Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
Article about: 145 and 146 is definatly somthing to do with the weapons system as the same idea is in use today. The pilot can turn his weapon system to safe or not have all the required safety conditions
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05-26-2011, 12:14 AM
#121
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
Hi Ned,
Thanks for your detailed description and the good photo of the Hind.
Now Ive said it before but Im always learning in this hobby, it's what makes it so interesting and not only from my own posted items but all the other threads. When I found these discs I sort of had an idea they could be for ballast but to have it confirmed in such detail is superb. Like me until I found these, most people probably wouldn't know what they looked like or their use so with your detailed reply and all the others identifying items we'll all benefit.
All the best Mate.
LUCKYSTRIKE
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05-26-2011, 05:30 PM
#122
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
by
big ned
Hi Lucky,
The lead discs in pic's 168-69 are indeed aircraft counterweights. They were specifically used in single engined aircraft with a rear cockpit or turret. A tube was passed through the aircraft behind the rear cockpit/turret with weights attached on either side, outside of the aircraft for ease of fitting and removal. They were used to change the c of g on aircraft that were not carrying the gunner during flight.
Regards, Ned.
Thanks for the interesting info Ned - The Defiant I excavated was not carrying a gunner on its last flight - so they really are part of the story of that flight now - Will move the trailer at the weekend to get at them and take some photos.
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05-26-2011, 09:45 PM
#123
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05-26-2011, 09:59 PM
#124
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
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05-26-2011, 10:00 PM
#125
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
Ian, roughly how big are your Spitfire weights? The reason I ask is because the only ballast weights that I've found were from a Blackburn Botha and they are much smaller than LS's.
Edited - I can see how big they are now in your second post. The Botha ones are smaller.
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05-26-2011, 10:21 PM
#126
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
The Spit ones are about 8 inches diameter. The AGS stamp on LS's are Aircraft General Service (or spares or Standard) not sure which. I would imagine the last thing a Botha needed was large ballast weights!
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05-27-2011, 12:46 AM
#127
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05-27-2011, 09:05 AM
#128
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
I'm scratching my head over the red bit. It's so big that it must be visible in photos but maybe my Barracuda fixation is misleading me here. Is the long bolt with a lock nut hollow or does it just look like an adjustable stop? If it's a stop it suggests a movable part and the slot suggests some kind of release mechanism. I've been looking at torpedo release mechanisms but I can't see anything similar. Another possibility is the arrestor hook release. Come on, guys, put us out of our misery!
I think the Niphan part in photo 191 is a protective cover for an electrical connector, possibly from the underwing connectors for flare racks. It would have been fixed to the connector by a chain or a wire. If you search Google images for "niphan socket" you'll see what I mean.
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05-28-2011, 11:56 PM
#129
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
Hi Ivor,
Sorry for the delay in coming back. The long bolt is solid and bent over slightly, it has a lock nut at the bottom I guess to enable adjustment of its length?, The nut on the end is threaded right through so perhaps somehing could be screwed into it whilst the bottom edge is screwed onto the bolt? Thank you for your suggestions on its use, perhaps its painted red as a safety warning for a moving part rather than aircraft colour scheme? One day it'll be identified, but in the meantime I'll keep checking lots of pictures hoping to spot a match.
Thank you for the Niphan lead I did manage to find a few interesting pictures on this.
All the very best.
LS
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05-29-2011, 11:57 AM
#130
Re: Plenty of finds from a new site on a British Airfield.
LS, going back to picture 181, according to the wizards on the British Ordnance Collectors Network forum the blank rounds that you found are:
"Cartridges SA Blank .303 Inch Cordite with Mock Bullet Mark VI. They were introduced into service in 1901, but there were problems as the mock bulleted end of the blank broke off when firing. There were also aparently problems with ball and blank rounds being mixed up in bad light, to help prevent this the cases were blackened. Most of the blanks were later converted by the removal of the mock bullet."
Many thanks to Buster and Tony on Inert Ordnance WW1, WW2 | information,sales,wanted,photos,forum and more for their help with this.
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