Bulova
a-17a pilot b-29 usaf watch - navigation hack watch

Vintage military watch for pilots, the Bulova A-17A Navigation Hack Watch circa 1956 is a collectible aviation timepiece with a hand-wound mechanical movement, calibre 10 BNCH with 15 jewels. This rare model, featuring serial numbers under 4000 and 15-jewel movements with dials and hands from the A-17 production line, is part of Bulova's very first production batch in this series. It incorporates some elements from WWII watches, including the dial and hands. The movement beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour and is protected by an anti-magnetic dust cap under the caseback.

This issued timepiece was primarily used aboard B-29 bombers of the US Air Force stationed in Japan during the Korean War. Known as a navigation hack watch, it features a stop-seconds function that allowed synchronization with the group leader's watch during bombing missions, ensuring precise intervals between bomb drops in box formation runs—a tactic proven with Elgin A-11 models in WWII (explained in our article on A-11 & A-17 in the Mostra Mag: Mostra Mag article on A-11 & A-17).

This Bulova A-17A aviation watch is sold with a long pilot-style strap similar to those used by U.S. military personnel during the Korean War, designed to be worn over high-altitude flight suits. With a 32mm diameter, the watch suits all wrist sizes, including smaller ones. This collectible timepiece is in excellent mechanical condition and meets the military specifications outlined in U.S. Department of Defense procurement standard 6438-A, which defined navigation watches. It’s a significant piece illustrating the transition from WWII aviation watches to the more modern pilot watches of the pre-Vietnam era.

Black dial with painted white Arabic numeral hour track; the numerals and hands are Tritium-lumed, while the central seconds hand is painted white. The oversized crown allows easy winding even with flight gloves. The watch is fully functional, and all components are original.