Aircraft part with battle damage – but from what???

Hi Terry, Thanks for looking!! I also sent the image to Carl at Aerotrader and he didin’t think it was B-25 related, he said the ducting I am making reference to is a flexi tube, it looks like it could be a solid tube on the illustration but then these IPC images aren’t that accurate, I will keep my eyes peeled, I am sure at some point I will stumble upon the answer. What ever it is it just looks a little too large to be from a single engine type?

Redhill,

Now back on line, but having looked through my B-25H and B-25J manuals (Erection & Maintenance Instructions) I can see no pictures or text that will assist with your query. Sorry about that, and for the delay.

Terry

Thanks Bill, Might be onto something here, just need to find the final piece of the jigsaw puzel to either confirm it or dismiss it. Seems likely it is indeed the part as there are a lot of things that seem to match, as you say the casing it too thin to be anything hydraulic related. Be interested in any further detail from the parts manual when you can get to it.

Hi again Redhill,
H’mmmm !!!(again) Interesting !!! That B-25J Cockpit View of Heating, De-Frosting and ventilation system certainly looks as if where your item might have come from. Item(4) is the one, —that is around same size as yours and is attached at one end which fits in with your item too. ( As re-looking at your pics of it, I’ve just realized that the steel re-enforcing lump inside is actually at same end as big screw thread and Lock ring.Which seems to be it’s forward attachment to the pipe work. )

Going back to Item 4, I’ll bet that little ext, at rear end has a pipe (Flex) fitted to it that would go down to the (Secret) Bombsight, but because of Wartime National security this would be deleted from that Illustration as Allied Forces kept these Bombsights as secret as possible and I think they were always covered till actual use reqd. Pretty sure we are talking about the”Norden” Bombsight.

So all seems to be still fitting the big pic. so far. Your item must have had the rear fitting smashed off at some time, but anyhow,guess a search for better pics of item 4 and associated “Plumbing” is still in order. Pal Terry P, who posts in here and specializes in Instruments,etc has a scanned in B-25 Manual, so intending to look at that (I live 7 miles away) in telephoning him earlier found out his computer has completely expired. No date on a new one yet, so will have to hold on B-25 manual look.

Plenty to keep you busy m8,

Bill T.

Hi Bill,

Just found this image, could this be it I wonder?

Could it be the bomb sight heating ventilator and defrosting tube from a B-25???????

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the input, it does indeed sound like it might well be some kind of “Silica Gel” or part of an air drying system as you suggest, now onto goggle images to see if I can find anything, what I really need is a photo of one to compare it too.

Hi Redhill Wings,
H’mmmmmm !!! My thoughts are that this is cockpit related and WW2 or 1940’s item. This reminds me of the “Silica Gel” crystals later clear plastic cylindrical containers that were fitted in to the Windscreen de-misting and air drying systems in our 1950-60-70s UK military jets. Usually kept in the c/pit somewhere the unit was filled with/changed,— these crystals at given servicing times. The system air would pass through these crystals on it’s way to inner windscreen sandwich and the cystals would change colour as they soaked up moisture in the air. ( Think it was blue to start, then changed to pink as moisture accumulated ). These units would always be part of a BF–T R–AF, etc anyway and it didn’t take long to change unit.

I feel that your item found could be an early(Or WW2 ) version of these and quite likey American. Though it might/Might not had any “Silica Gel” crystals inside. But the ide of that unscrew thread and lock ring makes sense as does that damaged steel internal piece at other end that looks like an internal rod or tube support that took a tuffnol clamp or some sort of bearing inside.
So as said before, this is a lightweight something, almost certainly C/pit related that can be quickly removed when reqd. That doesn’t say “Torque tube” or “heavy support ” tube to me.

Please take these as “What it Might be” clues only,just trying to narrow it’s ID down. That “bullet hole” looks real enough, but as stated, that plane it was in could have been used for target practice, in its many forms. Certainly is a puzzler, hope you get it definately I.D’d.

Bill T.

Still whittling away at this mysterious object, the closest possibility so far was it being an “Air Dryer” from a British wartime autopilot system, but without seeing the real thing it is very difficult to say for sure.

