New UK Airfield explore, with interesting finds..

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the replies.
davejb, Thats an interesting suggestion, it was found on a UK Airfield tip were sticky bombs used by the RAF? I always thought they tended to be smaller explosive packages, often used by the infantry. It reminds me of the field made from socks type shown in the film Saving Private Ryan.
digger381, Hi Andy thanks for the pic's your finds do look the same and what an interesting possible use. From a practical point of view it just seems they are so small that to clear fog from an airfield, you'd think thousands would be needed. Along the same lines though I was thinking perhaps they were fire grenades, containing a fluid that would smother a small fire (incendiary?) when thrown at its seat? But saying that you wouldn't expect to find them with the tops off like yours they'd either be whole or smashed to pieces. Can anyone confirm any of these suggested uses?
NickW, thats the pump and well spotted thanks for the link. Its nice to think it came from the folding bike type but more likely it was a standard pump used on most military and perhaps civilian bicycles at that time.
m3bobby, thanks for the id on the buckle personally I prefer the metal to the modern plastic type. Thanks for the link the box clip may have even come from RAF weapons ammo, normally I wouldn't have kept it but it was so hefty and Id not seen one like that before. So I left it in a de ruster fluid for a day and some of the original paint actually survived, it seems to be light grey colour.
All the Best.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[spotter]

Theyre not the glass containers from no74 grenades (aka sticky bombs ) theyre too small,
the no74 has a filling of about 1-1/2 lb. of Nobel's Explosive No. 823 which is a nitroglycerine explosive of a consistency similar to that of vaseline.
heres a couple of pictures for you to compare including one as found

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Last Friday I found quite a few relics on the search so I'm posting pictures in as found condition. I'll up date later with cleaned pics as they're done.

Now for the best bit, and Top marks to davejb.... You were right about your id of the bottle, it is bottle that contained acid found in sticky bombs

A big thank you also to Spotter, your recent post showed pictures and a schemematic plan that solved the mystery. From this I've identified (see first picture below) that I recovered the inert bakelite top sections from several, a couple even retaining the rusted clips.
The parts I have only contained the spring and pin that was driven down shattering the glass acid bottle when it was used.

Great work Guy's





Yes I know its a toilet seat and lid, but it came from a WW2 bomber.
So far so good I got it home and the wife hasn't spotted yet



I like this car head lamp and blackout cover.



LUCKYSTRIKE

[Steve T]

Nice finds LS

I see a merlin engine mounting pad in the first pic

Steve T

[davejb]

LS, Ibet your glad you left it in the ground now LOL

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the id, I didn't know that.

Hi davejb,

I'm always very cautious theres no point in taking unnescessary risks. Its great to get the ID though.

Cheers

LUCKYSTRIKE

[381st digger]

Hi Lucky,
Unless im missing something Spotter says they are not from sticky bombs they are too small and it looks like the glass bottles are compleatly different to the ones found. It looks like a sticky bomb bottle has an open top for the detonator to fit into.
Andy

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Phew I've been busy cleaning and preserving my recent finds and am now ready to post some

I was surprised to find this, an Air Ministry marked plug that's still attached to quite a length of orange cable. The other end also appears to have had a plug fitted and I found another close by but it has suffered a little fire damage. The same AM code appears but in a different format.





This came out of the ground in fairly good condition for it's age, do you think it could be for field communiction like a telephone junction box?



I've already found one of these small panels which is marked 'MAY DAY CANARY'?, well this visit I found another three although two are unmarked. Any idea's what they are?



Aircraft Elsan toilet seat and lid, used in medium bombers upwards.



Only one piece of cutlery this visit, a knife with a crown mark that I assume is the Air Ministry crown.





The remains of an RAF marked plate and another small brass plate showing a cross with vines and grapes draped over it?



Next is a small blub, heavily marked on the front but very hard to make out. Could this be a dash board lamp?



Finally a nicely marked RAF accumulator battery box lid. I like the field modification that cut a strip off the top. I've seen this modification in period pictures so it was fairly common. Perhaps it was done to enable the fumes that were created as the battery charged and discharged to escape. If you know the reason for the cut out please let me know.



Thank you for any help.

more will follow

LUCKYSTRIKE

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

A transport cap for a small wind vane that would have been used used on aerial bomb fuses and pistols, I found two but this was the best preserved. Sadly there was no vane inside.



Now for me this is my favourite find. It appears to be some kind of cradle. It's light weight made of aero alloy. It can be opened to fit something inside a shaped section at the bottom seems to fit a curved shape. On each side is a hole for suspending/holding the cradle. It is also well marked and I include photo's of the markings.
Do you have any idea what its use was? Could it be a cradle for holding an aircraft MG or Cannon?









This shows various finds including a pad lock, a spanner, Merlin mounting block (this has been sealed 3 times with varnish) and the final item that almost looks like a handle but has a thick wire wound around it with springy length running off it. Any idea's ?



A bakelite aircraft lamp housing 'Identfication Downward'



An interesting control wheel?, marked in the middle TURN and to either side LEFT or RIGHT?



A couple of tubes one appears to be a thermostat?



A metal mounting plate, the black rubber pad sits inside it and has holes that correspond with the holes on the plate. Do you know what it is?



A large pressure hose and a section of shattered armoured glass.



Thank you for any help.

LUCKYSTRIKE

[Steve T]

LS

Some interesting finds. I can't help with most of them I am afraid. The small brass plate you have appears to have the Jewish star on it and I would suggest it had some religious use.

Your 10H coded item is a connector for a radio.

Great loo seat !

Steve T