WWII RAF Navigator's Compass

[lawrence_n]

The RAF Museum (or IWM) might have the AIR publication for this device. Not likely posted online, but you can contact them and ask them to search their collections.

I had purchased this at a very good deal as a gift for one of my besties whose father had been navigator in the RCAF and had basically carried on his position into the civilian aviation world when he was demobbed. My buddy was blown away and started doing his own research. In short, it was as I had suspected that this is a scarce variant as it was prewar manufacture so it was more complex and fancier than the later and more common compasses that were simplified for speed of manufacture. This style was heavily used in twin engine aircraft like the Beaufort, Anson, Beaufighter, Hudson, etc. and very often issued to Coastal Command. I wonder what this would be worth to collectors of militaria, given its rarity.