New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Hello, i just found this Avo 8 (lets call it MK1) designed for the Air Ministry, but in its varian Panclimatic, that i did not know it.

I think it is quite rare to see them.

Is not in very good condition, very rusty and will need a good restoration.

I will appreciate more info about this Variation Air Ministry Panclimatic.

The color (grey or something like blue) catches my attention. Is it original? and why that color?

I will attach more photos in a few days when i receive it and will give the serial number.

Happy!!

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

I've got one like that. I can't remember if it's blue or grey. Mine has a matching case with the nato number on it.

Mine currently isn't working, but haven't had a chance to open it to look.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Thanks,

I think it is a scarce AVO doesn´t it?

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

See a few from time to time, can't say how scarce they are but they're not as popular as the later models that's for sure.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

According to Wikipedia ASRE (see 'photo no.4) was the Admiralty Signal and Radar Establishment which existed from 1948 to 1959.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Thanks very much! i tried to find out what ASRE means, but i did not find anything.

is fantastic that information. Thanks again!

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Today i received the AVO... :(

Serial 27306-C-854

August 1954.

It is painted with a grey paint, that i found very well conserved under the instructions plate, it had the following tags attached (see photos), it seems that it was in an army ship, (model: navy department on the orange tag). I thought it was an 8sx a panclimatic Avo, but when i opened it and i was able to see that it is not a panclimatic, is just an Avo 8S, very strange if it was in a ship....

Inside the AVO all the components are 100% original and in good condition, except one open resistor on the lower board that i was able to repair and lot of mold in the case and in certain parts inside.

I took apart the movement and cleaned the case very well with bleach and a anti fungal that i bought on the pharmacy. After that i cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol and dry off with hot air.

Then i test the movement... it has the coil opened...


Tomorrow i will continue with it. I have a movement of an AVO 8 mk2/3 but is not the same, so i must find the correct one.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

It is the first Avo with rotary REV/MC button that i see in my hands, i read on Richardsradios.co.uk

"This model made for the Air Ministry is the same as the model 8 Mk1 except that it is fitted with a rotary switch rather than a push button to reverse the moving coil."

But i found that mine is a push button, just a boot made of rubber and a plain washer with REV MC stamped, The internal mechanism is for being pressed, not to rotate, so i think there might be 2 variations, I will be very grateful if anyone could give more information about this "rotary/push" button.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

yours looks remarkably similar to the air ministry one on the website so I think they must both have a pushbutton. what do others think?

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

I thought that this was the same as one of mine but I appear to have 1000V/3000V on the high voltage setting and the next one down is 300V not 250V. This is a "Test Set Multirange No 1 High Sensitivity" and appears to be a slightly different beast to yours.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Yes the very early ones are 2.5k, 250v but then the MOD wanted the different ranges, which were then standard on Avos at a much later date.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

and what about the rotary/push button?

thanks

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

A few photos

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

The battery compartment

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Hello, I do not know very much about the army English forces in the past. But there is samething that I do not understand. This Avo appears to be be made for the Air Ministry but the tags had “navy department” written on it.

Is this possible perhaps due the the fusion of both corps in the actual Defence Ministry?

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

I've got one either the same as yours or similar. I'll retrieve it from the Avotorium later and take a look and see what I know about it, it might shed some light on yours.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Just realised the engraved number AP12945 means it is Admiralty Pattern instrument, but probably the same as the Air Ministy one. The Army probably had their own number for it as well.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Here's my one, but with the push button.

Otherwise, same unit as yours it appears, grey back to it, but top engraved writing is 10s/16411. Matching case for it too.

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

So this model was used for Admiralty Pattern and Air Ministry?

Re: New (for me) Avo 8 (Mk1) Air Ministry Panclimatic
 

Possibly Army too. I think my one may be Army, but a version of it certainly was used by the RAF when it became Test Set No.1 which by appearance it seems that's what these are - a form of Model 8 Panclimatic with the ranges prior to Test Set No.1 being born with the 1-3-10-300-600-1000-3000....ranges.