Unexpected archaeological prop find - Sywell (UK) Help!!

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Well, no matter how long you’ve been in aviation archaeology – sometimes you are surprised by what is LITERALLY on your doorstep!

Work is currently ongoing to install the new hard runway at Sywell, part of this work involves digging footings for the hardcore and as such earth moving equipment has been working away for the past few months.

Imagine our surprise yesterday then when the digger driver came across a trench, filled with all sorts of items- but lying on top was this!



It is, in fact, in better condition than it looks –two blades retaining their paint and even the stencilling, though the dome is very corroded, the internal spider etc are mint!



Its clearly a paddle blade, American VP type – could be Twin Wasp which would make sense as many Dakotas were refurbished at Sywell around the time of the Berlin Airlift. It could be earlier and be from a Wellington B.IV which also had Twin Wasps – over 1800 Wellingtons were refurbished and maintained by Brooklands during and after the War.



I would be grateful of any help to identify it!

There may be more items to come…

Please let me know what you think!

All the best

TT

[Jay]

The prop that you have un-earthed was used on three different aircraft in WWII. It was manufactured by Hamilton Standard in Winsor Locks, CT. It was used on the C-47, B-17 and B-24. There is no way of telling which aircraft it was actually flown.
Jay

[Swiss Mustangs]

TT

I have the original T.O. No. 03-20-1 "List of Propellers and Governors for Service Aircraft" dated 15th May 1945 - will check tonight when I get home.

Cordially
Martin

Last edited by Swiss Mustangs on Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Jay - thats brilliant - think Dak is favourite, though a B-17 did crash there during the war!

Many thanks!

ATB

TT

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Sorry Martin - posted at the same time as you - thanks for the kind offer! All help appreciated!

Best regards

TT

[n5151ts]

...what you have there is a genuine historical site probably worth a proper dig! and then you can get some heritage trust funds and build a new museum there! woo hoo

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Already got one buddy - about 400yards from the dig!

www.sywellaerodrome.co.uk/museum.php

AND there is a separate display on the 315th Troop Carrier Group on show already!

TT

[Matt Gunsch]

That is off the B-17 that crashed there,
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_an ... CL-1-3.pdf

Look at propellers, item 2, blade number 6477A-0

[Jack Cook]

AMELIA

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Thanks Matt- much appreciated - but if I'm right in reading Jay's post, then the assy could have been used on the Dak and Lib too? Playing the odds, its more likely to be Dak, but if we can definitively say B-17 then great... be guided by you chaps!

ATB

TT

[Matt Gunsch]

I checked the Type certificates for both the C-47 and B-24 and niether showed that blade number, the only one that showed the blade number 6477A-0 was the B-17 type certificate.

It appears that the propeller still has the prop shaft attached, which would mean it was pulled off in a accident.

So, that means it is off a B-17. I would go thru the other pieces that were dug up and look for any more B-17 bits.

[Swiss Mustangs]

Ok - T.O. No. 03-20-1 has the blade 6477A-0

for

B-17F & G on R-1820-97's - full assembly type designations are 23E50-473-6477A-0, 23E50-505-6477A-0 and 23E50-573-6477A-0

B-24D on R-1830-47 - full assembly type designations are 23E50-473-6477A-0, 23E50-505-6477A-0

B-24G, H, J on R-1830-43, -45, -65 - full assembly type designation is 23E50-505-6477A-0

B-24K on R-1830-75 - fully assembly type designation is 23E50-573-6477A-0

C-47A & C-53D on R-1830-92 - full assembly type designation is 23E50-473-6477A-0 and
C-47B on R-1830-90B - full assembly type designations are 23E50-505-6477A-0 and 23E50-573-6477A-0


other types included C-76 (R-1830-92), C-87 (R-1830-43), C-105 (R-1830-11)

Martin

[Matt Gunsch]

Martin,
Do you have a copy of that TO in PDF format ? I would like to see it.

[Django]

That is pretty cool. Keep digging!

[Swiss Mustangs]

Martin,
Do you have a copy of that TO in PDF format ? I would like to see it.

I'll convert my .jpg's into a pdf tonight - send me your e-mail addy through PM, please

Cheers
Martin