1943 USAAF Type A-8 Air Elgin 15 Jewel Navigator Ordnance Stopwatch in Original Box

This is an unrestored United States Army Air Forces Type A-8 navigator's stopwatch in its original War Department cardboard storage box with unscathed FRAGILE label. The watch is a 15 jewel 10 second stopwatch made by Elgin in 1943 for the war effort. It uses a special grade 582 gold-flashed movement with a tiny balance wheel that can just be seen under the balance cock. It runs at an amazing 40 beats per second and makes a buzzing sound that gave it the nickname "Jitterbug". The dial makes a smooth sweep every 10 seconds, and an accumulator dial is marked 1-5 on the inside and 6-10 on the outside of the dial for very precise timing of ordnance up to 10 minutes.

Circa 1943.

Approximately 2-5/8" in height and 1-7/8" in width and 5/8" in thickness; box: 3-1/4" in width, 4-1/2" in length and 2-1/16" in height.

Nickel-plated steel case, glass; cardboard, cotton gauze, paper wrapping.

Loop for chain.

Watch: TYPE A-8 SPEC. NO. 94-27749 SER. NO. AF43-7049 MFRS. PART NO.-1778 ORD. NO. W535-AC-2807 on reverse and BASE METAL on bottom; box: 3401 CLASS 05-A 16-21584-4 and PACKED BY DAVIDSON INSTRUMENT RAAF on bottom.

This is from a United States Army Air Forces collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. STORE TRGEX09 LBGEX5/11 SBEJX7/14 (VBBJX)

9+ (Near Mint-): The watch is in near mint condition aside from light storage tarnish to finish and light storage scratching to crystal.

As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.