American marine chronometer with 56h power reserve Circa 1945

Marine chronometer by Hamilton
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An American marine chronometer of the U.S. Army Air Force with 56 hour power reserve, circa 1945. Rhodium plated movement with Geneva Striping decoration, conical profiled movement pillars, chain and fusee, a spring detent escapement, monometallic screw balance, helical balance spring and 14 jewels. Comes in a three-part brass inlaid mahogany case with a signed sign screwed on, screwed on handles, a lid and sight glass and brass gimbal housing. Black enamel dial with Arabic 24 hour numerals, an outer minute track, 56 hour power reserve at 12 o’clock, subsidiary seconds at 6 and heavy spade & whip hands. Dial signed and numbered, case numbered 3E024, movement numbered.
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Dimensions: 195 x 195 x 205 mm
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Signed: Hamilton Lancaster, PA., U.S.A.
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This remarkable and rare instrument comes from the so-called first series of Hamilton marine chronometers with a 24 hour dial produced in the 1940s. Only 42 examples of this model 121 were produced, with the numbers 3E001 to 3E042. The first three completed examples were delivered to the U.S. Air Force on March 4th, 1943. Twenty instruments were shipped to the U.S. Air Force, the remaining 22 were sold to various West Coast nautical instrument suppliers.