[R-390] panel meters

[rbethman]

My 1960 Mil Lensatic compass has the Ra-226 sticker on the backside.

The 1984?  Mil Lensatic compass *IS* Tritium.

They made the change somewhere in-Between.  Then again, I saw whole lot 
of instrument panels during Vite Nam that were also Ra-226.  The most 
memorable was the Thud, (F-105F Thunderchief - two seater).

Bob - N0DGN

On 4/26/2011 1:04 PM, Shoppa, Tim wrote:
> I know it has been a good chunk of a century since I saw a truly fresh radium dial glow but I would describe it today as greenish-whitish. Don't know how much of the glow is the radium and how much is phospherence in the paint.
>
> I think anything since the 60's is promethium or tritium.
>
> A true repro/litho shop would be able to make jet-black transparency stencils (far superior to what you could do with a laserprinter or inkjet although, those might be good enough).
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tisha Hayes
> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 12:24 PM
> To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [R-390] panel meters
>
> Quote: "I have the dial off of a R44/ARR-5. It is a thin plastic disk with a
> black background and transparent MC markings etched (?) in.
>
> Would it be possible to make such a dial face to fit both R390A meters and
> have it backlit with a LED? What would it take?
>
> Thanks for your thoughts"
>
> I think it is a great idea. I think that the grungy finish on the existing
> meters detracts from a really nice restore. You could even put a low powered
> green LED in there to give a really sharp looking replication of what those
> panel meters would look like when the radium paint was fresh and in a dark
> room.
>
> Now we need to find someone who can make plastic bezels and a negative
> stencil.
>

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