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WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

Article about: Hi Steve, I've been doing some more digging in the files....... These two .50 cal cases: The one on the left bears the headstamp RA 1940 50 CAL Z. This was supplied by Remington for an early

  1. #1

    Default WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Hi guys

    Well.............I've been at it again ! This time I returned to the airfield itself and not the barracks.

    To begin with the day started slowly and I switched locations on a number of occasions until, I struck WW2 relic GOLD !

    I have put together a short video of me digging some of the items up. Go take a look !

    YouTube - WW2 Relic hunting on English WW2 airbase

    So here we go with the pictures.

    Firstly before any cleaning......



    And then after cleaning......... (which took longer than actually digging them up !)



    First of all a squashed 20mm cartridge 'tip' and an unidentified item, which looks like it has come off a razor of a set of hair clippers.



    Now a buckle off British battle dress, part of a lock, and a switch that really is too small to be a standard light switch. Could it be off an aircraft ?



    Here are some buttons, a spent 45cal bullet, a base nut off a British grenade (why on EARTH was this on an airfield ?) and an unidentified item that 'feels' like it's missing a piece.



    The remains of a wing mirror ?



    A strange item that I haven't got a clue what it is but was found at the same depth as all other items...



    Now these items are totally GORGEOUS ! Tea ration tins in an unbelievable condition !



    Two bomb kidney plates. Both dated 1953 but both wonderful examples. Both found within 2 feet of each other.



    A 50cal and a 303 cartridge.



    A 50cal bullet and the tips from two 50cal cartridges, cut off the main cartridge .



    And now on to the bonanza ! This pile of 20mm and 50cal cartridges were all found in ONE hole.



    A closer look at the 50cal's............



    ......Some of which had headstamps of a type I have never seen before in 50cal cartridges. Both are made by the Remington Arms Company but they don't follow the usual nomenclature of 50cal headstamps (i.e. 1-2 letters denoting the manufacturer, 1-2 numbers denoting the year).



    And now the 20mm cartridge cases. A close up of the headstamps is shown on the right of the photo.



    Not a bad haul for a 4 hour visit !

    Hope you like them

    Steve T
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!   WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

    WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

  2. #2

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Hi Steve,

    Are the manufacture/fill dates on the 1000lb bomb kidney plates 1950's? When did this station/airfield close....if i may be so bold.

    Nosey B*****d, Ned.
    'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
    We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
    It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
    Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'

    In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.

  3. #3

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Yes Ned (big)

    1953 Mfr, 1954 Fill.

    And no...you may not be so nosey otherwise some bugger will turn up and clear my site of finds !



    Steve T

  4. #4

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Steve.... Nice finds again I love the tea tins, very lucky to find them in such condition. They look like a bayonet opened them.
    It's a coincidence you finding them, in that yesterday I got a second hand book at the Tankfest Bovington and last night looking through it I saw a tea ration tin the same as yours. I'd never seen one before thought it looked cool. Anyway I've scanned the page for you to see. It say's it's a British Army WW2 tea ration and contained enough tea to brew around 1 gallon or 4.5 Litres.
    The Book is Military Collectables directory of 20th Century Militaria published by Salamander. I can recommend it's packed with pictures and info a very good reference.
    Ps I saw Ade on his 2nd Guards display and seeing the running Tiger 1 and recently restored Stug was awesome.

    Onto your other finds not sure of its scale but perhaps the cerated edged piece is the inside of a grip buckle for webbing.
    I like the ammo, probably a lazy ground crew clearing an aircraft of spent rounds just stuck them in a hole and buried them. There's probably other hoards.
    Those bomb plates are rare, perhaps the bombs made their way to Korea just a thought. Anyway well done again mate.
    LUCKYSTRIKE
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!  

  5. #5

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Luckystrike

    Thanks for the info and pointer to the book you scanned in !

    The 50cals and 20mms in that hole were actually behind the remains of the armoury building, some distance from the revetments. ....... but a lazy armourer none the less

    Steve T

  6. #6

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    I think that the small switch maybe a cockpit instrument dimmer switch. Does it twist to turn on or off. John

  7. #7

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    No...seems to be a little switch that flips left or right.

    Steve T

  8. #8

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Quote by Steve T View Post
    Yes Ned (big)

    1953 Mfr, 1954 Fill.

    And no...you may not be so nosey otherwise some bugger will turn up and clear my site of finds !



    Steve T
    Don't worry about that bugger being me Steve, being a raspberry ripple, i've got no chance!!!. Unless theres wheelchair access of course!!!

    Regards, Ned,
    'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
    We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
    It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
    Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'

    In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.

  9. #9

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Another fantastic lot of finds Steve, great stuff

    I realise that you will be needing another room added to your house soon to keep all of your finds in, so in the spirit of cooperation, and to save you the expense, you can send some of the shells down to Australia, always willing to help out

    Keep up the searching mate, love these threads

    Cheers,

    Grant

  10. #10

    Default Re: WW2 Airfield - 50cal and 20mm BONANZA !!

    Quote by big ned View Post
    Don't worry about that bugger being me Steve, being a raspberry ripple, i've got no chance!!!. Unless theres wheelchair access of course!!!

    Regards, Ned,
    Ned, I have never heard that term "rasberry ripple" before, made me smile mate!

    Cheers,

    Grant

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