WWII US Navy Maritime Sinuous Course Warship Destroyer Ships Clock Seth Thomas

Description

Rare World War II era Sinuous Course Clock - BU Ships stock No. S61-C-8350 - Mark 3 - Mod. 0 - Navy Department Bureau of Ships - Seth thomas Clocks Contract NObs. 53703 - Insp. US Navy. Interior tag: Mfg Stock No 84400-321 - Mark 3 - Mod. 0. Gray painted metal with brass dial. Mounted on black painted wood for display.

The Variable Course Clock is a self-contained auxiliary instrument to be mounted on a repeater. Its purpose is to enable the helmsman to steer a predetermined constantly curing track along a base course as a means of protection from submarine or air torpedo attack. Multiple clocks were synchronized and used in concert with each other to safely guide convoys of ships across the ocean. The clocks were attached to the Gyro Compass and had a cam that drove a pointer to help the helmsman steer so that ships traveling in convoys would turn at the same time and in the same direction.

Some history from a man on the internet named John Dapper:
"I was a helmsman on several destroyers in the 1960s. The clocks were still around, but rarely used. The cams were classified. I only got to steer once using the clock. All the ships have to start at the same time and at the same point on the cam. You never steer a straight course. You keep the pointer over the base course and are always using some rudder. The ship are continuously on a curving line of advance. Reaching a major change on the cam, points and valleys, usually means full rudder turns. It’s interesting to watch several ships turning together. I noticed all of these clocks are removed from museum ships. I don’t think they were used on auxiliary or merchant ships. Just high speed warships.
The point of the clock it to make it difficult for the enemy to predict your course and speed in the time before homing torpedoes".

Condition

Fair condition, scuffs / paint loss; cracked face.

Dimensions

11" x 6" x 12" (Width x Depth x Height)