641 - A RARE WWII RAF OPERATIONS ROOM TYPE 1 ‘SECTOR’ FUSEE WALL TIMEPIECEEX RAF TUNHOUSE, SCOTLAND, F.W. ELLIOTT LIMITED, CROYDON DATED 1938The 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 5723, MADE BY, F.W. ELLIOTT LTD, ENGLAND, 1938 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 brass bezel incorporating a canted silvered insert to interior, applied to a turned stained mahogany surround secured via pegs onto the rear box case with door to the right-hand side over pendulum access flap to the curved underside, the leading edge of the top board stamped 7 P, and the rear stamped MADE BY F.W. ELLIOTT, 1938 to upper left, (dial surface flaking); with a small file of provenance paperwork.47cm (18.5ins) diameter, 19cm (7.5ins) deep.Provenance:The property of a private collector. Purchased from Mallams, Cheltenham Country House Sale 24th September 2025 (lot 84) for £2,000 hammer. Previously purchased by a Mr. and Mrs. D. Palmer of Bicester from Dreweatt Neate sale of FINE ART 16th June 1999 (lot 230) for £2,352.50. Prior to that the property of a Mr. George Brodie of Monifieth who most likely acquired the timepiece before or around the time of the closure of RAF Turnhouse in 1996.RAF Turnhouse was a sector station located on the north-western side of Edinburgh on the site now used as Edinburgh Airport. Established as a simple landing ground in 1915 the facility was significantly enlarged with the laying of three concrete runways during the 1930’s. During WWII RAF Turnhouse played a significant strategic role in the defence of the Edinburgh from air attack, and is credited for bringing down the first enemy aircraft of the war. This occurred on the evening of 28th October 1939 when a Heinkel III reconnaissance aircraft succumbed to fire from Spitfires attached to 602 Squadron. Of the four crewman abord two were killed and one was wounded. The tracking of the Heinkel which lead to it being brought down may well have involved the use of the present lot.After the war it would appear that RAF Turnhouse was mostly used for communications operations and for training. The site was finally decommissioned in 1996 and subsequently integrated into Edinburgh International Airport.The ‘sector’ or ‘colour change’ clock was developed from 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 absolutely 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