Fuel gauge is how the engine is sputtering. That's also your RPM, check engine light, transponder, weather radar, fasten seatbelts sign, and depending on your carburator, your bank and attitude indicator.
2 months ago | 34
Barometric altitude. Instead of a dial, it’s a glass tube with mercury inside
2 months ago | 35
Even the Wright flyer had a tachometer, and the aviation compass came out in 1909. But that'd be it
2 months ago | 20
Old planes some had manually usable fuel valves, like little levers and pipes in front of you, such as the Spirit of St. Louis
2 months ago | 1
Best option I have is check out the Bleroit XI, that thing had basically nothing, quite fun to fly in Microsoft flight sim though. Made the English Channel crossing in VR from England to France, (I know, opposite to the real 1909 crossing) but man it was fun, just over 40 minutes of white knuckle flying where every gust of wind nearly sent me spiralling down into the English Channel 😂 Edit: 1. Most likely a simple fuel gauge in a glass vial type meter, no precise readings. 2. Engine RPM, they likely would've had them on automobiles by then, after all most early planes were designed similarly to early race cars, such as the first few Grand Prix cars, you might find some insights on gauges or dials there. 3. Altimeter, not sure if it would be a dial type, but it would certainly be likely used. 4. A clock or built in watch, they were common on nearly all early aviation planes, either that or the pilot would have a watch himself. (Fun fact the first wristwatch was invented specifically for pilots.) Other than that, it would be quite simple I imagine, mostly pilot skill in knowing engine performance sound cues, they would have had to know every part of their flying machine
2 months ago (edited) | 1
I'd think there would be some sort of altimeter, speed indicator and a whiskey compass. But couldn't you find pictures of cockpits from back then? There were alot of WW1 fighters ...
2 months ago (edited) | 0
could you ask the Smithsonian? they would properly be able to give some guidance
2 months ago | 0
Hamster in a wheel, a pigeon for communication, no gauges at all. Just ropes and pulleys. 🤣
2 months ago | 5
Department of History of Science and Technology Imperial College The History and Development of Aircraft Instruments - 1909 to 1919 John Kirkham Bradley
2 months ago | 1
Id say there was quite a few instruments. Depending on the plane there might even be a radio. There should be plenty of online pictures of the rudimentary dials. That were top of the line for the time.
2 months ago | 1
There are quite a few pictures of the gauges in common WWI fighters available online
2 months ago | 0
um, hmmm... i watch strictly for the designing of controls from a plane from 1910... LOL maybe a heater gauge like they used to have at the front of cars on the radiator cap? perhaps an engine rpm gauge, but that's a lot of extra weight for the cables and gearing
2 months ago | 0
Found And Explained
Trying to design the controls of a plane from 1910...
But for the life of me, would they even have ANY dials? Like they wouldn't even have "altitude"
2 months ago | [YT] | 291