USAAF airbase - January 25th 2012 - Base dump and MD session :)

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I've been back to 'my' airbase for a bit of a poke about. I spent a couple of hours at the dump then, when I got knackered, moved over to another area for a bit of relaxing metal detecting.

I had some good finds, and one or two bits that are intriguing.

Before cleaning



Odds and ends first. A nice US padlock and a key, but not the one for this padlock....BAH !!! A couple of barrel brushes (an odd find here), a Merlin exhaust stub lock washer, a cap off a petrol can, a couple of electrical items that I'm not sure of and a Carlisle Model 1st aid kit, (in bad shape though)



Close up of the padlock and key....



And a close up of the Carlisle model tin.....



The dump is full of bottles. I took these home as they were nicely marked. The comb was in the dump so, although not marked, I know it was used in wartime.



'Jergens Lotion'



You can read this one yourself....



And lastly a 'Parker' ink pot, made in USA



An almost complete mug....just missing the handle. Dated 1944



A couple of shaving cream tubes, a Bakelite razor handle and, (this one is just for Whitehunter), a toothbrush, not only marked with the WD arrow, but also dated 1941 Second example of one of these I've now found



Close up of the toothbrush.



It was a bit of a day for tea ration tins, as you can see Only one minor point that disappointed me a smidgen, they are all marked as filled in August 1945 Oh well



The usual 50cals and 303 cartridges



Headstamps off the 50s



These last three items have got me puzzled. They were found near the bottom of the dump, 5 feet below ground level. These items were together in the dump, along with lots of shards of airframe skin. Both appear to be made of aircraft alloy. This first item is about ten inches across by six wide.



It has one stamp on it which I first though might be an aircraft serial number. I am still checking on that theory. Another idea is that it is a part number. Can you help ??



These two were, as I've said, found with the bit above. The cartridge is a 50cal so you can get an idea of size. Both are very lightweight alloy and have been 'folded' to form the tube, VERY accurately. This isn't an amateurs attempt and making a tube. They are very precise and have the remains of iron clamps on the end. I suddenly realised that the pipes fit snugly through the hole in the mesh in the above item. What are they off ????? No visible markings.



Hope you like the finds

Steve T

[ian_]

Nice items, Steve! The bottom two look like .5 blast tubes from a fighter wing. The grill is for an intake but don't know what yet... are the ends of the tubes rounded? Carb grill?

[Steve T]

Nice items, Steve! The bottom two look like .5 blast tubes from a fighter wing.

WOW !! I hope so !

The grill is for an intake but don't know what yet...

Yeah that's what I was thinking. All these bits were in one tight location in the dump, along with bits of aircraft alloy skin. I reckon someone did some repairs on an aircraft, dumped the trash in his Jeep, drove to the mess huts and chucked these bits in the base dump, (which is very close to the mess huts).

I'll go see if I can find a pic of 50cal blast tubes

Thanks !

Steve T

[ian_]

Have a look at P47s, Don't think Mustangs had them. I'm sure there's a pic on the forum of that grill, I think it's inside a Packard Merlin carburretor

[Steve T]

I've been looking Does look like a P47 blast tube but they were equiped with P38s and then P51s at this base so it's a bit of a puzzler if they are off a P47. I'll have a look for the carburretor....



Thanks ian_ !

[davejb]

I think the grill and tubes are from a sump filter, you might be missing the actual fibre filter or paper depending what they made them from then

[cornishboy]

Nice finds Steve,not your usual rubbish finds.Not rubbish,you know 'discarded items'

[Paul B]

B-17 carb filter for comparison:





PB

[ian_]

I wasn't going mad, joy unbounded! Not sure about the blast tubes though, P47s definitely have rounded ends. Interesting pic Paul, were they really blue? That said I've found yellow painted bits of Merlin.

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Wow terrific finds Steve you've hit the jack pot again......

There's some very nice stuff in there I particularily like the toothbrush, the mug, the grill, the tea and carlisle tins all great Stuff.

'superb Steve's done it again!!!', me thinks 'we'll be in for a treat with all the future finds' .

LUCKYSTRIKE