These are WWII aircraft parts that have been found in gardens,sheds and garages that have laid there since soon after the war ended, some will be from scrap yards or aircraft dumps on airfields, whilst others will have been recovered from crashed aircraft that lay on site soon after the war.

Antenna found on Stronsay Isle. 

 

Above:  A recent find on Sanday by William Shearer is this aircraft antenna bearing the digits `F8` which could be for Fairey Aviation. The Fairey Swordfish had such an aerial behind the Lewis gun on Mk1 types. The spade gives it a scale of around 4ft in length.   Photo: Willliam Shearer.

 

Above: Another shot of the pole type antenna showing adjuster nuts. Photo: William Shearer. 

US Army Air Forces steel helmet.

 

 

Above:  US Army helmet recovered from the sea off Orkney.   Photo:  Tony Owen.

This helmet was netted off Pentland Skerries, it had what was described as a rubber or leather mask attached to it, though it was badly perished and fell to pieces, this could have been an oxygen mask used between 1941 and 43 by aircrew, before a later type M3 was used which had earphone inserts. The above M1 type was basically just an armored flak helmet, the photo shows the outer helmet. It is possible it was from a US bomber, B-17 or B-24 lost off  Europe and just drifted with tides, we can find no mention of US losses in this area, though the US Navy flying Catalinas out of Iceland could have had such equipment.

     

 

 

 

Engine exaust collector ring/cowl.

   

ARGOS member William Shearer with an engine cowl ring. We believe this to be from a Vought F4U Corsair as it carried Vought stamps `VS`.  (Dimensions to follow shortly) Photo: Kevin Heath.

Aircraft Main Wheels

CAN-U-HELP?

Aircraft wheels size 1250 x 10 the word RAYON can be made out and either AH 225  plus AH 015 503 and CM 361 U.  Also Z8455.  Any ideas?  Photo: Kevin Heath. 

Mystery  Item.

 

CAN-U-HELP?

The above object belongs to a farmer in Orkney, he says it was bought in a sale on the isle many years ago and the person he bought it from said it came from a crashed plane on the Isle, despite numerous enquiries we still can`t ID this with any particular piece of aircraft equipment, it is made of brass and has a hinged lid, first thought were for document or map protection, but there have been suggestions it may be Army kit related,thoughts are it may have been part of the kit carried by the NORSOs  who were aboard the B-24 at Walliwall in 1945 but enquiries with the `Carpetbaggers` Museum at Harrington drew a blank and could not find it in any of their historical photos of equipment or kit in the museum. Any suggestions greatfully recieved.  Photo:  William Shearer.  

Aircraft Main Wheel

 

Another relic handed in to the group was this aircraft wheel from a shed in Hatston, we believe this from from either a Barracuda or Firefly, the number was AH 10245  size  11.25-12.   Photo:  Dave Ramsey. 

Radio/Radar Electric panel 

 

CAN-U-HELP?

Above & Below:  A panel with Air Ministry stamp found on a farm dump in Rendall, poss from a wartime radar station or even the Black Building?  Can any radio buffs ID this?  The 3 rusty dials say "RESISTANCE" at the top with "OUT - IN" at the bottom.  The stamps below show :  A (crown) M stamp and Contract No. A.344761/42/C.12 (d)  then the Ref: 5A/1137.  Seems to be some kind of directional homing equipment?  Built by `CARLISLE` Electrical Manufacturing Co.Ltd, Eccles,Lancashire.  Photos: Dave Earl.    

 

Mystery wooden prop found in Stromness barn.

 

CAN-U-HELP?

Above:  William Shearer with an as yet unidentified wood propeller at farm in Stromness, the blade and hub have no makings at all so this will be a tricky one.The lack of mounting bolt holes suggest perhaps a pusher type?  Any ideas?   Photo: Kevin Heath.

Update:   Tom Johnston of Bryameadow reckons this could be a LUCAS FREELIGHT propeller from a 1930s wind turbine, anyone else got any thoughts on that?

 

Spade Grip from Dounby Farm. 

  

Above:  A spade grip type control column with gun firing levers in stainless steel, manufactured by Birmingham Small Arms (BSA)  bearing the part numbers 7/37 and in a circle BSA G4. It would appear this type was used on early biplane fighter types such as the Hawker Hind and it is reckoned it was from an aircraft of 1930s era. The numbers 7 representing Armament, 37 possibly being the year it was built and G4 suggesting a Gloster built aircraft.  It was found in a farm in Dounby. Again if anyone can shed any further light we would be most grateful.  Photos: Kevin Heath.  

Stromberg Carburettor 

This carb had lay in Hoy since the war and was handed in to William Shearer, it originated fram a crash site on Hoy and there are only two aircraft on there that this could have come from, One is the Corsair on Enegars, and the other the Liberator at Cuilags, though the Corsair engine looking at the pieces found at the crash site was quite badly wrecked in the crash, it seems more likely to have been from one of the four P&W R-1830 radials off the Liberator. Photo: Dave Ramsey.   

Makers plate and part number on the carburettor.  Photo: Dave Ramsey.

Target Towing plane winch propeller.

   

Above:  A TT Winch prop likely to have come from a Miles Martinet type aircraft, handed into William Shearer, quite a rare item.  Photo:  Nelson Winkler. 

Above: Diagram showing where prop was located on the Martinet and on the right the hub showing the part numbers  DRG. T29505-2  N168.   Photo:  Nelson Winkler. 

WOODEN AMMUNITION BOX WW2

 Tom Johnston with Ammo Box.  Photo: Dave Earl.

 

This .50 cal wooden ammo box for incendiary shells  is owned by Tom Johnston of Bryameadow, Tom got this from the airfield dump at Twatt after the war. There can`t be many of these about as being wood most would have gone on the fire.  Photo: Dave Earl.  

AIRCRAFT MAIN WHEEL

 

CAN-U-HELP?

Above:  The wheel on the left was handed in to William Shearer by a man in Stromness,  There is some stencilling on the wheel drum it says:  `ET.5`   with `J8` in a circle. Then `D 8`  and `DTD  ?35`  Tyre is in poor condition and only stencilling appears to be 1100/9  Size is around 18" diameter with 8" drum. The trad suggests it has been used for landing on softer ground or grass runway. Any ideas anyone?   Photo:  Kevin Heath.  

HYDRAULIC RAM

CAN-U-HELP? :  We were given this hydraulic ram by Brian Stevenson in Evie, he can`t recall where it came from but seemed to think a Spitfire, but on checking the drawing number and inspector stamps we now know it cam from a Vought F4U Corsair, so perhaps JS588 that crashed in Quoyloo?  Photo: William Shearer. 

    Part number on ram. Photo: William Shearer.

 UPDATE!     We received the following info on this item in our guestbook : "The hydraulic cylinder is for a Corsair main gear door".   Our thanks to Lex Cralley for this information.

MORE AIRCRAFT WHEELS

CAN-U-HELP?

Above: Two more aircraft main wheels found at a farm in Tankerness which look to have been utilized on a trailer, alloy wheels had badly corroded. We know of a Spitfire that came down in this area, plus one other as yet unidentified aircraft, but cannot say for sure that the from either of these two aircraft,So if anyone knows please get in touch.  Photo: William Shearer.

 

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