Buying a new clock

[flyguy]

I find that calendar, if not too bulky, works just fine.

WAL IMA JUS STRUK DUM BOUT ALL THIS KLOK TOK. RUSS IFN U WANT THAT LIL OLE KLOK GAY HORN GIVE ME IMMA GONNA GIVE IT TU U. IT DOANT FIT MY PARTIKLAR STYLE EENY WAY. IM MORE THE SUN-DIAL TYPE (EVEN SLOWER THAN BLEU ELDER)

I JUS CAN'T PROMISE HOW FAR CLOST TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE I HAFTO GO DIGGIN. I MEMMER GOERGE HERE A FEW MONTH AGO AN LOOK AT THE PURTY LIL KLOK HE GIVE ME A SITTIN ON MY DESK AN SAY WHY IT AINT IN THE 170 WHERE IT SUPOSED TO GO? I TOLE HIM I AINT GOT WOUN UP YET OR MY BAKWARD RATCHET IS BROKE???

I SEEN THE PM U SENT RUSS, BUT BIN BIZY AND WILL USE THIS TO ANSER.

LOOK IN THE DIIRECTORY FOR MY PH NO. CALL ANYTIME CONVENIIENT.

[cessna170bdriver]

When you have an airplane like mine, "The Silver Pig", that flys kind of half sideways, you don't really need a panel clock.

I find that calendar, if not too bulky, works just fine.

On hot days and high altitudes, the calendar also comes in handy as a backup for the vertical speed indicator in the 170 (at least in the UP direction).

Miles

[GAHorn]

When you have an airplane like mine, "The Silver Pig", that flys kind of half sideways, you don't really need a panel clock.

I find that calendar, if not too bulky, works just fine.

Is that the one you have for sale?

Which side of the fuselage do you have to wipe the bugs off of?

[blueldr]

George,

"The Silver Pig" is properly named, but, by god, it's all mine. I wouldn't think of parting with ol' Porky.

The bugs are mostly on the left side. Damn good thing too. The right door has a pronounced closing gap in flight and the cabin would fill with bugs.
When I close the throttle on final, the door gap whines like a DC-8.

[russfarris]

Epilogue (like the old Quinn Martin TV shows) on the clock debacle.

I ended up sending the original (IFR legal!) clock back to Century Instruments, Wichita, who had overhauled it back in 2000. Flat rate 125.00 plus 10.00 bucks for a broken whatsit inside, yellow tagged and re-installed in my panel.

Thanks for all the advice, guys...Russ

[n2582d]

Kyle,
I was sorry to see that you recently sold your plane. In my opinion you should have been asking a lot more for it. It is a beauty! I did find it curious that you had two clocks in your panel, one a huge 3 1/8” clock — until I reread this great story you wrote years ago. I hope you kept the clock; that’s quite a memento.

Hey Guys - here's a clock story for ya.

My Uncle, Joe Shrampko was a crew chief on the USS San Jacinto, CVL-30 from early 1943 to the end of 1945, attached to VF-51. They flew Hellcats. During that period he went though 5 planes.

One one particular day in 1944 he was on the wing, talking with his pilot who had just returned from a mission and another Hellcat landed behind them. The boot ENS flying that plane landed so hard that his guns fired when he hit the deck. Uncle Joe pushed his pilot back down behind the armor plate and prayed.

When the short burst was over, his plane was full of holes but not on fire.
He had one hole clear through his trousers, and the plane was trashed. Now mind you the width of the flight deck on escort carriers was pretty narrow so with a few other planes already on deck - and still turning, he had no place to run to.

The plane was being positioned as this occured so it was on a slight angle to the approaching plane. Some of the rounds hit the panel. He looked in and saw the pilot was OK and so was he. They both figured it wasn't thier time yet ... and the clock in the panel was still running.

He removed the clock and placed it in each of the (then 3) remaning Hellcats he had during the rest of his tour. (Uncle Joe's lucky clock). That particular plane was pushed over the side.

He gave me the clock when I was 14 .... the Christmas after he told me the story. The clock was originaly manufactured by the Waltham Watch Company of Waltham MA. Still has the Navy anchor and contract number on the back. Some day, I'll put that in my plane ........

When I was a kid, my brother and I would alternate going for rides with my uncle up a Ski lift in VT just so we could hear another story. They were good times, sorry that he is gone because I would love to sit with him now over a coffee ... poor guy I'd never let him get to sleep ....

Anyway, that's my clock story.

PS, the USS San Jacinto is the CVL that GWB flew from when he was shot down bombing Chicha Jimi (not sure how to spell that). My Uncle didn't know him, he said lots of guys came through, some you knew - some you didn't.


Kyle T.

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