Hopefully I have uploaded 2 photos of what looks to me like an inspection hatch/removable disc that was ‘liberated’ from an ME110 that belly landed behind Stansted (Kent) church 31 August 1940.
Can anyone tell me what it is and what part of the plane it came from? It has no numbers or markings on it.It is about 10 cm across.
Cheers
B
By: DBenz - 23rd July 2013 at 00:28
Interesting on the question of 02. I have seen 65 which has gone somewhat whiter, we see here 02 on the flipside of this, so could that be 02 faded ? An upper wing panel maybe, but underside, doubt it would have changed so much, unless display since being taken at the time or in recent years has done so. Where has it been kept all these years ?
One can take flaked paint and rub it down to reveal the original colour lurking underneath, as the fade is only surface deep. If you do try that on this, keep it very localised and use a scalpel on an area a few mm at most ! There were two shades of 65, one had a bit more green about it.
DBenz
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th June 2013 at 15:35
I think it was just a visual indicator of the “Locked” position. Without the indicator line I am not sure if it would be immediately apparent that the screw had been turned to fully locked as there is no other visible indication which position the screw-head groove needs to be in. However, a number of removable panels on German aircraft were also marked “Auf” and “Zu” to indicate the open and closed positions.
By: hampden98 - 26th June 2013 at 15:22
Was it common the leave these hatches unlocked by ground crew?
I ask because the hand drawn red line and dot seems to have been drawn to indicate correct locking position?
By: Clint Mitchell - 26th June 2013 at 14:28
Ok, thanks.
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th June 2013 at 13:29
I think it is RLM65, as this looks typical of the discolouration on many pieces I have had over the years that have been kept as souvenirs. Pretty sure it isn’t 02.
By: Clint Mitchell - 26th June 2013 at 13:22
Do you think that’s RLM65 or RLM02 on the exterior side? Looks slightly 02 ‘ish’ to be 65? Or do you think the RLM 65 could have changed over the years to what we are seeing in the pics? If it’s RLM02 it could have come from an area where the upper surface colours were painted. Upper wings perhaps? 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th June 2013 at 12:57
This is a typical access panel found on the Me 110. Without precise drawings of the 110 it is difficult to say, but somebody like Bruce on this forum may know.
There is panel very similar to this under the starboard forward nose of the Me 110, but the images I have found are not clear enough – although I’d say pretty much identical.
A VERY nice piece, though!
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June 26, 2013 at 12:38 pm