WALTHAM AIRCRAFT CLOCK
CDIA (CENTRAL DATE INDICATOR AERONAVAL) – 1941
Approximately 134.000 CDIA aircraft clocks where produced and equipped with Waltham’s famous 37 size, 8-day movement, housed in a black aluminum case secured to the aircraft’s instrument panel. The crystal glass was secured by a bezel and gaskets to seal the movement against dust. The bezel assembly enclosed the civil date quick set button, positioned at the 15 o’clock numeral. The winding and setting crown was positioned adjacent to the quick set button. The dial had a lusterless black finish with printed indexes and numbers. A Munsell Green paint was used on the odd-hour numerals, minute indexes, and the civil date and numerals indexes. A yellow fluorescent material was used on the eve-hour indexes and numbers and the diamond-shaped, odd-hour indexes. Respectively, the civil date had the words 8-days and Civil Date in green; the hour, minute, and sweep second hands were also painted with yellow fluorescent material. The civil date, 31-day sub-dial was located at the center of the main dial, with numerals and indexes. Large Arabic numerals indicated the even-numbered hours and, small Arabic numerals indicated the odd-numbered hours. The CDIA was mounted on board of several U.S. Navy Airplanes, such as the F6F Hellcat, as well as the bombardier B24 Liberator, in services throughout World War II.
