USAAF Dump Site - Unknown Relic Identification

[willlindsay1984]

Hello Folks, I have had the good fortune to be able to excavate a local aircraft dump site here in the U.K., it was one of the former USAAF Base Air Depots. Some good finds today, can anyone help with identification please?. This large armoured section with armoured glass has me stumped, it seems to be from a vehicle?. it is very heavy, and would require at least two people to be able to lift it. The glass appears armoured, in layers, with a small centre circular section that might be a lens, does anyone think it could be something to do with airfield lighting?, perhaps an arc light being illuminated through it?. I also uncovered what I think might be the sliding windscreen section of a B-17?, and a Map Case, the colour of which appears to be bronze green, I am thinking B-24?. I have tried posting on the Aces Contrails and Unsung Heroes website, but unfortunately I have had no replies. I am unable to load photographs, but I can include the original post on that forum were I have the photographs uploaded, many apologies.

http://www.usaaf.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=1484

hope you can help

Many thanks

Will

[bdk]

Those map cases were pretty universal on American aircraft during the war, even on a Harvard. The clasp for the map case looks like AN3195-4 and the stud AN3198-1. AN8011 is a fiber board "CASE-FLIGHT REPORT HOLDER AND MAP" from 21 Sept. '43 and likely superseded the aluminum one to conserve strategic materials. In the later 1950s, the specification MS26556 allowed the fiber but indicated that aluminum was preferred, so it went full-circle!

36G2873 was the part number for the government furnished map case used on P-51 and P-47 (among others). I suspect that is what you have found.

[Chris Brame]

I also uncovered what I think might be the sliding windscreen section of a B-17?

B-17, yes, but the bottom piece looks more like a front windscreen. Cool finds!
If you have one, try putting a ruler next to the items when you take the photos - it's a big help in IDing parts.