DELICATE WORK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 154, 1 July 1944, Page 4

DELICATE WORK

AIR INSTRUMENTS

REPAIRS IN DOMINION

Without the normal flying instruments, both pilot and navigator of a modern aircraft would be at a loss; , and those instruments must not lie. Recognising the latter factor in particular, the R.N.Z.A.F. has spared no pains in equipping and staffing its instrument repair section, which ' is situated in the Waikato district. To this section come all suspect instruments f>r diagnosis and repair and, under expert hands, they receive a thorough overhaul which could scarcely be bettered by the makers themselves. Like most R.N.Z.A.F. repair sections the I.R.S. is divided into subsections, or "bays," which handle only one type of instrument. This system allows the men to specialise in the work for which they are most suited and facilitates the working of the chain system of overhaul and reassembly. All electrical instruments, for instance, are handled in a separate bay. Synchroscopes, which show whether or not twin motors of an aircraft are synchronised, are handled here, as well as such other delicate pieces of work as radio steering indicators, bomb releasing indicators, to show the number of bombs which have been released, and the remote indicating compass, which may be mounted in the tail of an aircraft, for example, away from magnetic attraction, and yet show the direction of flight on the navigator's and pilot's panels.

Testing Apparatus Electrical testing apparatus is at present being made in this bay to send out to units so that they can carry out a certain amount of testing of their own instruments themselves. Navigational instruments are handled in the navigation bay. Apart from normal mathematical instruments and sextants common to navigation, such advanced work as the optical side of the cinecamera guns, binoculars and bomb sights is also carried out.

Any timepiece in the Service can be overhauled in the watch repair shop, which does not hesitate to undertake such delicate jobs as the repair of chronometers and barographs. If spare parts are not available, the staff, who were formerly watchmakers by trade, are quite capable of making the parts themselves, and recently completed some very fine gear-cutting work.

The handling of mercury and alcohol-filled instruments is carried out in the general instruments bay, which is remarkable in that most of the equipment used has been designed and made on the spot. A machine for the refilling of transmitter type oil pressure gauges is one of the prize exhibits, while other machines constructed locally include a vacuum tank for testing altometers (which can take the instruments to a "height" of 55,000 ft, if necessary), an arrangement of varying air pressures for testing airspeed indicators and an oil pressure system for testing pressure indicators up to 30001b. Speck of Dust an Enemy Probably some of the most delicate work in the R.N.Z.A.F. is carried out in the gyroscopic section, which handles major repairs to all gyroscopic equipment, including "George," the famous auto pilot. Here perfect balance and finish are necessary, and a speck of dust is a bitter enemy, all loose parts being kept under glass covers.

In yet another section, indicators of all sorts are engraved, painted and luminised, later being tested in the luminosity" testing room, where luminous painted dials and indicators must pass a stiff visual test. The luminous painting work is undertaken by W.A.A.F.'s, who have to view the article on which they are working through a glass shield, owing to the fact that luminous paint contains a proportion of radium, which is most harmful to the eyes. In the compass room, compasses are refilled' and overhauled, including the transmitting part of the remote compass previously mentioned. Still another section cares for the welfare of all the link trainers in New Zealand and the Pacific. Here instruments and parts are tested and sent out again as new while members of the staff travel round Air Force stations periodically to check on link trainer equipment. The atmosphere of the instrument repair section as a whole is modern and efficient. Each operator —some of them W.A.A.F.'s —works at an individual > desk containing all the tools of his trade and each one specialises as far as is possible. The hours are long—during a recent visit overtime was being worked three nights a week—but the work is essential. As is the case with thousands of other factories and workshops, the war is being fought from these benches.