Lever ID please

Now now Baz don’t spoil it 😉

Rob

Will not be standard fit Rob – probably a spin recovery fit for spin recovery testing !
Possibly a fairly generic system and used on other aircraft as well.

Now there’s a thought, the lever positions are the same as by the looks of it are the fittings. So far I think that’s the closest we’ve got :applause:
Does anyone have a photo of one in situ?

Rob

Or how about the parachute release lever from a Spitfire Tr9?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]250866[/ATTACH]

Thanks, although the more I look at it the more I’m thinking it’s not actually writing, just scratching that appears to look like writing.

Rob

CACU?

The bolts look as if they are BA, & the Simmonds nuts more like 1950’s?

Thanks to those who have contributed to this thread and who are putting up some interesting possibilities.

I’m putting up another photo showing the spring loaded ring pull on one side. But also whilst looking at this – in the smooth painted rectangular area at the bottom of the piece there is some very faint ‘scratched’ writing. This in turn seems to of been scratched over, annoyingly. Even with my reading glasses on and a magnifying glass it is difficult to read, but it appears to begin with CA. Obviously I thought CANBERRA, or maybe it’s something else?!

Rob [ATTACH=CONFIG]250362[/ATTACH]

No one has referenced looking at AP 1492A. Towed target equipment. It seems Shuttleworth have a copy in their files, but no references elsewhere. Might be worth a look?

on this page in paragraph 2.2 http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/reports/arc/cp/0658.pdf it talks about a wingtip parachute on a venom and the streaming and jettison mechanism

there are some pictures towards the end of the article of the wing mounted parachute setup

bit of further research indicates that aircraft was wx865

According to a Westland drawing (probably in the AP for the type), the Welkin 1 was fitted with a catch in the rear fuselage to attach a towed target.
Cheers
Steve P

Most RAF single seat target tugs just used a simple open/close hook,the cable was laid out on the runway near the aircraft – hooked on – and then the aircraft accelerated away until eventually all the slack cable was gone and the Flag target/sleeve would eventually follow.
This was certainly true for single seat Meteor,Canberra B2,Hunter and Hawk target tugs.

rgds baz

I was referring to a large gliding target, Baz, being streamed from the aircraft once airborne.

Rob

I just like to prove occasionally that I am as dumb as I look :).

Finally, it might sound far fetched but can anyone think of an operation – maybe wartime maybe not, that involved something being released and trailed from an aircraft but that didn’t involve it being recovered back to the aircraft? Lysander SOE ops perhaps, or maritime anti sub missions etc?
Just clutching at straws really.

According to a Westland drawing (probably in the AP for the type), the Welkin 1 was fitted with a catch in the rear fuselage to attach a towed target. The late Fred Ballam confirmed this, but did not confirm that the equipment ever made it into production aircraft. If a catch was fitted, presumably there would have been a lever somewhere to operate it. Recovery of the target by the aircraft was not going to be an option as the Welkin did not have a winch.

Cheers
Steve P

I was referring to a large gliding target, Baz, being streamed from the aircraft once airborne.

Rob

As I posted in post #31 – you do not need a ‘stream’ posn for a glider release .

I’ve also noticed several guests looking in on this thread. If anyone knows the answer then please put us out of our misery and email me the answer using the email address below 🙂

Rob

Just a thought, Rob; what about towed glider release?

Anon.

Interesting thought, and I had also thought of one of the larger glider targets for example. But I guess that would mean releasing not just the glider but also the cable as well.

Rob

1; I’ve been looking at brake chute levers from obvious British aircraft candidates such as the Gnat, Phantom and Lightning etc and it’s nothing like them. So, maybe we can assume that’s it’s wartime / early postwar.
Rob

Yes I agree Rob,most jets would have an electric operated system,but the placarding on the switch would be almost identical to your mechanical lever unit.

rgds baz

Mike – a glider release would normally be placarded differently,as in it would not need a ‘stream’ position.Basically a glider release is simply ‘open’ and ‘close’ although they might be placarded something like ‘locked’ and ‘release’.

rgds baz

Just a thought, Rob; what about towed glider release?

Anon.

This one is still bugging me and I fear may of beaten the forum too. But to sum up so far;

1; I’ve been looking at brake chute levers from obvious British aircraft candidates such as the Gnat, Phantom and Lightning etc and it’s nothing like them. So, maybe we can assume that’s it’s wartime / early postwar.

2; It’s seems to of been of Fairey manufacture, but not necessarily intended for a Fairey manufactured aircraft.

3; With only two positions, Stream and Jettison – or use and then discard, it appears to be for emergency use only such as an anti-spin chute or for a one action brake chute deployment before being reset.

4; Finally, it might sound far fetched but can anyone think of an operation – maybe wartime maybe not, that involved something being released and trailed from an aircraft but that didn’t involve it being recovered back to the aircraft? Lysander SOE ops perhaps, or maritime anti sub missions etc?
Just clutching at straws really.

Rob