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British aviation brass glass and Bakelite compass signed SMITHS of 1940

About the Item

British brass, glass, and Bakelite aviation compass, signed SMITHS Made in Great Britain Type KCA-1401K from the 1940s, and mounted on wooden board. Compass diameter cm 11.5-in 4.5. Base width 17 cm-in 6.7, total height 11 cm-in 4.3. Good condition, fully functional. The compass consists of a cylindrical-shaped brass vessel, called a mortar, mounted on a universal joint and complete with an adjustable goniometric circle for calculating horizontal angles. The last one is the gift box. The first airplane proper saw the light of day in 1903, when the Wright brothers succeeded in flying - and keeping in the air for 12 seconds-a kind of glider equipped with a 16-horsepower engine at Kill Devil Hill in North Carolina, USA. But the father of aviation is considered by one part of the scientific and aeronautical community to be Alberto Santos-Dumont, who, during a flight held on November 12, 1906, managed to get a heavier-than-air aircraft to take off independently (the Wright brothers had instead used a kind of catapult to take off). The first Italian plane was built by Aristide Faccioli in 1908. The company was founded in 1826 in London by Samuel Smith as a manufacturer and retailer of watches and chronometers, beginning by producing a wide range of watches precision and high quality, at that time the most important customer was the British Admiralty. In 1907 he began production of tachometers and engine accessories that included, carburetors, position lights, dynamos, starters, etc. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 helped expand the market for products offered and in 1915 came the first contracts for airplane accessories. It was necessary to create a separate department for aircraft, which was named Smiths Aircarft Instrument that produced various instruments for the aviation and naval markets. The company is still active and employs 15,000 people. Producing electronic components for the aerospace, medical and industrial markets.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 4.3 in (10.93 cm)Diameter: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1940
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Milan, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1020243509332

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