638 - A RARE WWII RAF OPERATIONS ROOM TYPE I ‘SECTOR’ FUSEE WALL TIMEPIECE

A RARE WWII RAF OPERATIONS ROOM TYPE I ‘SECTOR’ FUSEE WALL TIMEPIECE INSCRIBED FOR RAF BINBROOK, F.W. ELLIOTT LIMITED, CROYDON DATED 1939 The rectangular four cylindrical pillar single chain fusee movement with anchor escapement regulated by lenticular bob pendulum, the backplate with pillar screws and collets and stamped 11464, MADE BY, F.W. ELLIOTT LTD, ENGLAND, 1939 to lower margin, the 14 inch circular cream silk screen printed dial with crowned RAF and laurel spray cypher to centre, within an inner track annotated with vertically aligned Arabic hour numerals 13-24 followed by principal chapter ring annotated with conforming larger twelve-hour numerals divided by triangular panels spanning five-minute intervals coloured in a repeating sequence of yellow, blue and red, the circumference with further minute track incorporating Arabic five minutes, with blued steel moon hands set behind a hinged glazed cast oxidised brass bezel incorporating a canted silvered insert to interior, applied to a turned stained mahogany surround inscribed C. FLETCHER, BINBROOK, 1944 to verso and secured via pegs onto the rear box case with door to the right-hand side over pendulum access flap to the curved underside, the top board stamped with a crowned TM monogram and F 25 to the leading edge, and the rear stamped MADE BY F.W. ELLIOTT, 1938 beneath an A M crown monogram to upper left over large stencilled inscription incorporating the MOD arrow device above R, 20-4-1953, STORES No. 21B/713, CON. No. A187180/53/(…B). 47cm (18.5ins) diameter, 19cm (7.5ins) deep. Provenance: Previously at RAF Binbrook (from the inscription to the rear of the dial). RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, was established as a Bomber Command station in June 1940. Between 1942-43 the station was closed to allow for the building of three concrete runways suitable for heavy bombers. RAF Binbrook subsequently served as a base for No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Airforce which took an active role in the bombing of Germany during the latter phases of WWII. After the war RAF Binbrook became home to some of the most distinguished bomber squadrons including numbers IX, 12, 101 and 617. During the Cold War RAF Binbrook became an important base of English Electric Lightening Interceptor Fighter squadrons, most notably numbers 5 and 11. The base was subsequently closed to active service in 1980 and mostly sold-off for development. However, the former base still houses English Electric Lightnings (including an F6 in ground-running condition) as part of the Binbrook Heritage Centre. The ‘sector’ or ‘colour change’ clock was developed after 1918 by Major General Ashmore to assist ground control operations in the tracking aircraft in real time. The system worked by logging the position of a sighting on a large grip map using a series of coded counters grouped within a metal block stand. The first counter would be matched to the corresponding colour of the triangle of the sector indicated by the timepiece at the time of sighting by the Royal Observer Corps. The other counters were a mixture of number and letter codes to designate the nature of the aircraft (aircraft type, height, number of aircraft, hostile or allied and designated track). As the additional sightings and/or radar detections came through the frames containing the counters were moved along the by operators using magnetic rakes. In addition to the counters within the ‘block’ stands other symbols would be placed on the map to indicate the direction (arrows for heading or discs in the event of the aircrafts circling) which again were colour-coded to the corresponding triangle of the sector clock at the time of sighting. This system allowed ‘Fighter Controllers’ to ascertain at a glance the progress and heading of each formation and thus undertake strategic decisions as to when to scramble intercepts if required. The colour coding was crucial as allowed a very complicated and rapidly evolving picture to be seen in timed groupings thus allowing RAF interceptor squadrons to remain on the ground until necessary. This saved significant amounts of time and fuel hence fighter aircraft could then stay in the air for longer periods when required. Due to the of the speed of incoming enemy raiders speed of response was critical, hence the RAF had to be prepared to scramble at a moment’s notice. The ‘type I’ sector clock was introduced circa 1935 and had been superseded by the ‘type II’ variant by 1943. Most examples were made by F.W. Elliott Limited although others by Stockall Marples and Company are known. The RAF laurel wreath bordered crest to the centre of the dial was introduced in 1938 (replacing a winged motif). The clockmaking firm J.W. Elliott of Croydon can trace their roots back to James Jones Elliott who set-up business in London in 1886. The workshop became known for producing high quality movements (including musical and chiming movements) for wholesale or sale unde