Aero Vintage Books

Dear B-17 enthusiasts,

I never thought it would be so difficult to find a C-1 autopilot release switch for my B-17 yoke but it appears to be a rare item. I am referring to the switch that mounted on the horizontal bar of the control yoke that allowed the pilot and copilot to disengage the C-1 autopilot without the need to reach down to the unit that was mounted on the throttle pedestal. The switch was encased in a red housing that had the words "C-1 Autopilot Release" right on it so no mistaking what it was. There was a threaded insulated wire that ran out of the switch and connected to the C-1 autopilot. Does anyone out there have one they would be willing to sell or trade for some other B-17 item? If so, please email me at bsigg@comcast.net. I can supply a photo of the switch if needed. Thanks.

This is the switch, I managed to get mine off of evilbay, brand new, for $40.
But I have never seen them on there again since.
Good luck, and I will keep my eyes open for you.

Yes indeed that is the switch I am talking about. Elusive little thing for sure. I have been watching ebay for months but nothing has popped up.

(I just emailed this to the comcast addy... in case it doesn't "work", here's the post) There's a guy or group on eBay who have as many as 10 of the C-1 Autopilot Release Switches at a $79.00 Buy It Now Price: they've neglected to put the "C-1" identifier in their search string, so looking for a C-1 Autopilot Release Switch will NOT brign up their auction... but searching under Vintage Autopilot will

I got one last week (their first auction was a bidding auction and hey: no one bid, which told me no one who wanted one of these switches had been able to find it... I got it for the first bid price.) The day after I "won" mine (it arrived about a day after, too: damn fast: it is New/Old Stock, still wrapped in brown paper with inventory numbers on it) they put up the 10 other switches at the Buy It Now price... attack now, is my suggestion: else they might cop-wise and put the C-1 search term into their auction, then: pow! Gone! (I know just how difficult these switches are to find and 79 bucks seems way affordable, compared to the prices I've been beat by in the past)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0684812335

Good Luck... I'm posting this to the Aero Vintage Books Forum, too, in case your Email doesn't work

Michael