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Another mystery item for ID

Sun May 18, 2014 6:27 pm

I picked this up at a former 8AF P-38/P-51 base today, looks like whatever it is was never fitted as it still has some of the packaging stuck to it.

Any ideas anyone?

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This flare pistol mount and P-51 fuel selector placard came out of the same hole:

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Thanks in advance,
PB

Re: Another mystery item for ID

Sun May 18, 2014 6:52 pm

Cool items! The mystery part is also Mustang related - it is an antenna wire guide/pulley that was mounted to the canopies of P-51D/K's. The beacon receiver antenna wire passed through the canopy, through this clear fairing (with a pulley inside), and back to the tail. In most cases these antenna wires were removed once the aircraft was in its Theatre of operation, as there was no longer a use for the beacon receivers outside of the U.S. The pulley/guide fairings were also then removed and often an oval-like flat piece of plexi or other material was screwed into place over the hole in the canopy.

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Photo by Glenn Wegman:

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Re: Another mystery item for ID

Sun May 18, 2014 7:39 pm

All 3 might be P-51.
Glenn already IDed tha canopy part.
The rusty parts looks like the flare gun port, probably used on multiple A/C types.
The broken placard is the P-51 fuel selector bracket with the writing for the fuel tanks you'd select.

Duh, missed the line on the others.

Re: Another mystery item for ID

Sun May 18, 2014 7:41 pm

Pretty nifty items found, and what a great answer, with photos no less. Outstanding!!

Re: Another mystery item for ID

Mon May 19, 2014 6:38 am

Thanks guys. :)

I had a feeling it was the antenna pass-through fairing, but didn't have the appropriate manuals handy to check. ;)
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