LACO Pilot Baumuster B Special Edition (Forum Project Wach) - Discussion

[BRUCE]

Ahhh, the image that JohnF conjures up. Graduation from Luftwaffe Observers "A" school. You get your uniform, wings (probably bloodied onto your chest by your buddies the nite before), and your B-Uhr watch. Probably in a plain tan colored paper box...on the outside, in German, the equivalent of:

Observers Watch, one each
Contract #FL23883 Revision - B
Serial Nr - 11/50

Over in the corner...way down in the corner, is just "laco" or maybe it says wempe, stowa, lange, or iwc, you're just happy it doesn't say Hamilton on it. You've heard from your buddies that the watch uses a converted pocket watch movement. You don't care...tomorrow your life changes, forever.


Wow, where is my watch? Thanks John.

[garaventa]

Stowa Flieger vs. Laco Flieger

One point is really important for me:

if you please look into the thread above of comparision of Stowa and Laco pilot watches you see, that the Laco has no lume inside of the dial.

The inner circle is totally unlumed and that is not acceptable I think.

Attached you find a picture of my 55mm Laco shot in the dark.




I would prefer a lumed dial with all features, inside and outside od the circle.

come back with your opinions, guys!

garaventa

[BRUCE]

Bhanu updated a few days ago that the hour circle would have lume dots included. So as I understand it, the proposed dial would look something like the Wempe shown below in the left picture. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.
I share Garaventa's desire to have full visibility of all dial features in darkness. I must say that I do like the concept of dots at the hours allowing the hours to be inferred almost as well. If you look very closely at the leftmost picture below, you see Wempe's solution. What do we think of that ? ...Super-Luminova C3 on all three hands, hour dots, 12:00 arrow, all second marks and seconds numbered 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. Now that would be a dial where form follows function, yet very distinctive. At 30 Euro/gram it would even use less Super-Luminova. It is also helpful that we can look at the completed item as we design the specification. There's my $0.02.

[Janne]

Mike and John- thank you for that clarification!
As I said earlier, I am happy with the "ordinary" movement. I just wanted to make sure all of us agree, due to the fact that it has not been discussed earlier!

[Paulo]

I would prefer everything lumed except the hours, just the dots.

Much less busy and much more form follows function IMO.

[Janne]

Ahhh, the image that JohnF conjures up. Graduation from Luftwaffe Observers "A" school. You get your uniform, wings (probably bloodied onto your chest by your buddies the nite before), and your B-Uhr watch. Probably in a plain tan colored paper box...on the outside, in German, the equivalent of:

Observers Watch, one each
Contract #FL23883 Revision - B
Serial Nr - 11/50

Over in the corner...way down in the corner, is just "laco" or maybe it says wempe, stowa, lange, or iwc, you're just happy it doesn't say Hamilton on it. You've heard from your buddies that the watch uses a converted pocket watch movement. You don't care...tomorrow your life changes, forever.

We are lucky compared to the Observers (ie Navigators) of that era, that the watch we receive will be ours to keep!
The Originals were just borrowed before each mission and handed back ( if you were lucky to make it back home)
I have it from a first hand RAF source, that they concentrated to destroy the leading bomber, in hope the Navigator was there.
I guess that is the reason so few of the B-uhrs are surviving today.
BTW, I am honored and lucky to have known and spoken to several pilots from both sides of the conflict, the last ones a RAF pilot (now gone) and a Luftwaffe pilot, now living in UK

[BRUCE]

I would prefer everything lumed except the hours, just the dots.

Much less busy and much more form follows function IMO.

That sounds good to me too. I think the hour dots will be a distinctive indication and useful at the same time. My proposal left off a few of the second numbers 5, 15, 25, ect. at the cost of forcing a detailed description. Your solution is simpler to describe, which should make the result more predicable. I also think your description fits the current dial definition, another good thing.

[Paulo]

Your idea was good too, but I don't like the idea of different materials on the minute/second numbers (it's noticeable in pics).

[BRUCE]

Your idea was good too, but I don't like the idea of different materials on the minute/second numbers (it's noticeable in pics).

It would have been more difficult to implement indeed, and of undefined value to the group. Anyway, I imagine Wempe spent some time in a dark room coming up with that rather unique luminesence layout, they may not have appreciated us using it.

[Janne]

Personally, I prefer one kind of lume, everywhere. All circles, dots, numbers, hands etc. I guess it is easier to apply for Laco too.
Wempes design - if we want to use it, we can! It is not a registered design, so everybody can use it!