Rickitycrate Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) WWI German aircraft glass-tube inclinometer, glass triangular tube with fluid bulb, same as exhibited at Musee de L’Air. An inclinometer or clinometer is an instrument for measuring angles of slope (or tilt), elevation or inclination of an object with respect to gravity. It is also known as a tilt meter, tilt indicator, slope alert, slope gauge, gradient meter, gradiometer, level gauge, level meter, declinometer, and pitch & roll indicator. Clinometers measure both inclines (positive slopes, as seen by an observer looking upwards) and declines (negative slopes, as seen by an observer looking downward). Often times, these instruments are used to indicate the yaw or tilt of an aircraft. The inclinometer was equipped on Zeppelins. Edited September 7, 2009 by Rickitycrate Quote
Dej Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Blimey, Rikitycrate... you da man! Whilst I was exercising my ignorance looking for this I came across this awesome RC SE5 build. I'm linking it here because there's some interesting information on weathering of use to the skinners here at the OFF forums... one of whom has been known to frequent this thread Quote
Rickitycrate Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Dej, "the man" has not said I was right, so I'm probably wrong. I got tired of looking tho. I saw the SE5 site but did not check it closely as I found the same pic indicating it was German. I'll check your link now that I am relaxed and await judgement. Thanx. Quote
Olham Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Jim, you MUST be right - it all sounds so great and detailed. I didn't even know which search word to use here. Since I used bracket, clamp, clip, yoke, holder and retainer - I didn't get anywhere near. Well done, Sir! Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 7, 2009 Author Posted September 7, 2009 Well folks, if I am being cast as "da man" in this scenario then da man says, "Rickitycrate is correct!" The object is the ever-useful and oft overlooked inclinometer, found in a fair number of WW1 aeroplanes and air ships alike. If I had one handy right now it would show that this Wild Card has tipped in your favor Sir. Two more points to you Rickitycrate. The contest standings as of this moment are: Olham, 20 points Dej, 19 points Rickitycrate, 14 points Red-Dog, 12 points Bullethead, 5 points Duce Lewis, 5 points Luftace, 5 points Burning Beard, 4 points Check Six, 2 points rhythalion, 2 points JohnGresham, 1 point Shrikehawk, 1 point TonyO, 1 point zoomzoom, 1 point Stay vigilant, there will be more to come. Cheers! Lou Quote
Olham Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) Hey, Lou - here is one for you, Sir! (no price for that one - just for the fun, I'm sorry). If you find out the name of this unit, you will know also, where they where stationed. One hint: they where not in France nor in Belgium - and they where on an island. Have fun! And please, everybodey: this one is for Lou ONLY, okay? Edited September 8, 2009 by Olham Quote
Rickitycrate Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 I happened across the pic of the inclinometer during that sewing machine/coffee grinder mission a couple of challenges back or I would have had no prayer. Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 8, 2009 Author Posted September 8, 2009 Alrighty then Olham, I have not seen that photo before but I am going to guess it is the German seaplane base on the North Sea island of Norderney. I am further going to speculate that it was taken about the same time as this photo, which was snapped at the same location in October of 1918: If you look closely at both photos you can see that the large hanger looks pretty much identical in each and has the same little fitting above the eave at the far end. Cheers! Lou Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 8, 2009 Author Posted September 8, 2009 Oh, Olham I just realized you ask what unit these belonged to as well. I am going to say the Starboard Watch Naval Flying Unit. Cheers! Lou Quote
Olham Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) Very good, Sir! The German name was Seeflieger Norderney, but I just found it's English name too, and so it shall be accepted. The picture is from the nice website http://www.jasta11.co.uk/ Great, that you had another pic, showing a fighter craft I rarely saw in photographs - could be the Siemens-Schuckert D I, which was built after the successful Nieuport 11; so it must be an "old" craft here already. Do you know a site with more info about that Staffel? Cause: they where only 8 kilometers away from where I was born and grew up, but I had never before heard of them, until I found this picture. Edited September 8, 2009 by Olham Quote
zoomzoom Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Yikes...I missed another one! Oh well....I'm using the "Blind Squirrel" participation proceedure anyway. I may not win....but I'll score once in a while anyway! Cool non-contest pics by the way guys. Some very interesting things in those shots if you look. I've never seen so many Albatros W-4's in one place...or even at all! Very nice. I'm guessing those are w-4's. Always thought an RC version of one of those would be cool. ZZ. Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 8, 2009 Author Posted September 8, 2009 DING DING DING !!! WILD CARD PHOTO ! The first to correctly identify the aircraft shown, the grand plan that had been devised for its use, (but never implemented in WW1), and what exactly is streaming out the back of the torpedo as if it were jet-propelled, will be awarded 2 bonus points. You must be spot on with all answers to win. Good Luck! . Hopefully you won't miss this one zoomzoom. Cheers! Lou Quote
Red-Dog Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Hi Lou it's a A Sopwith Cuckoo releases its deadly cargo In June 1918 the Admiralty sent the prototype of the Sopwith Cuckoo, the T.1to East Fortune for evaluation against the Blackburn Blackburd and Short Shirl for a torpedo-dropping aeroplane suitable for squadron service. The Cuckoo was the preferred type and was largely constructed by Blackburn at Brough in Yorkshire, who designed the depth setting mechanism for the torpedo slung under the fuselage. By July 1918, crews were being trained for a daring mission proposed by Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Beatty. The aircraft carrier HMS Argus would launch her Cuckoos against the German High Seas Fleet at anchor on the Jade River at Wilhelmshaven. To train the crews in torpedo bombing techniques, No.1 Torpedo Training School was set up, this was re-numbered 201 Training Squadron in August, the Fleet and Torpedo Pilot Finishing School was also formed but moved to Leuchars, near St. Andrews the following month. The Royal Air Force's first torpedo-dropping squadron, 185 Squadron was declared ready for service at East Fortune with the Cuckoo for operations from HMS Argus, but disbanded on April 14 1919. History has shown that the Great War ended before this risky operation went ahead, this mission was the model for the successful attack on the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto Harbour by aircraft carrier based Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers on the night of November 11th 1940. The stream behind the torpedo is a red dye for tracing its track in the water Quote
