This is a large collection of a number of gun sight computers and sighting devices used by the Allied Aviation Corporation during the development of a remote control sighting system during WWII. A number of existing devices were modified and assembled to connect to a central Sensyn Line of Position computer which was automatically aim the defensive guns on the B-29 bomber.
This is from the estate of George Breed, a Yale University graduate who enlisted in the US Army Air Force, trained in electronics and fire control systems, and managing the military liaison operations of Allied Aviation Corporation during the war. He was subsequently detached from the USAAF to be reassigned to Detachment 790 of the Counter Intelligence Corps and further detached to the Office of Strategic Information, where he operated as a Special Agent under covert cover for clandestine operations following the end of the war. We have a number of documents detailing his training and subsequent transfers and reassignments, to his eventual posting in Occupied Germany as an undercover clandestine operative. These documents are offered separately from the hardware shown in this section.
Allied Aviation Corp, located in Cockneysville, Maryland, was a Non-Official Cover (NOC) intelligence organization that was set up to manage funding for classified intelligence operations overseas by the Office of Strategic Information. It was dismantled and deactivated as a corporation shortly after the war ended when the CIA took over the tasks it was initially set up to handle. While the AAC was in operation, they conducted business as any other corporation did at the time. Stock was issued, articles of incorporation filed, and it was tasked with real engineering work by the US Army Air Corps. The equipment shown here is part of the stock that was modified from existing items to design a completely automatic target acquisition and fire control system.
Large items include a US Navy BuAero Line Of Position mechanical computer in the original case with 1941 date assembly and one other date assembly, several compensating gunsights, including a K-4 from the tail guns of a B-25, a K-10 for the lower ball turret of a B-17 or B-24, and a K-13 that was used on most of the waist guns of the B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26, A-20, and similar bombers. There are also a number of other pieces including motor controls, drive trains, a Fairchild H-1 gun camera (identical to the Bell & Howell gun camera) in the original case, a gyroscope, autopilot electrical solenoids and other pieces.
There are dozens of documents regarding the electronics, mechanical, and electrical portions of the system, including some very rare -- if not unique -- hand-drawn circuit and wiring diagrams. There are prototype and draft copies of documentation, schematics, operation, troubleshooting and repair documents, a few photographs, and similar text based and hand rendered line drawing illustrations.
There is a letter from the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC dated 1983 indicating they did not have any similar components in their extensive collection.
We have taken dozens of photographs and scans of various components from different angles and a very small portion of the documentation.
This is a rather massive collection of items, which we are going to list on this page in several sections. One section will focus on the hardware, one section on the documents, one section on the Allied Aviation Corporation, and one section of overseas Counterintelligence (CIC) operations. Each section will be priced separately to allow specific areas of collector interest be available without having to acquire items that may not be of interest to one collector, but attractive to another.
The listing will take some time, as there are hundreds of scans and photos involved. Check back often for changes. We hope to have it all listed here within the month of July, barring the unforeseen. The first section to be listed will be the major hardware items.
This is a group lot of hardware once belonging to the Allied Aviation Corporation. These are mostly LARGE mechanical and electrical devices associated with the development of the automated fire control system developed for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The condition of all pieces is used. Several pieces have some engineering modifications apparent. It may be possible to restore to serviceable condition with proper repair and/or engineering, however, that is neither intended nor recommended. These items are being sold for their collectible and historic value ONLY. No guarantee or warranty is either express or implied regarding functionality or suitability to any particular purpose other than as display items. We have no way of testing any of these pieces for function.
The first major component (and probably the most intriguing of the hardware pieces) is a US Navy BuAero MKI Type 193 Line Of Position mechanical computer in the original case with supplemental date control group. It was designed by Fairchild-Maxson and manufactured by Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation, New York, NY. The serial number is 123. Matching numbers are on the face plate. This is the data plate located on the side of the device. It comes in a very robust wooden fitted and padded case. The stencil on the top of the case indicates it is a RESTRICTED device, as does the face plate of the computer. This classification was routine declassified several years after the end of the war.
Controls include DATE SET (QUARTER and YEAR). Year shown is 1941. ALTITUDE, DECLINATION, LONGITUDE, LATITUDE, GREENWICH CIVIL TIME, and RIGHT ASCENTION and SUN STAR are set on wheels. The SOLAR DECLINATION and LINE OF POSITION are indicated on two three needle dials. When the pointers are aligned, the LOP is indicated.
