[Milsurplus] Milsurplus Digest, Vol 91, Issue 48

[Michael, W1RC]

At 07:38 AM 11/30/2011, "David Stinson" <arc5 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

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>Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:34:21 -0600
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>Subject: [Milsurplus] Kinda OT: Old Aircraft Instruments
>Message: 9
>
>I've got some old aircraft instruments I want to send to a warbird 
>restorer.  Trouble is- they make my Gieger counter beep.
>If I mail them, am I going to get a visit from the Abteilung 
>Heimatland SSSicherheit goons?

You never know with those guys!    Radioactive substances may be 
prohibited in the mails.

Here's a bedtime story for you.  My father-in-law had a WW-II British 
altimeter he bought at a surplus store in 1949.  We found it, still 
in its original box with the bill (he paid $1.95 plus tax) in the 
basement when we were cleaning out the house in Montreal Canada after 
he died.  I didn't think anything of it and put it in the back of our mini-van.

Well, wouldn't you know it, when we arrived at the US border the 
guards started acting kinda funny and all of a sudden there were four 
of them; one at each corner of the van; wearing BDUs, weapons 
drawn.   We were asked if we recently had any X-rays or other 
radiology treatments and curtly told to park the van and come 
inside.  Turned out we had set off their radiation detector and they 
were freaking out.

I must say that they were pretty decent about it probably because I 
was with my wife and kid and we looked pretty benign and 
harmless.  They followed their procedures and searched us and the 
van.  They found the altimeter and I was able to explain the 
situation to their satisfaction.  The crisis was over but we had to 
wait about 45 minutes until they were given clearance from Washington 
to allow us to leave.

They didn't confiscate the altimeter and it left with us.  I 
eventually sold it on ePay for about $125.00 to a buyer in 
Australia.  Yes, I mailed it to him and there were no further issues 
regarding the altimeter.  I know he received it because he posted 
positive feedback for the transaction.

Another time I was up there cleaning up the house I found a nice 
aircraft clock with the luminous dial.  This time I telephoned the 
border checkpoint and told them that I was bringing it with me.  No 
problem.  I sailed right through the border that time.

Maybe you should send it UPS or FedEx Ground and mark the contents 
clearly on the outside.

73,

Michael, W1RC