Function
The Sector Clock was a fundamental part of Ground-controlled interception before modern computerized systems were put in place for airspace control. The clock face is marked with five-minute red, yellow and blue triangular segments. It has an outer 12 hour ring and an inner 24 hour dial.
Aircraft position was recorded along with the colour of the triangle beneath the minute hand at the time of sighting. This was reported to sector headquarters, where counters of the relayed colour were used to represent each air raid on a large table with a map of the UK overlaid with a British Modified Grid. As the plots of the raiding aircraft moved, the counters were pushed across the map by magnetic "rakes". This system enabled "Fighter Controllers" to see very quickly where each formation was heading and allowed an estimate to be made of possible targets. The age of the information was readily apparent from the colour of the counter. Because of the simplicity of the system, decisions could be made quickly and easily.
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