3.7 HAA director/predictor.

Not my sphere of knowledge so I'm wondering if anyone on here can assist please? I've been searching the web without success to find the identity of what I am presuming is a gun director/predictor. But what make and model? I've come across various names and models but none that seem to resemble this one. Any firm knowledge of when these specific ones came in to use? From what I have read some basic predictors were around pre-war but I understand the better ones only came in to use later in to the war. Which category did this one fall in to?

There is some question regarding the date of the photo and maybe identifying the various equipment might give a clue.

 

Predictor, a director (in artillery) was an optical instrument used in field batteries.

No 1 (Vickers) Predictor was created in the 1920s and lasted into WW2.
No 2 (Sperry) was US Computer M3 (going to at least A3)
No 3 (Kerrison)
No 4
No 5
No 9 (Bedford Cossor)
No 10 (Bell AAA Computer)
No 11

Only 1 and 3 seem to have been in service before the end of 1940.

 

Thanks for the list Mshooter, much appreciated. I will keep looking fro a greater range of images to see which matches closest. Thanks again.

 

Thought this might be of interest, an early war years illustration.

http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/cutaway/pred.jpg

 

Nice period detail. thanks.

 

Enfield Cycle Co. manufactured No. 3 (for the Bofors) and No.7 for the 6pdr. predictors according to their literature.






Here's a nice phoney-war predictor shot...I don't know if it helps !

 

I've found the occasional references to equipment other than the main guns in various AA Brigade and Regiment diaries. Attached is an example referring to LAA predictors.

 

Thanks gents, it all helps to put the picture together. Some of the background to the picture is that there is a (local) claimed date for that particular gun that it was there for the period '40 - '45. Some documentary evidence suggests the gun was removed (to the South Coast area?) in maybe 42 or 43. If the predictor is a later war model then this helps support the local claim it was there for longer than some documents suggest. Irrespective of what may have been previously believed/written. I will keep looking, I can see this may be the long haul

 

Here's a link to an Illustrated Magazine article about the AA from July 1940. Illustration 6 might be of interest.

http://www.fulltable.com/vts/m/mag/fd/c.htm

 

Thanks. All pointers appreciated. I found some more photos in various magazines and books this morning but none are the same model as the one in the picture. The top 'L' shape plate being quite distinctive.