Some nice US 8th Airforce finds 30/1/11

[Paul B]

I think this may be a charging handle from maybe a ball turret or a top turret.

Yes, charging handle from a Sperry A-1 series Upper Turret.
The Sperry Ball Turret (A-2 series in the B-17, A-13 series in the B-24) used D-shaped metal charging handles with a wooden grip, like the top of a spade.

The laminated glass may be one of the two panels that made up the ball turret sighting window, but I keep getting references to that being 13" dia, not 16" as yours is.

PB

[381st digger]

Paul,
Could it be possable that the window was 13" but 1.5" was in the frame each side =16" Just a thought?

[Bird Dog]

I have the centre sighting section or at least a portion of it to measure up, I will take a look when I get a chance.

[Paul B]

Ta Si.

I've just had a measure up of the perspex ball window channels I have and they are all about 7/16" deep.

[Bird Dog]

Ok, I have measured the aperture for the sighting window which is 15" diameter with a 1/2" rebate........

[381st digger]

Thanks Bird Dog that would be really handy!!!.

Next up is a mixed lot from today and yesterday.
Dogtags mess tin us fork ect.
Wing tip light? and headphone receivers.
Whats left of a base ball.
And some rods of some sort. I have seen these befor somewhere but cant think what they are can you help?

[Bird Dog]

The red lens is from the port wingtip formation light, it's opposite was green for starboard, blue placed at other points on the rear stabilisers. The stainless fittings may have the remains of crimped cables inside or empty if unused & I think from similar finds they are control cable fittings.

[Paul B]

Yup, red-filtered (port) wingtip light, either an A-8 upper and lower fitting or the late-production A-9 single wingtip fitting.
As earlier stated, green-filtered A-8 or A-9 on the starboard wingtip, clear-filtered A-8s on the fin and horizontal stabilisers.

PB

[381st digger]

The stainless fittings may have the remains of crimped cables inside or empty if unused & I think from similar finds they are control cable fittings.

There is nowhere for a cable to go they are solid stainless.

[Bird Dog]

Hmmmm, it's difficult to really see them from your photographs, is there a threaded section on one end?