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Author
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Topic: Apollo CM Flight Director/Attitude Indicator
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BJWest
Member Posts: 38
From: San Francisco, CA 94110
Registered: Feb 2010
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posted 02-09-2010 07:42 PM
   
I wanted to share with you the cherry in my collection, an Apollo Block 1 Command Module Flight Director/Attitude Indicator.I picked it up on eBay a few years back. I assume it was used in a simulator rather than flown. It's a beaut on the outside, but on the inside, it's a work of art.  
 
A closeup of the deeply engraved ball:  And a shot of the tag in case anyone is curious:  |
DMScott
Member Posts: 359
From: Lexington, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 02-10-2010 07:22 PM
Looks great. Thanks for sharing. |
space1
Member Posts: 974
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 02-10-2010 08:23 PM
These mechanical wonders are as much art as engineering. Thanks for the nice photos. |
BJWest
Member Posts: 38
From: San Francisco, CA 94110
Registered: Feb 2010
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posted 02-11-2010 10:04 AM
Yeah, they really are. Today's digital devices are astounding technologically, but to me they just don't have the same beauty as the old analog tech. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 02-11-2010 09:23 PM
Look out man, you are getting awfully close to gimball lock!  Just kidding, very nice piece for your collection there. I recall the eight ball gave a lot of headaches to the designers until they came up with a design that would work in Apollo. |
music_space
Member Posts: 1195
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 02-12-2010 02:58 AM
Beautiful, beautiful! |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 2153
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-12-2010 06:48 AM
Does the red area around the pole signify gimbal lock? |
minipci
Member Posts: 437
From: London, UK
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 02-12-2010 07:10 AM
Yes, the red area is a Gimbal Lock Region. |
music_space
Member Posts: 1195
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 02-12-2010 01:13 PM
Yeah, and contrary to what Jay is saying, we're far from gimbal lock, about 90° away. |
BJWest
Member Posts: 38
From: San Francisco, CA 94110
Registered: Feb 2010
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posted 02-16-2010 02:41 PM
quote:
Originally posted by music_space:
Yeah, and contrary to what Jay is saying, we're far from gimbal lock, about 90° away.
Heh. It depends on which picture you are looking at. In the first two pics, it's getting very close. In the sixth pic, you are absolutely right!Because it's visually interesting, I was gently turning the ball to show the gimbal lock warning spot in each photo. When I did, I could feel many gears whirring inside the ball! I'd love to see what all is going on in there, but I'm not brave enough to take the FDAI apart any further than I already have. |
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