Hi,

-Dial of this model 756 measures only 2 inch.
-The crystal has anti-reflective coating.
-I do not see this model very often, causing me doubt that they are manufactured for tourist souvenir trade.
-Power for internal heater and illumination is through big fixture on back.
-When this was marketed back in 1990's, they called it a Soyuz spaceship clock. Now, I know it to be installed into more earth-bound aircraft.

Ron

Hi y'all,

Here is my other example that I rarely see. It is Model AYC-1MH.
-The dial measures almost 2.25 inch across.
-The crystal is coated with anti-reflective material.
-I'm sure mechanism is same as the "souvenir" clock commonly seen on eBay, but the wiring-harness plug and anti-reflection coating make me think it might be genuine military-issue.

Ron

Hello Ron,

very nice clocks indeed!

The modern one sleeps somewhere in my collection too. If I'm remembering right, I saw this clock in a cockpit photo of a Yak-130 prototype! I will post it as soon as I find it.

Regards
Gerd

Hi Ron.

I am not an expert, but from what I have been able to gather so far it is my understanding that the souvenir Russian aircraft, spacecraft, tank, etc. clocks you see all over Ebay and other places are made in the same factories to the same specifications as the ones that were actually used for those purposes. If this is true then there would be no way to tell, other than from provenance, whether a particular clock was actually used for its military purpose or whether it was made simply to sell to collectors and tourists, and that the tourist/collector clocks on the market may now greatly outnumber the ones that were actually used.

Ron,

I found the pics. This is the plane:


Front office:


Back office:


I hope posting these pics is not too far off topic. In both images you can see the clock up left of the control column.

Jim,

I'm sure you are right. I just wanted to show where the "military counterparts" of our souvenirs are/were used.

Best regards to all!
Gerd

Thank you for the excellent photos of the pilot's office!
-The idea of a reliable mechanical clock amidst modern electronic instruments makes sense to me.

It was a Russian military clock that started my American/German/Japanese/British military clock collection.
-Back in the 1990's, it started with a single wall-mount "submarine" clock. Impressed with the quality, I eventually ended up with at least 3 more scattered around the house. (too many)
-Then, I got a "mig" clock. Impressed with that clock, years later I have about 4 more. (too many)
-Here is a 24-hour dial version that a catalog from the 1990's called the "doomsday" clock. I was hooked again. Here is one my three. (too many)

Ron

Another favorite. The 1990's catalog called this a submarine clock, but I believe it is another type of aircraft clock.
-Here in 2009, I find that I have 2 (again, too many).
-I tell you, Russian clocks have a special place in my heart.

Ron

1994, Deutsche Optik, San Diego

Ron,

thank you very much for posting these images. The so-called "doomsday clock" is very impressive, mine sits on the shelf in my office. But up till now I couldn't find any photographic evidence of such a clock being used in a russian airplane or any other military vehicle, or bunker or even submarine. Have you found some evidence?

Nevertheless, I really like these clocks!

Regards
Gerd