It measures 11-1/2 wide by 6-1/2 high by 8-1/2 inches deep. It weighs almost 20 pounds out of the case. In the case, it is about 30 pounds. The case measures 8 inches high, 16 inches wide and 10 inches deep. It has a captive canvas carrying strap.
There is a handwritten spiral bound notebook included, detailing operation of the Selsyn transformer for the B-29 bomber. It is technically not a part of this device, however it is included because it was found inside the case when we acquired it. There is a cute period cartoon showing a runaway top turret and caption "How do you shut this damn thing off?" The reverse side of the cartoon references an advertisement for the 5th War Loan (May-July 1944). Some sample pages of the notebook are shown here 1 -- 2 -- 3.
The next item is a US Army Air Forces Gun Camera Type H-1 designed and manufactured by the Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation. It is virtually identical to the Bell & Howell gun camera with similar nomenclature.
The camera comes in a fitted wooden case with the serial number on the case matching the serial number of the camera located on the data plate. There is paperwork detailing the requisition and shipment of this item dated 31 January 1945. Only the serial number of the block is indicated (this was the 4th camera in the first block). It will be included with the camera. This item was diverted from RFC for testing purposes.
The camera does NOT have a magazine present. The paperwork indicates the item was shipped as "Serviceable (Used)". It is not known if is remains in serviceable condition, however, it appears to be all present with nothing obvious broken or demilled.
The camera measures 18 inches long by 6-1/2 inches high and about 4 inches wide at the widest point. The case measures 20-1/4 by 8 by 7 inches deep.
This is a view of the internal mechanism and a shot of the objective lens and the camera open and out of the case.
(Note: We also have the rare Fairchild Aerial US Navy BuOrd Machine Gun Camera Mark VI Mod 3 separately available. It can be seen here.)
This is a pair of S-4 Aircraft Automatic Pilot Servo Units. These are apparently unused servo units for the S-4 autopilot. They are in virtually mint condition with all plugs and safety wire present except on one access plate on both units (the same plate) which does not appear to have been ever safety wired, although the screws have provisions for them. It has 2 data plates. The first is stamped SERVO UNIT FOR S-4 AUTOMATIC PILOT, F.S.S.C. 88-S-250, CONT. NO. a(s)-2905. The other is stamped PART 644231, MFD. BY THE ELECTRIC AUTO-LITE CO. TOLEDO, OHIO UNDER LICENSE FROM SPERRY GYROSCOPE CO. INC.
This is the view of the left side, top, and bottom.
Below is a K-13 Compensating Sight used on the waist gun .50 caliber M2 Browning flexible machine guns found in several bombers with waist gun positions during WWII. The condition is used, still near excellent. The pigtail flexible cables to relay G/A (azimuth) and G/E (elevation) compensation from the K-7 gun mount are present, as it the Allen head hex wrench adjustment tool with chain, and the orange sun filter. All internal and external parts seem to function properly, the cables turn and the readings are viewable in the G/E and G/A windows.
It was manufactured by Sperry Gyroscope Company, Inc, Brooklyn New York. The serial number is 11147.
These are views of the front, left side, and right side. The rear side is shown below.
It measures 9-1/2 high by 7 inches wide by 7-1/2 inches deep.
Below is a K-10 Compensating Sight used on the tail gun .50 caliber M2 Browning flexible machine guns found in several bombers with tail gun positions during WWII. The condition is used, still near excellent. The pigtail flexible cables to relay G/A (azimuth) and G/E (elevation) compensation from the K-7 gun mount are present and the orange sun filter. All internal and external parts seem to function properly, the cables turn and the readings are viewable in the G/E and G/A windows. The windows have minor signs of crazing from age.
It was manufactured by Sperry Gyroscope Company, Inc, Brooklyn New York. The serial number is 1577.
These are views of the front, left side, and right side. The rear side is shown below.
This is a MUCH more difficult sight to find than the K-13 shown above.
It measures 8-1/2 high by 6-1/2 inches wide by 8 inches deep.
Below is a K-4 Computing Sight used on the lower ball turret gun .50 caliber M2 Browning flexib le machine guns found in only the B-17 and B-24 bombers with ball turret positions during WWII. The condition is used, fair to good, with some signs of work and few missing screws. All major components appear to be present. There is spotting and cosmetic paint spatter that should clean up. The pigtail flexible cables to relay G/A (azimuth) and G/E (elevation) from the gun mount are NOT present and there was apparently no orange sun filter used on this device. There appear to be some minor parts that need replacement (some screws), as it looks lke it was taken apart at some time in the past. This is essentially the same sight as the one used for the upper ball turret, only with the data plates reversed and basically upside down in relation to the top turret Type K-3.
