Issued with A.L.No.19/F
(b) The guns and cannon on the Spitfire IIB are fired
pneumatically by a triple push-button on the
control column spade grip. A milled finger lever
extending from the bottom of the push button casing
provides the means of locking the button in the
SAFE position, SAFE and FIRE being engraved on the
adjacent casing. When the lever is in the FIRE
position a pip extends also from the top of the
casing enabling the pilot to ascertain by feel the
setting of the push button.
(c) To prevent accidental firing of the cannon on the
ground, a safety valve is fitted in the firing
system. This is mounted below the undercarriage
control unit and is coupled to the undercarriage
locking pin cable in such a way that the cannon
firing system is inoperative when the wheels are
locked down. For practice firing at the butts
however, a finger lever on the safety valve can be
operated to allow the use of the firing system.
(d) The cannons are cocked pneumatically by a cocking
valve mounted on the right-hand side of the
cockpit.
36. Reflector gun sight
a) For sighting the guns and cannon a reflector
gun sight is mounted on a bracket (53) above the
instrument panel. A main switch (50) and dimmer
switch (51) are fitted below the mounting bracket.
The dimmer switch has three positions marked OFF,
NIGHT and DAY. Three spare lamps for the sight are
stowed in holders (60) on the right hand side of
the cockpit.
b) When the sight is used during the day the dimmer
switch should be in the DAY position in order to
give full illumination, and if the background of
the target is very bright, a sun-screen (54) can
be slid behind the windscreen by pulling on the ring
(52) at the top of the instrument panel. For night
use the dimmer switch should be in the NIGHT position;
in this positron a low-wattage lamp is brought into
circuit and the light can be varied by rotating the
switch knob.
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