Fred Noonan Longines watch

[lakeradio6]

On the web site The International Group For Historic Aircraft

Recovery ( Tighar.org ) is a very good history of Amelia Earhart's

navigator Fred Noonan.

The site tells the story that one of Fred's navigation tools was a

Longines second's setting watch. The year Fred would have had

this watch would be around 1937.  I am trying to learn the model

Longines watch Fred had as his navigation tool.

[HSL]

Have you visited the Longines web page, thay hava a chronological time line of their watches there.
Guess the interresting part here would be the 1931 - 1936 timeline.
They only show the watch Charles Lindberg used, maby it was the same?
https://www.longines.com/company/history/20th/1919

[HSL]

Just took a quick look in the net and disovered this picture where he wears a tank style watch.
Guess you have to find more of pictures like this close to the event and through those try to figure out the watch brand and type.

The original picture can be found here.
https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/multimedia-asset/fred-noonan-navigating-a-pan-am-sikorsky-s-42

[lakeradio6]

3 hours ago, HSL said:

Just took a quick look in the net and disovered this picture where he wears a tank style watch.
Guess you have to find more of pictures like this close to the event and through those try to figure out the watch brand and type.

The original picture can be found here.
https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/multimedia-asset/fred-noonan-navigating-a-pan-am-sikorsky-s-42

It may have been the Lindbergh watch. I think the story is Linderg

and a Lt Commander Weems worked on Longines Lindbergh watch.

Mr Weems taught Fred Noonan navigation. On YouTube is a

video on how watch was used to find users longitude. I have done

this for my location. I have seen on eBay 2 different Longines watch

designs that the second hand can be made to be at zero seconds

to match a radio time signal. One desigh the hand could be stopped

by user, then started when needed. The second design the numbers

dial under the second hand could be rotated by user to make zero

seconds at any place on dial.

 

 

[lakeradio6]

On 4/15/2020 at 7:18 AM, lakeradio6 said:

It may have been the Lindbergh watch. I think the story is Linderg

and a Lt Commander Weems worked on Longines Lindbergh watch.

Mr Weems taught Fred Noonan navigation. On YouTube is a

video on how watch was used to find users longitude. I have done

this for my location. I have seen on eBay 2 different Longines watch

designs that the second hand can be made to be at zero seconds

to match a radio time signal. One desigh the hand could be stopped

by user, then started when needed. The second design the numbers

dial under the second hand could be rotated by user to make zero

seconds at any place on dial.

 

 

I looked yesterday at eBay and searchei Longines Weems watch.

I saw 2 on there I don't think I've seen before. There is a crown at

2 o'clock. This crown can be locked after the bezel had been 

turned to make the zero seconds line up with seconds hand at

radio time signal. There is many models Longined watches with

 " Weems " on face.

I have asked Longines what watch Mr Noonan had. They replied

that Londines would answer in 3 days !!

[HSL]

Always exciting with detective work like this, you have to report your progress.

[lakeradio6]

On 4/16/2020 at 8:29 AM, HSL said:

Always exciting with detective work like this, you have to report your progress.

Hello, I did get a email from Longines. May guestion was: What model Longines watch Fred Noonan had.

Longines replay was " At this time we do not have a ton of information on this subject however there are going

to be updates coming in September I was told by our Headquaters in Switzerland."

So, no answer. I think my question did not get to the someone at Longines that knows answer.

Again, Fred's letter to Mr Weems said he was using a Longines Seconds setting watch for navigation tool.

I think if watch was a Lindbergh Hour Angle model he would have said so.

I will try to add 2 pictures to this post:

Picture Longines-2 watch has one crown. Sense watch has Weens on dial I am sure it is a "Seconds Setting" model.

I think this watch had second hand hack feature OR the bezel was turned to make second hand "zero " on bezel when

radio time signal was heard.

The second picture, Longines-1 also has Weems name on dial. I believe the second crown at 2 o'clock was used to lock

bezel after it was turned to align seconds hand to zero mark of bezel when time signal was heard.

Not sure if any of this is correct about the two Weems watches. Watches are on ebay and information is not given.