The two photos above are of a 190 D-9 instrument panel possibly the D-9 that eventually was displayed at the USAF Museum. Here it is shown in an un-restored condition with the artificial horizon missing, the rate of climb/dive indicator with a shattered lens, and a number of other indications showing the hazards of long term and unguarded storage.

Reflex-Visier Revi 16b (P11) – Fl 52955.

The gun sight is mounted on Fl 52963. The 16b was not a computing sight; however it had a lens system that projected the cross hairs to appear at infinity. Thus the cross hairs would be in focus no matter what the target’s range. The above left photo shows the actual sight cross hairs (photographed with the camera set at infinity). The next two photos are of a Revi 16b.

Round Counter & Weapons control Box (P9) – Fl 43417

Note: An individual round counter is provided for each of the two cowl mounted machine guns and two-wing root mounted cannons. Each counter (SZ 500) is an Fl 47312. As can be seen on the color photo of the D-9 instrument panel, the individual round counters are missing. The above left photo illustrates an actual weapon control box with installed counters (P9-1.jpg) & control switches. The upper right photo shows a counter and it’s internal mechanism (SZ500.jpg). The weapons in the D-9 used electrical pulses to fire individual shells; each firing pulse caused the escapement in the round counter to decrement the white line in the counter.

AFN 2 Direction Finder Indicator (F 155) – Ln 27002
and special input connector Ln 27003.

The above photos show special connector ln 27003 installed to the right. This connector held a neon lamp (shown above) that was used when the aircraft was equipped as an all weather fighter containing “blind landing” receivers. In that mode the vertical needle indicated deviation from the correct lateral direction to the landing site. When the aircraft had executed a procedural turn and was proceeding toward the landing field and the aircraft passed over a beacon indicating a fixed distance from the field, the neon tube would flash and a proper decent could be executed. In a conventional day fighter, the AFN 2 was connected to a direction finder unit connected to the aircraft’s VHF receiver, the FuG 16ZY. The aircraft was steered to center the vertical needle thus guiding the fighter to the selected radio station. The horizontal needle would rise to the “Nare” or “near” indicating that the fighter’ track was inbound rather than outbound.

The Flight Instrument Panel shown above is fastened to the Tier 1 Panel with eleven approximately ¾ inch shock absorbers. This panel occupies essentially front and center and provides critical information concerning the aircraft’s altitude, air speed, attitude, and if the aircraft is gaining altitude or losing altitude. Also the aircraft magnetic heading is provided and indications of engine power from manifold /boost and engine RPM instruments. Each of the instruments involved will be described in the paragraphs below. (from left to right)

Altimeter – Fl 22320

The altimeter pictured above is an Fl 22320 which is useful up to an altitude of 10km. To the upper right and left will be noticed 2 metal slides. These slides can be moved around the face of the altimeter and with them the pilot could set the field elevation of the departure airfield and with the other the destination airfield (with a barometric altimeter, altitude above sea level is always a function of local, prevailing barometric pressure). The lower, center knob is used to set local barometric pressure and that setting is indicated in the window above.

Airspeed Indicator – Fl 22234

The airspeed indicator (ASI) pictured above is an Fl 22234 which can indicate air speeds up to 900 km/hour. The unit uses ram air pressure with static pressure subtracted to provide velocity through the local air mass.

Artificial Horizon – Fl 22415

A very important instrument for flying though the clouds when outside references are obscured, the artificial horizon pictured above (Fl 22415) is a unique implementation of this technology by German industry. First, the turn and bank indicators are built into the unit and place these vital indicators together reducing instrument scan. Second, the artificial horizon and turn & bank indicators are electrically driven by a dedicated motor generator (Umformer) mounted behind the instrument panel.. The motor generator’s output is 36 volts, 3 phase, 500 Hz. Most Allied aircraft during WWII used vacuum driven artificial horizons; electrical driven horizons were not generally available until much later following WWII.

Vertical Speed Indicator – Fl 22386

The instrument shown above is the vertical speed indicator (VSI) (Fl 22386). It essentially indicates the rate of change of static pressure providing the climb speed (Steigt) or descent speed (Sinkt) in meters per second.

Remote Indicating Compass – Fl 23334

The instrument above is a remote indicating compass (Fl 23334). The magnetic sensor for the indicator was located in the rear fuselage of the FW 190 D-9. The system operated on 24VDC and was used in almost all Luftwaffe combat aircraft.

The sensor was shock mounted and was gimbled in the pitch and roll axes. Thus, during mild changes in pitch and/or roll, the sensor remained level reducing the possibility that vertical lines of magnetic flux would corrupt the desired horizontal magnetic lines of flux. Also, turning errors common in the conventional panel mounted fluid damped compasses were reduced. Luftwaffe combat aircraft did not utilize the vertical gyro/fluid compass combination found in most Allied aircraft of the era.

The photo below shows the magnetic sensor and it’s mounting in the rear fuselage of an Fw 190.

Manifold/Boost Pressure Gauge – Fl 20554

The two instruments pictured above and below provide indications relating to the power being developed by the Jumo engine in the Fw 190 D-9. Above is the manifold/boost pressure gauge, (Fl20554). This instrument is similar in operation to the altimeter. Both are a form of the “aneroid barometer”. The altimeter is connected to a static pressure port and indicates altitude above sea level. The manifold pressure gauge however is connected by tubing to the engine’s manifold and indicates in conjunction with the RPM indicator engine power. It is calibrated in atmospheres.

The manifold pressure gauge as photographed is obviously not connected to an engine and it shows approximately 1 atmosphere. When the aircraft’s supercharger is operating, the gauge will indicate “boost”, that is a manifold pressure exceeding 1 atmosphere, e.g., 1.1, 1.2, etc.

RPM/Tachometer Indicator – Fl 20269

The RPM/tachometer indicator pictured above, Fl 20269, is an electrical instrument.
A small generator is attached to the engine and the electrical level produced is proportional to engine RPM and is transmitted to the gauge for readout.