Accuracy of visual observations of clouds, weather, visibility, and 

 state of sea depends on the observer and are generally more accurate than 

 a surface observation. The aerial observer usually has a better picture 

 of the weather as he can better report the cloud structure, the cloud 

 heights, their thickness, &c. 



Entering a typhoon for the first time is an experience few people 

 forget. This is especially true of a well-developed typhoon. Normally 

 you have been flying for from twenty to thirty minutes on instruments 

 with the sound of heavy rain beating against the fuselage almost 

 eliminating the noise of the motors. Suddenly the aircraft breaks through 

 the heavy dark clouds into the clear, similar to stepping from a dark 

 cellar into midday. The sun will be shining, usually through a thin 

 veil of cirrus or high alto stratus. My first experience in entering the 

 centre of a typhoon was just at sundown. The effect was rather 

 startling. We were suddenly confronted by the most weird sight we had 

 ever seen. There was every type of cloud imaginable present, and all 

 were moving in different directions. The sun's rays reflected from higher 

 clouds and downward from layer to layer gave every colour of the 

 spectrum. Rainbows were everywhere. The centre was between 

 15 to 20 miles in diameter, perfectly cylindrical in shape. Not even 

 scud clouds marred the centre. The sea surface was calm, but beneath 

 the base of low clouds surrounding the " eye " the sea suddenly became 

 a mass of froth. On first sight the impression was that we were flying 

 over a lagoon which was protected from a rough and angry sea by some 

 circular barrier. Ahead of us we could see the lower clouds rotating 

 to the left with foam and spray an estimated 60 ft. in the air. To the 

 right and left of the aircraft the clouds were moving in divergent 

 directions, and the surface had the same characteristics as the surface 

 ahead. We crossed the eye towards the east, encountered a few seconds 

 of moderate turbulence, when we again entered the wall of clouds, and 

 everything again became dark. After flying through the cloud wall 

 and obtaining a double drift we assumed a reciprocal course, and in 

 approximately thirty minutes again broke into the centre. As the heading 

 was almost due west into the sun the appearance of the clouds was even 

 more awesome. The only difference was that the centre had been dis- 

 placed some ten miles north-north-west of its original position. The 

 same sudden jar was again experienced as we entered the cloud wall 

 to the west. 



Weather instruments on weather reconnaissance aircraft have 

 heretofore been covered rather hurriedly. However, much research 

 and time has been consumed in construction of instruments in order 

 to meet the rigid requirem.ents for such instruments. 



The four important instruments currently installed are the psychro- 

 meter, aerograph, radio altimeter, and radar set. 



The ML-313AM psychrometer is an accurate instrument for 

 measuring temperature and relative humidity. The temperature-lag 

 for this instrument is negligible compared to the lag experienced on the 

 standard aircraft thermometer. The ventflator is 18 in. long and 3 in. 

 in diameter, and is installed 4 in. from the outside surface of the fuselage. 



The pioneer type aerograph AN/AMQ-2 was especially designed for 

 reconnaissance work and is used to obtain a continuous record of pressure, 

 temperature, and humidity in the atmosphere and the airspeed of the 

 aircraft. 



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