No: 3966-4
The U.S. Army Sun Compass was produced during WW2 in the early 1940s by Abrams
Instrument Co. of Lansing, MI, designated Model SC-1. In operation, it could determine direction
accurately by noting the angle of the sun at a known time of day. It was designed for daylight use,
but could navigate at night by orientation to the Polar star, mounted on a vehicle in environments
where a magnetic compass might not work properly, such as inside an aircraft or truck due to the
metal content or electrical circuits nearby. The exterior of the box is painted olive drab and the lid is lettered: C. of E. U.S.A. Sun compass The C. of E. stands for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for military compasses and
other instruments during World War II. |
In World War II the SC-1 was used in the North African desert by the Long Range Desert Patrol (the famed Desert Rats) and other American, British or Australian units. Other uses were in B-24 Liberator bombers and by Army ground troops in the Philippines. It is reported to have been used through the 1970s for polar region expeditions where magnetic readings are unreliable or in the Sahara desert.
company is still in operation today but it has not made this instrument for a long time. Abrams Instrument
specialised in instruments for the aviation industry and made the Sun Compass under contract for the American
government during the Second World War. (The manual in our possession is dated 1943)
Liberator bombers were equipped with this instrument so that, in case of a crash, the survivors could orientate
themselves in the desert.
o
45° north and south of it, in 3° divisions. Several different length styluses were provided, the tallest of which
would have been used within the tropics and the shortest in conjunction with the others for night navigation by
orientation to Polaris, the north polar star. The tips of the styluses contained a tiny glass capsule apparently filled
with a luminous substance and was presumably used at night but its exact function and method have yet to be
discovered. The date plate was calibrated for both northern and southern latitudes. Thus the instrument was
which American patent 2441636 later applied.11 It was calibrated for both hemispheres and from the Equator to
45° north and south of it, in 3° divisions. Several different length styluses were provided, the tallest of which
would have been used within the tropics and the shortest in conjunction with the others for night navigation by
orientation to Polaris, the north polar star. The tips of the styluses contained a tiny glass capsule apparently filled
with a luminous substance and was presumably used at night but its exact function and method have yet to be
discovered. The date plate was calibrated for both northern and southern latitudes. Thus the instrument was 3
most others.
immediately usable in either hemisphere and so was consistently universal within its calibrated latitudes, unlike
The Sun Compass was manufactured by the Abrams Instrument company in Lansing, Michigan, USA. The
company is still in operation today but it has not made this instrument for a long time. Abrams Instrument
specialised in instruments for the aviation industry and made the Sun Compass under contract for the American
government during the Second World War. (The manual in our possession is dated 1943)
The Sun Compass seems to have been used mainly in the North African desert by the American Army. B24
Liberator bombers were equipped with this instrument so that, in case of a crash, the survivors could orientate
themselves in the desert.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)