19-Set Wooden Transit Chest

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Tim Bell

Explains the lack of internal set and PSU photos here - I did not look at the epay page sufficiently.

The warning about ex-Italian sets is still valid... large numbers of them have been smashed inside.

Tim

I suspect this is why the current (and ridiculously overpriced) WS19 parts on eBay have been almost completely dismantled - e.g. the 'Plate, Seating, No.4 for putting a variometer on the side of the supply unit has been advertised as three lots: the metalwork, the two paxolin plates (etc.) that make up the aerial mounting, and the packing piece.

I did look at some of the sets that turned up at Beltring one year, the fact that the meters had been driven through the front panel with a hammer was a bad sign, but opening them up was even worse: smashed tuning capacitors, and holes in the chassis that appeared to have been made with a pickaxe.

As for the "set in a box" construction, my guess is that it was an attempt to build the maximum number of usable sets with what was currently 'on hand' and with a minimum of extra parts shipped in. So you got the "Set and Standard Kit" with Carrier No.1 (designed for a vehicle fit) bolted into a crate and a large order for control unit No.3(A or B), the Plate, Seating No.4 to fit the variometer and provide an aerial base, suitable 12-way cable to control unit, and other bits from the Truck & Ground station as required. All put together in field workshops to begin with, from available spares.

Chris.