Rickitycrate Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) The Sopwith T.1 Cuckoo was a British biplane torpedo bomber used by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), and its successor organization, the Royal Air Force (RAF). The T.1 was the first landplane specifically designed for carrier operations, but it was completed too late for service in the First World War. After the Armistice, the T.1 was named the Cuckoo.[1] Planned use Throughout 1917, Commodore Sueter proposed plans for an aerial torpedo attack on the German High Seas Fleet at its base in Germany.[6] The carriers HMS Argus, HMS Furious, and HMS Campania, and the converted cruisers HMS Courageous and HMS Glorious, would have launched 100 Cuckoos from the North Sea.[6] In September 1917, Admiral Sir David Beatty, commander of the Grand Fleet, proposed a similar plan involving 120 Cuckoos launched from eight converted merchant vessels.[7] Training took place in the Firth of Forth, where Cuckoos launched practice torpedoes at targets towed by destroyers. Cuckoos of No. 185 Squadron embarked on HMS Argus in November 1918, but hostilities ended before the aircraft could conduct any combat operations.[ Torpedo - Wet-heater A further enhancement to this design was the use of water to cool the combustion chamber. This not only solved heating problems so that more fuel could be burnt, but it also allowed additional power to be generated by feeding the resulting steam into the engine together with the combustion products. Torpedoes with such a propulsion system became known as wet heaters while torpedoes without steam generation were, retrospectivly, called dry heaters. Most torpedoes used in World War I and World War II were wet-heaters. Edited September 8, 2009 by Rickitycrate Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 8, 2009 Author Posted September 8, 2009 WOW! Like leopards that lay in wait for the kill, they strike! Red-Dog, as you were the first at lightening-fast speed with the correct answer the two points for this Wild Card are yours Sir. Very well done Sir. Rickitycrate, I'm afraid you were pipped at the post. And zoomzoom never had a shot at all on this one. Cheers! Lou Quote
Olham Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Sopwith Cuckoo T.1 Grant Newman, Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF The most influential type of aeroplane to serve at East Fortune in World War One was the Sopwith Cuckoo, the first aircraft carrier based torpedo-dropping aeroplane. In June 1918 the Admiralty sent the prototype of the Sopwith Cuckoo, the T.1to East Fortune for evaluation against the Blackburn Blackburd and Short Shirl for a torpedo-dropping aeroplane suitable for squadron service. The Cuckoo was the preferred type and was largely constructed by Blackburn at Brough in Yorkshire, who designed the depth setting mechanism for the torpedo slung under the fuselage. By July 1918, crews were being trained for a daring mission proposed by Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Beatty. The aircraft carrier HMS Argus would launch her Cuckoos against the German High Seas Fleet at anchor on the Jade River at Wilhelmshaven. To train the crews in torpedo bombing techniques, No.1 Torpedo Training School was set up, this was re-numbered 201 Training Squadron in August, the Fleet and Torpedo Pilot Finishing School was also formed but moved to Leuchars, near St. Andrews the following month. The Royal Air Force's first torpedo-dropping squadron, 185 Squadron was declared ready for service at East Fortune with the Cuckoo for operations from HMS Argus, but disbanded on April 14 1919. History has shown that the Great War ended before this risky operation went ahead, this mission was the model for the successful attack on the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto Harbour by aircraft carrier based Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers on the night of November 11th 1940. The stream behind the torpedo is a red dye for tracing its track in the water Quote
Red-Dog Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Lucky,i'd just refreshed the forum when you posted...... Quote
Rickitycrate Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Oh drat! Good going Red Dog. We're having our own dogfight it seems. Quote
Olham Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 I saw it, when it was 6 minutes old. Six minutes - geeze, we are getting fast here! Quote
Dej Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Excellent work chaps! Well done Red-Dog. This 'leopard' wasn't paying attention. The gap's closing... I predict an exciting finish Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted September 8, 2009 Author Posted September 8, 2009 Lucky or not Red-Dog, the end result is a move up for you in the standings. You and Rickitycrate are now dead even and, as Dej so rightly notes, closing the gap. The contest standings after this last Wild Card photo are: Olham, 20 points Dej, 19 points Red-Dog, 14 points Rickitycrate, 14 points Bullethead, 5 points Duce Lewis, 5 points Luftace, 5 points Burning Beard, 4 points Check Six, 2 points rhythalion, 2 points JohnGresham, 1 point Shrikehawk, 1 point TonyO, 1 point zoomzoom, 1 point Cheers! Lou Quote
Red-Dog Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 Alas it could be to little to late, i'am off following my other passion in life for four days starting friday ( golfing ) so will miss the end, but there's always next time.. or may be a internet connection at the golf club.............................. Quote
Dej Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 That's what laptops are for. Ah, but can you fit one in a golf bag with a full set o' clubs. And how good is the Golf Club's wireless connection Shame you'll miss the competition R-D. I'd vote for a 4 day hiatus if it wouldn't delay things too much and everyone else agreed... be a hellish queue four days hence though. Of course, I wouldn't put it past Lou to have some fiendishly difficult 'photos as will take us four days to pin down, like the underside of an SE5 rudder bar or some such. Quote
Olham Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 I wouldn't mind to have a 4 days break from Friday - Monday, cause my friends (always postponed) renovation works on the house he just bought will be over the weekend, and I wouldn't have a connection there. Quote
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