Share your favorites on Show & Tell

World War II aircraft gauge with radium dial

In Military and Wartime > Show & Tell.
RadiumGuy's items16 of 27Collage of Confederate HeroesWorld War II compass with radium dial
6
Love it
0
Like it

mrcolorzmrcolorz loves this.
beyemveybeyemvey loves this.
SEAN68SEAN68 loves this.
MasterMaster loves this.
TassieDevilTassieDevil loves this.
racer4fourracer4four loves this.
See 4 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 8 years ago

    RadiumGuy
    (27 items)

    These World War II era aircraft gauges were painted with radium paint so they could be seen by pilots flying at night. Radium is about 1 million times more radioactive than Uranium so if all of the cockpit gauges were painted with radium, being shot down was not the only danger. Being at high altitudes exposes you to higher radiation levels & the radium dials are spewing out radioactive particles which will decay to radon gas. I hope their cockpits were well ventilated...

    logo
    Military and Wartime
    See all
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic Confederate Canister Shot Appomattox VA
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War ...
    $20
    Old Rare Antique Civil War Relic Bullets CSA & US Miniballs Appomattox, Virginia
    Old Rare Antique Civil War Relic Bu...
    $35
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic Miniball, Button and Marble
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War ...
    $15
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic 3 Flint For Flintlock Hammer Musket Gun
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War ...
    $20
    logo
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic Confederate Canister Shot Appomattox VA
    Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War ...
    $20
    See all

    Comments

    1. racer4four racer4four, 8 years ago
      I guess at the time it wasn't considered a real danger. I know here in Sydney there was a bit of harbour foreshore that had once been a radium factory (for clocks) and was later built on. It wasn't until the 80s or so that anyone woke up to just how radioactive the site was.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.