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Which way are you going? First you have to know which way you're pointed! When the Apollo Spacecraft flew, the astronauts were almost all pilots, so they wanted flight instruments that looked and worked in a familiar way. Airplanes have an instrument called an Artificial Horizon, which shows the aircraft's attitude in a graphic format, indicating pitch (Nose-up or down), and roll (Wings level or not). Astronauts needed a similar instrument, but it had to handle all three dimensions: Pitch, roll, and yaw (compass heading in an aircraft).
Enter the Flight Dynamics Attitude Indicator (FDAI), also known as the "8-ball." In a triumph of mechanical engineering, this device not only indicated attitude in all 3 dimensions but rate of change as well (The meters along the sides), using a floating sphere behind the face, hence the term 8-ball.To be clear, this replica does not have that sphere, only a picture of it, but if it had a sphere, it would cost about ten times the price of this one. Here we have an affordable replica, 3D printed in grey, with an acrylic lens and real screws holding it together. Also has a facsimile of the original manufacturer's nameplate on the back. About 6" X 5.5" and 1" thick.
Made of custom 3D printed plastic: will show visible layer lines.Dollar bill is there to show size and is not included, but you knew that.
