Catalogue No: | C0448 |
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Category: | Head-Up Display [HUD] |
Object Type: | Model |
Object Name: | A-10 LANTIRN HUD PDU (space model) |
Part No: | None |
Serial No: | None |
Manufacturer: | Unknown |
Division: | Unknown |
Platform(s): | A-10 Thunderbolt |
Year of Manufacture: | circa 1980 |
Dimensions: |
Width (mm): 300 Height (mm): 830 Depth (mm): 610 Weight (g): 10,880 |
Location: | Main Store |
None
GEC-Marconi Avionics began development of diffractive optical elements in the late 1970s building on the work of the Marconi Research Centre at Great Baddow under Dr Firth.
The Company developed an approach using three combiner elements which was relatively easy to manufacture and gave a large Head Motion Box. In 1980 Marconi won the contract to supply the HUD for the USAF LANTIRN. The LANTIRN programme links a Forward Looking Infra-Red system to the HUD to present a TV picture at night of the outside world.
The HUD gives a 30° field of view in azimuth (essential for looking into turns) and 20° in elevation.
A variant of this DHUD was also designed for the A-10 Thunderbolt. The Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide air interdiction and close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armoured vehicles, and other ground targets. This HUD contains the largest diffractive elements in HUD design and must surely be a candidate for the largest HUD; it weighs in at 61lbs. The size is determined by the need to locate the unit forward of the instrument panel. The field of view however is the same as the F-16 unit. Sadly only five units were built and no contract was awarded.
This item bears a Dymo label: ADD 003".