Manufacturer Unknown
C-1 Autopilot Release Button
This artifact resides in our Private Collection, yet we welcome inquiries from restorers, museums, or serious enthusiasts. Please email us with the name of the artifact at Curator@AeroAntique.com.
This is a WWII-era Autopilot Release Button for the C-1 Automatic Pilot system used in US Army Air Force bomber aircraft such as the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and B-29 Superfortress.
The C-1 Control Panel, seen here, was typically installed on the pedestal between the pilot and co-pilot. This Release Button was mounted on the top horizontal tubing of the pilot's yoke to quickly release the autopilot for manual flight control when seconds counted. In the photo of the cockpit here, the button is mounted button-face-up on the pilots yoke on the right hand horizontal tube, with an unpainted aluminum bracket.
It appears to be new old stock, but without its original box. Click-action of the button appears to be intact.