At any rate, I think the altimeter in the dash was more than likely the
result of a mechanic/ground crewman with some idle time on his hands.
Of course, this is simply my opinion. Also, all aircraft, even if equipped
with a radar altimeter will still have a regular "old barometric" altimeter
installed. Also, consider what aircraft were likely to be operating from
an grass or remote auxiliary field. Most likely candidates were the
primary trainers, PT-13/17 Stearmans, PT-19,23,26 Fairchilds or even
some Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) aircraft such as Piper Cubs,
Aeronca Tandem Trainers (TL and TC-65s), etc. Very few of these
aircraft were ever fitted with radio gear as they have no electrical
system.
Pilots were not exposed to radios until they reached the Basic training
stage where they flew the BT-13/15 and began working on instrument
training. I'm sure that the still used auxiliary fields for some training, but
these aux fields would likely had something more than a jeep with a
windsock considering the training being conducted.
In addition to being a interested in military vehicles (I own/restored: a 43
GPW, restored 54 M38A1, am restoring 52 M38) I also am interested in
vintage military aircraft. I worked with my WWII B-24 pilot father
restoring and flying several vintage WWII aircraft and have also talked to
him and several other pilot veterans about training and combat missions
and this posting reflects that info, not just my guesses. Of course, you
must remember, their memories are fading some with the intervening
years, so I could be wrong with my assumptions/recounting.
I know this is sort of off the mark for this list, but isn't a military aircraft
just a different sort of military vehicle.
Jim Rice
>>> "Gerry Davison" <gerry@login.dknet.dk> 01/12/97 02:03am >>>
In message Sat, 11 Jan 1997 23:25:44 -0800,
Tony Standefer <WillysJeep@worldnet.att.net> writes:
> I once owned a parts jeep 1945 MB that had a AAF altimeter installed in
> the dash on the left side of the steering column. The installation of
> it was very well done also. I've heard rumors that this had some kind
> of signifigance "rare altimeter jeep" anybody know why/what for???
Hi Tony
Before the days of the radar altimeter, military airplanes used (some
still do) barometric altimeters. For a barometric altimeter (one base on
air pressure) to work, they have to be calibrated on a regular basis.
This involves adjusting the altimeter to the air pressure at ground level.
Ground level air pressure varies of course with height above sea level
and
the weather (low pressure, high pressure etc) at the time. Now at an
airfield there is measuring gear for this, and the traffic control tower
(ATC) would radio the measurement to the planes during the normal radio
check.
However, at grass strips where there was no such facility, a wind
sock
and an altimeter could be fitted to a jeep, which could be driven into place
with a radio and perform primitive air traffic control. If your jeep had an
altimeter, it may well have had fittings on the rear end for a wind sock,
and
possibly even radio - although this last was not strictly neccessary, as
a portable radio would be able to reach the planes at the distances
involved.
Regards
Gerry Davison - Denmark - Europe