In addition to solving the problem of locating the horizon at altitude and in haze with sextants, interwar innovators attempted to eliminate the more complex celestial calculations required in celestial computations by mechanical means. The Kaster Spherant was one such device. It worked well enough, but the added complexity associated with its construction and use largely negated any advantages in simplifying the process.
Caption:
A navigator of Squadron VP-7 demonstrates a Kaster Spherant in the nose of a Douglas PD-1, December 1929.
Type: Photograph
Image Date: December 1, 1929
Credit: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
