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Grasping
the joy stick, you test your controls and, as the engine pulls you down the
taxiway, you scan your instruments again. All in working order.
Pulling onto the runway, you advance the throttle, feeding the frenzy of the
engine. The roar of the engine competes with the rush of the wind past the
cockpit as you feel the tail rise up off the tarmac and then, with a
slight back and forth dip of the wings, you leave the ground.
Reaching down, you crank up the gear and then crank in the
flaps.
In your radio headset, you hear the chatter of the other
pilots as you climb up into position to engage the Zero.
All while you sit in your own living room.
You Own one of Only 20 Multi-Media Cockpit Lamp Sculptures
In Existence
Each sculpture has been constructed with complete
authenticity. The majority of the instruments and switches are from the
original aircraft that flew over the Europe and the Pacific, each carefully
restored to working order by master craftsman Karl Lau. This means that as
you sit at your Multi-Media Cockpit, you're looking at an instrument cluster
that was the interface between the advanced fighting machine of the day and one
of the heroic airmen that helped win World War II.
Fully operational switches and gauges
Among the operational switches in your cockpit are:
Master Switch - the master power switch turns on the power
for all other switches.
Light Switch - turns on the parachute-silk lamp shade and
the power to the cockpit rheostat, which controls the brightness of the
instrument panel.
Compass Switch - lights up the working compass
Radio Switch - turns on the radio which is operated by a
high-fidelity built in sound system. The radio has two
channels making it possible to pick up two different authentic broadcasts. Channel
"B" picks up the BBC London in 1943, complete with news and
music. You will also be able to pick up Radio Berlin or,
if in the Pacific, Tokyo Rose on the "The Zero Hour." By switching to Channel "A",
you can pick up the B-17s in combat ... fighter to fighter and fighter to B-17
or emergency fighter distress calls and other available conversations between
pilots and crew.
Gun Switch - turns on the power to the control grip.
The trigger can then fire the six caliber guns.
Starter Switch - the magneto must be on to both mags in
order to activate the momentary starter switch. Crank the engine for 15
seconds. The engine will start. Release the starting switch.
The engine will continue to run, even after the release of the momentary starter
switch. To shut down the engine, switch the mag to off.
Temperature Switch - turns on the air temperature gauge.
IFF Light Switch (Friend or Foe) - activates the control
box. The IFF lights on the actual plane are on the underside of the left
wing and are about 4" in diameter. Though the representative IFF
lights on the lamp are smaller for obvious reasons, they are, none the less,
fully functional.
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