The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1215.2014.1
Mils (Military) Compass
15/01/2015
Hermione Cooper
15/01/2015
Mils Military Compass in original case.
perspex,cotton, plastic
24.5(l) x 11(w) cms
1
On packaging "EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOOR MILITARY MAP COMPASS ON LANYARD TRACPAC"
blue, clear
Tracpac
Most people know that for navigational purposes a compass normally has a circle containing 360 degrees though not everyone knows that this is not always the case.
Since around 1960 the military have divided their compass circle into 6400 mils which is a short version of mil-radion, a way of dividing up a circle which is best left to the mathematicians. All we really need to know is that in this system there are 6400 mils in a circle and because there are a lot more mils than degrees, map reading, artillery fire and the like can become more accurate. The needle still points north, however, and most mils compasses will still have a degree scale somewhere as is the case with the excellent example we have here in the collection. It was bought on the internet for £1 in 2015.
Donated by Mick Tighe
15/01/2015
15/01/2015
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
15/01/2015