I came across this image which shows an object very similar to the item in question sitting above the bombardiers panel of a B-25 (the airfield did have B-25’s), I know it is not a real photograph but I am sure it has been taken from some “real life” reference, the question is what is it. It’s not part of the heating system as that is featured below this object, I’ve looked in all the books I have and in one image you can just see this item above the bombardiers panel as shown in the CAD drawing but you can not make much out.

So does anyone have any fresh ideas or even better a photo of the “Air Dryer” in question as at least that would rule out that possibility.

Sorry to drag this up again but I can be like a dog with a bone!

Thank you austern, that makes more sense now, I can see why you think it could be a drier – very simular indeed. I wonder if there are any of these lurking in a museum or anyones collection to compare this part against? It is difficult to see any detail in the illustration, I guess it would have a screw thread – it must attache somehow but without seeing the real thing it is very difficult to be sure. Merling Pete I guess there is no real reason why it couldn’t be made of alloy rather than steel.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]241772[/ATTACH]

There are several versions but this diagram is for an Autopilot.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]241772[/ATTACH]

There are several versions but this diagram is for an Autopilot.

Without wanting to sounds totally thick, I do not know much about the Smiths Air Drier, can anyone fill me in exactly what it did and if possible a photo or two please?

Not convinced its an air drier..

Not convinced its an air drier..

I’ve not got a picture to hand but it does look very similar to an ‘Air Dryer’ as fitted in several British aircraft as part of the auto pilot and bomb aiming systems.

Yes, it does look a lot like the an air dryer, but the Smiths type is made of steel and doesn`t have a screw thread. I`m not sure if they changed the design on later types which used the Arrow type compressor though?
Plenty of stuff was black anodised in WW2.

Pete

Thank you austern, that sounds very interesting, I am not familiar with this system, what exactly did it do? does anyone have any photos of this system??

I’ve not got a picture to hand but it does look very similar to an ‘Air Dryer’ as fitted in several British aircraft as part of the auto pilot and bomb aiming systems.

I’ve not got a picture to hand but it does look very similar to an ‘Air Dryer’ as fitted in several British aircraft as part of the auto pilot and bomb aiming systems.

Fair point, the reason I am thinking WW2 is that a Spitfire flap lever was found close by along with some spent browning .50 shell cases and other Air Ministry parts.

Hi Trolly Aux, thanks for the input, there were Mustangs based there at one point, but not sure if it is Allison unless it is some sort of ducting to a Super Charger or something?

Re the Pyrotechnic idea, I guess it could be, the locking ring with the slots machined would suggest to me it was meant to be serviced at some point. The slotted nuts are in fact screws and seem to hold the internal piece in place, I can’t make any sense of it!!

If we were to go down the modern route then I would’nt think it would have that battle damage evident, there is a definate entry and a larger exit hole.

Why “battle damage” though? Munitions get fired on various airfields in the UK even nowadays, along with other locations. I know of at least one Vulcan which had explosive charges detonated on it, whilst sitting on an airfield not a million miles away from Swindon.

Munitions (rather than battle) damage maybe? Either way I think the assumption that it’s WW2 and combat-damaged may be restricting your chances of finding out what it is.

Just looking at Allison engines I found this image of a P-40 but early Mustangs seem to have a very simular engine bearer, I wondered if it could be a segment of one of the bracing tubes running horizontal along the engine colwing (see photo). Just an idea but I am guessing this part would be steel.

Hi Trolly Aux, thanks for the input, there were Mustangs based there at one point, but not sure if it is Allison unless it is some sort of ducting to a Super Charger or something?

Re the Pyrotechnic idea, I guess it could be, the locking ring with the slots machined would suggest to me it was meant to be serviced at some point. The slotted nuts are in fact screws and seem to hold the internal piece in place, I can’t make any sense of it!!

If we were to go down the modern route then I would’nt think it would have that battle damage evident, there is a definate entry and a larger exit hole.

If it’s aluminium (which it must be if anodized), then not a hyd jack: too flimsy. Hyd jacks would usually be cast bodies in any case (and then would be aluminium).

The slotted nut looks more modern than WW2, and my initial reaction was that it might be some kind of pyrotechnic?