# Videos > Instructional Videos >  The Bagnold sun compass

## Billofthenorth

This precision deductive reckoning device was developed in the 1920s by Maj Ralph Bagnold for navigation in the desert. In WWII he formed and was the first commanding officer of the Long Range Desert Group.

A quick video about using the sun compass for practice or emergency navigation. I had to simplify the subject matter a bit but I think there is enough information here to learn how to use and make a sun compass of your own, even if it might be a little crude.

----------


## Old Professor

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

----------


## kyratshooter

Revival of the Viking Shadow Board.

I understand that late in the desert war the SAS/LRDG came up with a sun compass that had a built in timer and eliminated the need for the navigator to reset the dial every 30 minutes.  The compass rose replaced the hour hand of the time piece.

----------


## crashdive123

Cool vid.  As you can see I moved it out of the instructional vid section, which is for member produced vids.

----------


## Billofthenorth

I wondered about that.
The video was made by me, FYI but I guess if people find it useful or interesting it doesn't matter where they can see it.

----------


## Billofthenorth

> Revival of the Viking Shadow Board.
> 
> I understand that late in the desert war the SAS/LRDG came up with a sun compass that had a built in timer and eliminated the need for the navigator to reset the dial every 30 minutes.  The compass rose replaced the hour hand of the time piece.


I've heard that as well but I've never seen the device. It would be a good innovation if they actually did it.

----------


## hunter63

Pretty cool....and it did remind me of the "sun stone" of the Viking......
Ragnar was using one to find England in the early seasons of the show "Vikings."

Some more about it
http://www.princevaliant.org/vikingNav.html

----------


## crashdive123

Oops.  My apologies.  I moved it back to where it belongs.

----------

