The E2C compass is used in aircraft where the cockpit lighting is white. (Courtesy AP 3456D Aircraft Instruments and Instruments Systems to AL27 Jul83.)

G4F

Components The G4F operates on principles similar to the G4B, but, being intended primarily for single seater aircraft, it is a simpler instrument. It comprises four basic units: a. Detector Unit. b. Gyro Unit. c. Amplifier Unit. d. Corrector Control Box.

Gyro Unit The gyro unit is similar to, but not interchangeable with the gyro unit of the G4B. The main difference is that the control transmitter of the G4B gyro unit becomes the control transformer of the G4F gyro unit. The control panel of the G4B is replaced in the G4F by a DG compass selector switch in the form of a simple left/right switch located at the top left-hand corner of the gyro unit face, as shown in Fig 11. Annunciator. The annunciator is the same as that in the G4B. Synchronization. To synchronize the compass, push in the synchronization knob and turn in the direction shown by the indication of the annunciator until an indication midway or alternating dot/cross is obtained. It will not normally be necessary to re-synchronize the compass in flight unless the gyro exceeds its limits, 85 in pitch and roll, or the compass has been used in the Direct Gyro mode. Pressing the synchronization knob automatically erects the gyro but should only be carried out in straight and level, un-accelerated flight. (Courtesy AP 3456D Aircraft Instruments and Instruments Systems to AL27 Jul83.)

Nav Comp Mk.4

RAF Mk.4 Height and True Airspeed Navigation Computer. This light aluminium slide rule especially designed for solving navigation problems, is issued to all aircrew and is usually available in the Flight Planning rooms. The computer is double sided, marked TRUE AIRSPEED on one face, and TIME-SPEED and ALTITUDE on the other. It consists of four circular engraved discs which can be rotated independently around a hollow central stud

True Airspeed face . Airspeed Correction Scales. The airspeed correction scales above are engraved on three of the disks The innermost disc carries a temperature scale reading from +40C to -80C, and a pressure scale which moves against a lubber line marked on the middle disc. A spring arm on the inner disc engages with the serrated underside of a bridge-piece on the middle disc so that the two discs can be rotated together without disturbing the pressure setting A window is provided in the middle disc so that the indicated height on the outer disc can be set against the corrected air temperature.

Time-Speed and Altitude face Time Speed and Altitude Scales.. The time-speed and altitude scales above form a circular slide rule consisting of two logarithmic scales which are engraved TIME MINUTES and MILES on the inner and outer discs respectively. For altitude correction problems a window is set in the lower half of the inner disc, whilst for speed problems a window is provided in the upper half of the same disc. The scales can be used for: a. Correction of indicated barometric altitude to true altitude. b. Interconversion of the following units: (1) Nautical miles, statute miles, and kilometres. (2) Knots, mph, and kph. (3) Feet and metres c. Solution of time, speed and distance problems, and other multiplication and division problems. RAF Dead Reckoning Computer, Mark 4

The RAF Dead Reckoning Computer Mk 4 is designed for solving the vector triangle problems of air navigation. An altitude and airspeed computer based on the International Convention on Air Navigation (ICAN) standard atmosphere is also incorporated. The computer consists of a metal frame carrying on one side a transparent plotting disc in a graduated compass rose, and on the other a circular slide rule for altitude and airspeed computation. A reversible sliding card printed with concentric speed arcs, radial drift lines and a rectangular grid, moves under the plotting disc. The DR Computer reproduces within the rotatable compass rose that part of the triangle of velocities with which the navigator is primarily concerned, ie it shows the wind vector applied between the heading/true airspeed and the track/groundspeed vectors. It is unnecessary to have the whole of the vector triangle shown on the DR Computer and therefore only the essential part of the triangle, that containing the wind vector, is shown. The computer may be used over a range of speeds by adjusting the sliding card so that the curve corresponding to the true airspeed lies under the centre of the compass rose. The range of true airspeed on the DR Computer Mk 4 is 80 to 800 (80 to 400 on one side of the sliding card and 250 to 800 on the other) and may be in any units (knots, mph, etc), provided that the same units are used for all components of the vector triangle. Thus the transparent disc acts as a plotting dial on which only the wind vector is drawn the heading vector being represented by the centre line on the sliding card and the track vector by the appropriate radial line. The centre of the disc is shown by a small circle which normally marks the end of the heading vector. (Click to see an example of its use.) (Thanks to the Royal Air Force Flying Manual AP 3456G Volume G Air Navigation.)