Treat for the day - Smithsonian's Spad Cockpit 360° view

[HumanDrone 4]

I don't know if this should be denoted OT, but thought y'all may want to look around a SPAD XIII C.1 cockpit:

 

http://www.airspacemag.com/panorama/201245581.html?start=10&page=1&c=y

 

It almost felt like sitting in front of my machine with my TrackIR!....  Tink...tink...tink... CONTACT!

 

[Burning Beard 14]

They forgot the mallet for clearing the guns ;)

 

Beard

[FenrisWlf 6]

I really enjoyed that, thanks.

[Olham 164]

Gee, the Smithsonian! ... I guess one could easily spend a whole week there!

The SPAD cockpit always reminds me of Italian racing boats from the 30s.

What was that tube to the right of the pilot, which goes out through the skin?

[HumanDrone 4]

Olham:

 

I don't know what it is either, but it appears to run to some sort of manifold between the rudder pedals.  There may be an intermediate valve as well, but you can't quite see past the right front corner of the pilot's seat.   Perhaps a vent of some sort?

 

Note the SR-71 cockpit and an Apollo capsule, a 1928 Boeing and a one of the first all-metal planes are viewable as well.  The progress from the SPAD cockpit to the Boeing is quite remarkable.  The Apollo capsule is kinda disappointing, it won't go up to the panel for me (At least right side up... maybe that's the point...).

 

I took the family to DC once; but kids haven't much patience with old airplanes, neither does my dear wing commander, I'm afraid.  So a fast pass was the best I could do.  Haven't been there since the new section out at Dulles was created.

 

Glad y'all got some enjoyment.  Of course, Olham had spotted these a couple of years back, but hey, that's been a while... and while we wait for WOFF...  (anticipation is building, I might note, might think of stocking the bar over at the BOC...)

 

Wheels up, everyone!

 

Tom

Edited August 1, 2013 by HumanDrone

[Tamper 9]

Those are fascinating "panoramagraphs" :)

 

I also checked out several others, including the SR-71 and the Apollo CM.  I don't think it was just you, HumanDrone - I noticed that (it seemed) the camera position was nearer the seat than where your head would rest, hence the panel & gauges above weren't visible as I imagined they should've been.  It's kind of confirmed by looking at the dummy they have seated in there - his head is resting on the 'couch' pillow, but turning your view directly left from it's start lines you up with his hips.

 

Still some great visuals, though - and a great way to 'feed te need' for aviatica whilst we wait for WOFF :)

 

Oh, and although it's really just a guess, I'm thining that tube is the fuel tank filler neck.  I say this because it appears to be a funnel outside the cockpit (the funnel part makes sense, and you surely wouldn't put it inside).  It looks like the fuel tank there under the cockpit, and the associated piping and hoses for distribution of fuel.  To me it looks like the brass knob on top of the tank is a valve for (a guess) sealing the tank/filler neck, and as you said the plumbing all appears to converge in a 'manifold' looking device, which I would guess is an intake manifold.  It actually looks as if you can see where it 'splits off' into different feeds, I assume for the two opposing sides of the V8 engine.

[HumanDrone 4]

Tamper:

 

You may be right; I thought it may have to do withe the fuel system.  But we'd better shut up, Pol & Winder & the rest will start modding the now-nearly-finished WOFF cockpits and all so that we can watch our planes get refueled before takeoff, and watch the fuel spurt out of we forget to close the isolation valve and pull some negative g's...  (just kidding, of course).

[gaw 5]

pretty cool......thx!!!