Warbird Information Exchange

Recently I was told that in WWII heavies, the engine instruments were arrange so that when things were normal in cruise, all the needles would be at the 12:00 position. That way if anything went wrong, a quick glance would show the instruments to be either at 12:00 and nominal, or not at 12:00 and there was a problem.


Can anyone confirm or deny this?


TIA

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Anyone can do the job when things are going right. In this business we play for keeps.
— Ernest K. Gann

I don't believe that the case in WWII aircraft.
Instruments are a standard and many will fit different aircraft but be the same instrument. i.e. a 3-1 gauge which gives fuel pressure, oil temperature and oil pressure.
The instruments have a body with, for most, 4 mounting lugs on each corner. The panel was made with large holes for the face and the 4 holes to match the instrument mounting lugs.
They were laid out horizontally in rows so there isn't the ability to rotate an instrument.
In later years a different style of instrument was made that was basically a body in the shape of a can. The instrument holder was a circular unit that would tighten to grip the can body of the instrument. It was easier for maint as the instrument could be removed from the front of the panel instead of from behind the panel.
These also didn't have a mounting arrangement that was fixed and could be clocked or rotated in any direction. These types could be arranged so up was where you wanted the needles to be at some given reading if so desired.

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Rich Palmer

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I've never heard of that in aircraft. But there are people on this board that have forgotten more about warbirds than I'll ever know. But I do know in auto racing that is often done with the gauges.

Take a look at this video - B-17 flight characteristics 1943 training film

It shows engine instruments in varying flight conditions; sometimes some of the needles are at 12:00 o'clock

I found it interesting that the tach/manifold pressure (and some others) were dual guages, with a 'left' and 'right' engine on each wing - the #3 engine would be the 'left' engine on the 'right' wing.

Well worth the 1/2 hour to watch it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdc8MJHB0Cc

While it was not common, it was done to ease the scan procedure particulary on a large aircraft. The B-36 Flight manual shows the FE panel with the majority of engine instruments "clocked" so that needles were (close to) horizontal orientation when within normal operating parameters. This lay-out would make any reading that was out of whack "jump out" during a scan of the panel.

On the B-36 FE panel there were over 66 direct engine operational parameter instruments for the recips alone. the clocking of engine instruments would reduce scan time by a significant margin.

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On the B-29 FIFI I can scan the panel and see quickly if any instrument needle is out of range by comparison to the other needles regardless of the clocking of the instrument. On the C-130s I flew we could clock all of the gages and note any abnormality quickly.