Gebr. Winter - Barograph - Bakelite - Luftwaffe Height Recorder

This Luftwaffe Bakelite Height Recorder, circa 1940, manufactured by Gebr. Winter, is a height-recording instrument — essentially a barograph, that is, a device measuring variations in barometric pressure, interpreting them as changes in altitude, and recording those changes on a rotating drum driven by a clockwork movement.

The housing is a solid, straight-sided box made of dark Bakelite with a characteristic brown-amber “walnut” mottled pattern. The front features a large viewing window closed with a transparent panel through which the altitude drum is visible. A metal pull-handle is fixed to the back; pulling it fully withdraws the internal chassis like a drawer, providing access to the drum, the aneroid system, and the clockwork. This construction made it possible to replace chart paper quickly and service the instrument with ease.

Such height recorders were typically mounted in aircraft or airships using shock-absorbing rubber bungee cords to minimise vibration and turbulence. For this purpose, the body features dedicated mounting lugs at both the top and lower edges, allowing secure suspension. Today, the instrument stands as a rare example of Second World War aviation metrology — the convergence of Bakelite field design, utilitarian engineering, and precision mechanics — preserved as a complete historical artifact.

Fully functional. There's a tiny chip on the body that doesn't affect the device's functionality. Two ink pens are included.