Summary

Aircraft 'computor' bombsight of the type fitted to the Mark 8 bombsight used in English Electric Canberra bombers manufactured at the Government Aircraft Factory (GAF), Fisherman's Bend, Victoria, between 1952 and 1959. Instrument manufactured by H. & B. Precision Engineers Ltd, Manchester, England, circa 1959. Serial number 513/59.

One of two bombsights purchased in 1975 from the Department of Manufacturing Industry (ST 029000 and ST 40178), registered in 1975 and some time before 1995. Documents in the Museums Victoria Archives show they were purchased by the Science Museum of Victoria in March 1975 from the Department of Manufacturing Industry at a cost of $2.00 for both. Sales Advice SN36077, dated 20 March 1975, discusses arrangements for sending them to the museum. A letter from the Department of Manufacturing Industry to the Science Museum of Victoria, 14 Jan 1975, advises that they were 'declared surplus by the Department of Defence (Air)'. They are described as 'being usable without repairs, fair condition' and are located in the Department of Manufacturing Industry Auction Store, Hale St, Botany, NSW. Department of Manufacturing Industry correspondence related to the purchase was given file number N540/11/933. Their identity is confirmed by the identity number on the correspondence, '1280-E9-4567'. This corresponds with markings on the bombsights: '9/4567'.

Physical Description

Black rectangular metal box within metal tubular frame, with dials, controls, knobs and connection sockets.

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