A few weeks ago, we took a couple of days and talked about dash panels (part 1, part 2). This post is an extension of sorts - it's a visual exploration of early aircraft gauge panels. Now, the idea here is not to take the images and design ideas li... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Aviation was only about fifty years old in the era we consider traditional hot rodding. I think it's safe to say that anything aircraft was the "shizit" at the time. When you consider the advancements between the Wrights and the end of WWII, it was the ultimate in engineering. A bunch of dials on your dash would be very cool indeed.
One of my uncles used to design instrument panels for McDonnel-Douglas from sometime in the 1950s till he retired in the 1980s. Sorry, I don't remember the models he worked on and I don't have the family history handy.
My friend used to work for a surplus store & used a bunch of aircraft gages in his 68 chevy camaro. He made up his own dash. Looked pretty cool.
I like when I see an "inspired" interior but I think that it's getting over done in some cases. I intend to pull the color and layout eventually but even that's pushing it. I like mine with a nice steering wheel, subdued ignition, and few gauges.
I entered the USAF in 1967 and was trained as a Recipacating Aircraft Mechanic. I was fortunate enough to get to work on the C-47 (DC-3), A-26, T-28, C-123, O-1 & the O-2. There were random vehicle searches for those leaving the Bases for Aircraft Equipment, the very items you pointed out. (And no, I have nothing for sale.)
Ryan, Did you get to climb up/in to the planes to shoot those pics? That must have been pretty damn cool if you did.
I think the two wheels shows promise. If I get tired my wife can drive without switching seats. lol I think a well thought out dash really CAN make a car. Very few of the aircraft "inspired" ones I have seen look well thought out though.
The coolest thing about most planes is that they are almost all from the 50s era or at least their designs are. If you check out your local small plane airport you'll see all kinds of interesting dashes first hand and most likely find nice guys willing to let you check em out and probably want to explain every detail of how they work.
If you stare at them, the eyes boggle....... if you sit back and look casually, the symettry and design come into play. Thats the best part for me
What "boggles" me is; HOW the HELL did the pilots (and co-pilots) remember what each of the switches, gauges and controls DID!! I have trouble keeping track of about FOUR!!! (in my truck) (probably explains why I never got my pilots license!)
Have to admire anyone who could fly one of those things or should I say any two who could fly those things. LOL
What "boggles" me is; HOW the HELL did the pilots (and co-pilots) remember what each of the switches, gauges and controls DID!! What we would do in a new plane is sit in the cockpit and memorize the layout. Often we'd close our eyes and reach for each control. Not only did we need to know where the were and be able to interpret the data, we'd have to know how they worked as well. For example: instruments are grouped in 3 sets. Flight data (compass, tuen & bank, altimeter, vertical speed), engine data (tach, temps on oil and exhaust, pressures), and 'consumables' (fuel, oil, battery, etc.). Times however many engines you had. Those big radials would use more oil per hour than your hot rod could burn gas in a month. Then add radios to the mix, both communication and navigation. Usually there were two comm radios for a backup. You didn't use everything at once. But you learn to scan from flight instruments to engine, but mostly flight. Just like our cars, the engine readouts were used periodically, not constantly. Most planes group the flight instruments in the same way. The knobs are not only colored differently, they have different shapes. Landing gear feels like a tire. Prop has knobs around the outside. Engine power is mixture-prop-throttle. To add power, first richen, then change propeller pitch from cruise to climb, then add manifold pressure (throttle). Lots of old hot rodders filled their dashes with gauges. Not all are electric: altimeters work on pressure differential.
The cockpit wasn't where all the gauges were. Try the flight engineer's station. Those big radials needed a separate crewman to handle them, especially on the 4 engined stuff like Connie's and Doug's. There's an instrument panel! If you mishandled those engines with their two speed superchargers you could blow one up real easy. Constellations often landed on 3 engines when one of the Wright 3350 turbo-coumpounds would pack it up. They had oscilloscopes so that you could check the firing of each plug while in flight. Each cylinder had two, and the Wright 3350's had 18 cylinders each. That's 144 spark plugs to check while in flight.
For military/civil Jet aircraft, true (actually 28V), but many of the small general Aviation aircraft are 12 V
This is kind of like how Classic Instruments took inspiration for their new Bomber Bezel Series. I like 'em! Aircraft dials are the shit!
I made these awhile ago. Didn't even realize they sell them. I like my crappy hand cut ones better...those others are too bulky.
If anyone is interested, I've got a sizable collection of WWII Aircraft guages and panels and other cockpit items that were destined for the coupe till I got sidetracked......anyone need a seatback parachute?
The "crown jewel" of aircraft IMO. The B17 Flying Fortess. Took these at the Palm Springs Air museum. -stick Cockpit. Nose.
Dad had a 50's Navion (oddly enough, this one: http://www.navion.org/dogplane1_small.jpg ) And I recall it came with an oddball dashboard that he converted to what is now a modern, standard dash. At the same time, another Navion owner in our local club decided to modernise _his_ dash in a haphazard sorta way... That was about the time I learned tact.
If anyone gets the chance to see the Confederate (now Commerative)Air Force show in Midland Tx. it is well worth the trip.I guarantee you'll be impressed by the old war birds and the newer craft. We got to climb up and look in the cockpit of a B-1. Impressive to say the least.
Love the pix and the planes. Got to take a few pix while at Boeing flight test back in the late 60's and flew on the first 707 which was called the -80 and the first 747 which was designated RA001. We spent lot's of time over the desert down in Phoenix testing scale 747 inlets. Here's a few shots of us getting the engines to do compressor stalls over Tuscon. A real hoot in a plane that size. I was just an electronics puke but did finagle a half hour of right seat time. Dogtag
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