It was manufactured by Sperry Gyroscope Company, Inc, Brooklyn New York. The serial number is 4715.
These are views of the front, left side, and right side. The rear side is shown below.
This is a difficult sight to find.
It measures 13 high by 13 inches wide by 10-1/2 inches deep.
Below is a Series C-1 Autopilot manufactured by Minneapolis Honeywell for used on the B-17, B-24 and B-29 bombers. This is the electrical device that the Norden bombsight was wired into to correct the bombers course in the later years of the war, replacing the functions of the mechanical Automatic Flight Control System (AFCE).
This is a very heavy device with a round glass window showing the internals. This is a view of the window side, and one of the 26VDC connector from the side and front.
It measures 8-1/2 by 1-1/2 by 9 inches.
The condition is used, generally very good. There is a slight crack in the Plexiglas window that does not go all the way across. It appears that it may be functional.
This is a representative sample of some of the the documents that accompanied this lot of equipment. Most of them cover technical details of B-29 bomber gun turrets, including the weapons system, cameras, remote controls, Selsyn control system, and similar mechanical and electrical subsystems related to fire control operation, maintenance and troubleshooting. There are many hand-written pages of notes and tests dating to the summer of 1944. Many of the documents are identified to George Breed. Some of the RESTRICTED technical manuals have Copy control numbers in the three-digit range. Almost all of the documents are RESTRICTED content (long ago declassified) with the usual warnings about dissemination of content to unauthorized persons under provisions of the Espionage Act (USC 50:31:32).
Below is an image of the original June 27, 1983 letter from the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution referencing these items.
December 8, 1944 Newspaper Article Describing the Automatic Fire Control System Page 1 -- Page 2
RESTRICTED Technical Order T.O. 11-70A-1 (600+ Pages of technical content)
Lot of Above Items offered at $17,999.99
This is a separate lot from the items shown above, and it is available as a stand-alone grouping and priced as shown below the images at the bottom of this section.
This is a superlative lot of a wartime amphibian flying boat prototype that was developed by Allied Aviation Corporation. Only two aircraft of this type were built. The Allied Trimmer was published as an American three-seater light amphibian flying-boat of the 1940s. The Allied Trimmer was a high-wing cantilever monoplane of plastic bonded plywood construction powered by two Continental C75 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines providing a (nominal) top speed of 224 kmh and a range of 560 km. The actual plane was a 4-place, with a top speed of 140 knots and cruising speed of 122 knots, and a much longer range (300 to 600 nautical miles). It was very lightweight, weighing only a bit over a metric ton (2400 pounds).
Allied Aviation Corporation was later acquired by
Commonwealth Aviaion (of Kansas City, not the Australian company that used
the same name). Commonwealth was formed by the merging of the assets
of Allied Aviation and Rearwin in a wartime bit of slight of hand. The
Commonwealth Glider plant was housed in the American Royal Building at the
Kansas City Stockyards, which had been converted to produce the CG-3A
(glider trainer) and
CG-4A Hadrian (aka WACO) airborne paratrooper gliders. In mid-1943 the Kansas City-produced glider was sent
to other glider factories as a prototype.
Rearwin Aircraft (and later Commonwealth Aircraft) produced 100 CG-3A
gliders and 1,470 CG-4A gliders in 1942. The CG-3 was used primarily for
training, and the CG-4A was a larger cargo and troop carrying glider. The
company was second only to Ford in glider production.
This lot of photos includes a February 1946 reprint of a SKYWAYS review of the prototype Trimmer Amphibian (named for the designer, Gil Trimmer). This article has a very detailed accounting of statistics and specifications, including approximate costs of the aircraft, insurance, and hanger (docking) fees. Since the plane never went into production, it is an interesting study in advertising and promotion of a non-existent product.
The Commonwealth 1946 period reprint is 8 pages of narrative text and photographs of the prototype in flight, in the water and on land in various situations.
This is a bound booklet of 12 unpublished photographs showing the Trimmer Amphibian taken from a variety of angles, on the ramp, on the ground, and in flight. Four of the twelve 5 by 7 inch photographs are shown as representative.
This is a set of five 8 by 10 glossy high quality photographs of the Trimmer in a variety of factory "posed" publicity photographs, including a rare shot of the aircraft flying with one engine feathered to demonstrate airworthiness. Note the Experimental NX-41853 commercial registration number.
Photo Details -- 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4
Available as a single group lot for $999.99
