I have always wanted a classic RAF Sector Clock on the wall. Buying an authentic clock cost way too much and I don’t want the hazzle of winding it up every day.
There are several replicas out there and I went looking for one on ebay when I found these hand painted clock faces. Being hand painted they are suitably non-perfect. And since it’s just the face, there’s some DIY in it for me…
I received the clock face yesterday and it looks really cool!
However, I think the painter/seller probably used a clear laquer that is incompatible with the underlying paint, as there is some crazing in the laquer layer.
I love your passion and your craftsmanship, @Troll! I maybe ought to be embarrassed to admit that I have never heard of a RAF clock. What is the significance of the colored triangles?
Brilliant concept. Information aging is underrated. The more information, the less we do that. Some news sites don‘t even have a date on their articles! Instant disqualifier.
@smokinhole. The table plotters place a raid/formation marker on the table as each report is received. The marker is colour coded to show the time band in which the information was received and it was plotted, ie the colour of the appropriate triangle. Therefore the controller could see at a glance how timely the position is, and perhaps if the latest information has not yet got through.
After three plots the first marker is removed so each raid will have three colours showing its position, track and recency of the data. Hence three colours for the triangles @Troll .
RAF Digby just round the corner from my house, has the only original ops room from the Battle of Britain. There are a couple of others still around but they were modified for the Cold War. Digby and its equipment is authentic from the period. Tours can be arranged on request.
Micklethwaite instrument used by the Royal Observer Corps to obtain an accurate positionof aircraft. The instrument is focused on the raid and an estimate of the height is entered. The grid location then shows beneath
I see yours have the inward pointing triangles of the electrical clocks and it has more triangles? I wonder if that’s a replica of a more modern clock, with a higher resolution, as it were? I guess when they had to deal with faster aircraft, 5min increments was too long…?
I can’t tell you anything more than has already been said…
I have seen triangles both ways. Digby which is authentic and Duxford have inward pointing. The original ops room clocks have outward pointing. They changed before the war. At least that’s what my neighbour said who is a guide at Digby.
My own clock has far too many triangles. Cheap Chinese copy available from aviation retailers such as Pooleys and various museum shops. £19 is far better than £8,500 for the real thing.
it even has the key hole
