Hawker Typhoon, Air Ministry 5C/1974 Undercarriage Indicator Switch

One of the most expensive and catastrophic aviation mistakes dreaded by military and civilian pilots even in our modern age, is an accidental landing gear retraction or forgetting to lower or lock the landing gear in place upon approach.

The same was true for fighter and bomber pilots of WWII - both Allied and Axis.

Designed as a higher performance fighter/interceptor replacement for Hawker’s wooden framed Hurricane, the Typhoon's all-metal frame and high performance Napier, turbo charged engine made it one of the heaviest British fighters of WWII.

To support its substantial weight and higher landing speed, the Hawker’s Typhoon inward retracting undercarriage was heavily re enforced with its struts shielded by thick flare covers.

The Typhoon’s landing gear lever was installed just to the side of the pilot’s left knee with its undercarriage ‘lock’ incorporated into a ’twist & turn’ knob at its end. 

Much like the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber, the Typhoon also incorporated an illuminated Undercarriage Indicator. 

Mounted at the left hand top of the Typhoon's main flying panel, the instrument used a series of electrically illuminated coloured bulbs to alert the pilot as to the status of the undercarriage. 

When the undercarriage was down and locked, two green lights would appear on the face of the Indicator. 

When down but in the unlocked position, the Indicator showed two red lights. When, fully retracted and locked in position, the Indicator showed no lights.

As an added safety precaution, the Typhoon was also equiped with an Undercarriage Indicator Switch that prevented the aircraft’s engine from being started unless it was moved to the ‘ON’ position.

It did this by means of a mechanical arm that slide across the face of the duel engine Magneto switches when in the ‘OFF’ position.

Once switched to ‘ON’ the switch powered up the Undercarriage Indicator unit alerting the pilot to the status of the aircraft’s undercarriage.

A similar combined unit was also installed in fighter aircraft like the Royal Navy’s Seafire.

This Air Ministry labeled, 5C/1974 Undercarriage Indicator Switch is a WWII veteran and comes mounted in a 100yr old Mango Wood Stand complete with engraved Plaque and a detailed, double sided laminated Fact Sheet. It also comes with a detachable magnetic arm and a beautifully detailed 1/72 or 1/48 scale hand built model of this RAF Fighter/interceptor. What an amazing gift for the aviation enthusiast in your life!

* Please note that this original Recovery Curios Aircraft Instrument has been photographed with the larger, more detailed 1/48 scale version. Click on the ‘1/48 Scale Model Option' at the top of this page to order.
 

Return to Hawker Typhoon MAIN PAGE