Tag Archives: bomber

DESCRIPTION: Sperry Gyroscope Company. Great Neck, New York. That’s the provenance in three lines. This is a USAF ME-3A True Airspeed Indicator – a component of the bombing navigational computer system used on early Cold War strategic jet bombers. The B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress carried this class of instrument into the most dangerous decade in American military history. Sperry Gyroscope, a division of Sperry Rand Corporation, was one of the premier defense electronics contractors of the era. This is not commercial surplus. This is the real thing. The March 1962 Stamp The chalk marking on the body reads “3-62 WRAMA MFP” – a depot maintenance stamp from Warner Robins Air Materiel Area, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. WRAMA was one of SAC’s primary depot-level overhaul facilities for B-47 and B-52 avionics throughout the Cold War. This instrument was certified operational in March 1962. Nine months later, SAC bombers were placed on DEFCON 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis – one step from nuclear war. B-52s under Operation Chrome Dome were already flying continuous airborne alert missions carrying nuclear weapons around the clock. This wasn’t a peacetime instrument. It was Cold War infrastructure. Condition – What You’re Getting – Face reads “TRUE AIR SPEED / KNOTS” – range 150 to 650 knots – Face glass clean, no cracks, original needle intact – Needle moves freely when instrument is tilted – mechanism is not seized. AF-14787, Spec MIL-I-9466A, USAF Stock No. Bendix Aviation was itself a premier Cold War defense contractor – this is the standard Army-Navy specification connector used across USAF aircraft of the era – Original red Caplugs EC-16 dust cap on rear Bendix connector – intact. Many surplus instruments have been stripped of these protective caps over the decades. This one has not been touched – Original safety wire intact through the rear housing screws – the instrument has not been opened or tampered with since its last military service certification. This is exactly the condition warbird restorers and museum curators require – Chalk depot markings: “3-62 WRAMA MFP” – March 1962 certification, Warner Robins Air Materiel Area – Cold War service patina throughout – honest operational wear consistent with active flight line use Who Buys This Warbird restorers recreating accurate B-47 or B-52 cockpit instrument panels. Museum curators documenting Cold War strategic aviation. Serious militaria collectors who know what WRAMA means and why intact safety wire matters. If you’re reading this listing and you already know what you’re looking at – this is the one. Untested – airworthiness cannot be confirmed without proper pitot system connection and calibration. The physical condition, provenance markings, and documentation integrity are exceptional for a 70-year-old Cold War flight instrument. This is a precision instrument and it will arrive intact.