Detail of Goniometer Used inside the Radio Beacon Transmitting Station at Ford Airport, 1926
THF99457 / Detail of Goniometer Used inside the Radio Beacon Transmitting Station at Ford Airport, 1926
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Artifact Overview
Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Henry Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted two Morse code letters, allowing pilots to steer until the separate signals merged into a steady hum. The original beacon station at Ford Airport (shown here) was removed in 1933 and is now on display inside the museum.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Subject Date
10 September 1926
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
P.189.3688
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Linen (Material)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 9.75 in
Width: 7.5 in
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