USAAF airbase - Big chunk of P51 Mustang !!

[Steve T]

Hi all

Another spare day, another dig Getting out lots at the minute due to these spare days. Long may it continue!

I visited an old USAAF base that I have been searching for more than 5 years now. I have more or less cleared it out but the dumps still exist, and it was at one of these I decided to chance my arm. It was a risk as last time we didn't find a great deal. However, I told myself to dig DEEP this time and not be such a girl, and it paid off!!!

After half an hour of hard graft digging down 4 feet, I had made my excavations wide enough to fit in the hole, and get to work through the main dump layer. There is a lot of rusty cans in this dump but, in amongst the cans are the bits I am after. The finds were quite steady at first and then seemed to dry up. However, I then spent 30 minutes trying to get a big chunk of something out of the dump. When it eventually came out the hole, I recognised it as aircraft alloy and was rather excited to get it home and give it a clean.

Sure enough, it was aircraft alloy !!!!

Group shot of the finds before cleaning.....



After I had cleaned some stuff, the toothbrushes and cutlery turned out to be civvy issue, with no military marks on them at all. Shame!

I found three soda siphon heads, as well as what looks like a spark plug and lead, a couple of other aircrafty type bits, a bit of British gas mask and a tube clamp made in Chicago



However, finding 4 20mm cartridges and 2 50cals made up for that



Interesting that all the 20mm carts were American made. NESCO - NATIONAL ENAMELING & STAMPING CO., Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA





And the 50s were as well



So, on to the P51 chunk.

When I got home and started cleaning it, I picked the right spot as I immediately found a code prefixed by 106, showing it to be from a P51. The longer code gave me more to go on. At first I thought it was something to do with the engine as the ovals looked just like Merlin exhaust manifolds. However, I soon discovered its true nature.

It is the guide for the inboard gun rounds to feed over the outboard ammo !!!

So, a nice bit of P51 from the ammo trays.

AWESOME !!!









And just in case you were in any doubt, I even got hold of the tech drawings for the part, confirming its use.



Cheers

Steve T

[harryamb2]

no you made that from sardine cans Lol.great find.

[Steve T]

I couldn't have done harry. Two reasons. Firstly, there were only rusty sardine cans in the dump. Secondly, I didn't have a spot welder with me.

[Gunny Hartmann]

Very cool finds!....

[Steve T]

Thanks Gunny

[Richard_J]

Do you ever go to work? lol
Great finds again! (but obviously not that great, because if they were, I would have received a Steve sweary phone call)!

[Salzburg]

Very nice bit of aeroplane! It would look nice next to my P-51 instrument panel!

[Walkwolf]

Really great find Steve. Worth all your hard work !
Perhaps there's more to be found.........?

[Steve T]

Rich - Yes, but I usually have a day spare most weeks

Salzburg - Git

Walkwolf - I don't doubt it, but I need a digger to finish the place off

[ian_]

Nice work! Always good to rescue a bit of P51.