On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:25:09 -0600, "Roger Helio"
wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
.. .

It might be possible but I doubt it. There used to be a sextant
designed for aircraft navigation in WW II that used an artificial
horizon of sorts but those guys were happy to know where they were
within 20 miles or so.

That was not a sextant. It was called an octant.

Here's one:

http://www.icarusbooks.com/images/1458.jpg

I've got no idea what that thing you referenced is but I can assure
you that the devices carried aboard aircraft, at least until the
1970's was called a "Bubble Sextant" and didn't look a thing like your
picture.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)

On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:55:22 +0700, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:

That was not a sextant. It was called an octant.

Here's one:

http://www.icarusbooks.com/images/1458.jpg

I've got no idea what that thing you referenced is but I can assure
you that the devices carried aboard aircraft, at least until the
1970's was called a "Bubble Sextant" and didn't look a thing like your
picture.

Yes.

http://www.warbirdsite.com/museumnavigation.html

http://www.nautical-products.com/bubble-sextants.html

http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/physics...ant_manual.pdf

http://www.qmss.com/seastories/seastory05.html

On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:10:13 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:55:22 +0700, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:

That was not a sextant. It was called an octant.

Here's one:

http://www.icarusbooks.com/images/1458.jpg

I've got no idea what that thing you referenced is but I can assure
you that the devices carried aboard aircraft, at least until the
1970's was called a "Bubble Sextant" and didn't look a thing like your
picture.

Yes.

http://www.warbirdsite.com/museumnavigation.html

http://www.nautical-products.com/bubble-sextants.html

http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/physics...ant_manual.pdf

http://www.qmss.com/seastories/seastory05.html


The device carried aboard USAF aircraft until the 1970's looked most
like the bubble sextant shown as a US Navy bubble sextant Type A-12 at
the top of the page in your reference
http://www.warbirdsite.com/museumnavigation.html

Note that it was a sextant, not an octant.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)

Really?

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collec...dnumber=451517

Catalogue number:
AF*59057-N
Inscriptions:
"U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS / AIRCRAFT OCTANT / TYPE NO. A-7 SERIAL NO. A0-42-132 /
SPECIFICATION NO. 94-27747A / ORDER NO. AC-17520 / MFR'S ASSY. DWG. NO.
3003-B / BENDIX AVIATION CORPORATION / PIONEER INSTRUMENT DIVISION / BENDIX,
NEW JERSEY, U.S.A." and "MFR'D UNDER ONE OR MORE OF THE /FOLLOWING PATENT
NOS. / 1556994 1674550 1970543 / 2221152 DES. 85912 / BENDIX AVIATION
CORPORATION / PIONEER INSTRUMENT DIVISION / BENDIX, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A."



Another aircraft octant:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collec...dnumber=123408

There are a number of aircraft octants for sale he

http://www.paxp.com/mac/navtrak/sextants.html#used_m

And another octant:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collec...dnumber=451519



Are you certain they were really sextants on those naval aircraft? We used
an octant aboard a P-2.

In maritime history octants were the predecessor of sextants. Octants have
several distinct advantages over the sextant for use in aircraft. If you are
experienced in the use of both you can really understand why.

Perhaps your memory is not reliable.