Lancaster part numbers

No it is part of the curved plexiglass blister .. it is still mounted to its anti vibration mount and fuselage skin..

Peter
I have two pieces one is 3.09mm or 0.121” thick thats got the part number on it.

The other piece is 4.03mm 0.160” thick.

Is the piece you measured from the flat section of the blister?

I have not photographed the 4.03mm piece as yet but will do in daylight and post tomorrow.

Bombaimers blister measures 1/4″ thick.. there are small rectangular mounts glued into it to attach to the antivibration mounts and this is 4mm’s thick but I don’t think this is what you have..

Thanks Peter
Thanks Bobkat

peterfee138,

There is a picture of part of the bomb aimer’s blister – No.20 on post #4 on the ED908 thread.

I have not made any progress on the item in your photo.

will measure the only section I have still attached to the nose

Hi Peter

Are you thinking the blister piece is the 4.03mm 0.160” thick piece?

Cheers
Pete

Pete if it is thick enough, it might be a piece of the bombaimers blister..?

Peter,

Very glad to hear of our mutual interest. Yes, I do get to Kew occasionally for a look at Operations Record Books and even the 1924 version of AP1086!!

Rather than confuse this thread, I will have a closer look at your photo and respond on the ED908 thread.

Bobkat,It was your thread that lead me to join the Forum and the rest is . . .
When I first saw your pictures I wondered about a corroded items on photo M3 on the bottom row. But I was/am not sure about it still and this is a real long shot, the photo I am posting here comes from 1 of 3 possibilities.
either:
1. Located on the pilots seat arm rest used to release the pilots entire harness from the seat.
2. Located further down the pilots seat is the undercarriage locking mechanism.
3. The knob on the release for the engineers seat.

You can see it has a two stage locking pin arrangement.

Your Perspex photo in WreckageID-plexiglas.jpg 20th February 2013 18:37
has two points of interest besides the broken holes:
What is the distinct line at the bottom edge it almost looks like a machining recess so as to fit that edge within a frame?
Also towards the top is a distinct outline shape ? any further info on that?
I will post this message and photo on your thread as well.
Do you get to Kew often at all ?
Cheers
Peter

Many thanks for the website link. You have certainly been doing a lot of work. I have come across EE138 before in my own research. The particular reason for my interest is that I started a thread on the forum a little while ago “Wreckage of Lancaster ED908 (60-Z)” http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=120747 and ED908 was from the same batch manufactured by AV Roe. Maybe we have more information to share?

If you have the time to spare to look on the thread at some of what we have found in France, you will see a piece of perspex with notches for the bolt holes but, so far, this has defied all attempts at positive identification – it may well be from a turret. I fear this may also prove to be the case for your pieces, but maybe somebody else can add something?

Hi Bobkat,
Thank you for your reply and interest, I am happy to share the Lanc code it is EE138 AR-E2 RAAF 460 Squadron shot down 4/9/43.
I did put the aircraft build dates and contract numbers and build company in my original post in case that may have been useful.

I tend to agree that the number could be a manufacturers number ie. Frazer Nash? Also, because the number is written over two lines I wonder if the second line of numbers 89820 is a quality certification number for the BX2305 part number ?

The coloured bit on the left of the picture is where the perspex has melted. I also have another piece of perspex from the crash site but it is thicker and measures 4.03mm 0.160”, compared to the part numbered piece BX2305 etc. which is 3.09mm or 0.121” thick. I think this is quite useful information as I thought perhaps the thicker of the two could be from the canopy or pilot window and the other maybe turret, camera cover perspex or astrodome, maybe even the R1155 radio? I can’t rule any possibilites out or in.

I would have to say that the two pieces are flat, I can’t pick up any curvature but then the number is very close to the cut edge so a curve may begin a little further along that piece.

Thanks again.

You and others may be interested in the work we have been doing.
www.ee138.net

Cheers

Peter

peterfee138,

To add to MikeHoulder’s comments, Air Ministry code numbers were allocated to pieces of RAF equipment in a long list of headings in AP (Air Publication) 1086. Not all wartime editions of this publication seem to survive. There is a list of code headings on the thread “RAF Stores Reference” http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=39650

For example, AM No. 10H/1238 is a socket for a piece of radar equipment. The numbers you have would seem to be manufacturers’ numbers, not AM numbers.

The most obvious sources of perspex are from the pilot’s canopy, the gun turrets or, possibly, the H2S blister, if fitted. The information you have given is probably not sufficient to enable positive identification. Are both your pieces completely flat or are they curved, and do they have any bolt hole edges visible? I can’t make out what the coloured bit is on the left of your picture – it looks as if it could be melted perspex rather than distorted metal?

You obviously have a lot of information about your Lancaster. Are your pieces from a crash site and, if so, do you have the aircraft’s identification lettering, and are you happy to share this? No problem if you prefer to keep this private.

Thanks Mike,
Duly noted, can you explain what type of “AM codes” further?

Peter

Careful, Fluffy’s list of codes are for Avro drawings, not necessarily for part nos. I suspect part numbers use different AM codes; but I can’t demonstrate it at the moment.