Mesopotamian Snipes

A very large photo of the two men, bearing in mind how small the original photo is, it was scanned in at 400% and may give a better indication of the shirts.

Buttons on the right on the right hand guy so normal male shirt pattern.

I don’t think it is a logo but more like stencilled numbers followed by AM. This a/c was built by Rushton and Proctor at Lincoln.

John

If you’re looking at the lettering above the wire leading to the Horn Balance, that appears to be the doping scheme. I think I can just make out the AM of the AMA at the end of the scheme.

Anne

Can anyone identify what the logo at the bottom of the tail may be, it doesn’t look like the standard Sopwith logo that I’m aware of, sadly it’s not all that great quality in the original.

Thanks again

A very large photo of the two men, bearing in mind how small the original photo is, it was scanned in at 400% and may give a better indication of the shirts, I can’t quite work out how the belts are done but someone might have a better idea and this could give an indication.

Handley Page 0/400s were at Heliopolis (58 renumbered 70 Sqn) and Kantara or Qantara (216).

John

In reference to the grave marker prop rotation, could the print be from a reversed negative? I can’t see anything in the photo that disprove my theory, and that’s all it is, a theory.

True. but are there two vague clues in the picture? If the picture is normal, both men are using their right hands in body language ways. Assuming that the majority of men are right handed the one on our left appears to be smoking and has a normal hair parting and the other is standing with his right hand articulated in a normal stance.. It’s difficult to see the shirts which way they button but the trouser flys appear to follow normal tailoring. Well thats my theory :diablo:

John

In reference to the grave marker prop rotation, could the print be from a reversed negative? I can’t see anything in the photo that disprove my theory, and that’s all it is, a theory.

How have you seen the photos when all I have are boxes with a red cross?

I assume that it is the angle of that indicates it is a pusher.

Yes! the blade angle is biting into the air in an anti-clockwise manner. Most continental (and Rolls-Royce ) engines rotated this way. Most british engines rotated clockwise, ie Beardmore, BHP and RAFactory. So it’s either a Rolls engine or off a pusher type ,but I’d opt for a RR type either Falcon or Eagle. (and of interest both of these engines could rotate either way depending on the prop gear box.
The RAFM Brisfit has one of the rarer clockwise propellers fitted.

John

The rotation of the propeller in the stripped Snipe picture by the way suggests it’s off a RR engined type (or a pusher) Not an RE.8.

John

Thanks for all the information, it’s been a huge help already, how you know some of this information is beyond me at the moment!

I assume that it is the angle of that indicates it is a pusher.

Also some more photos which may or may not be of interest but are from the same collection.

Are my eyes going a bit funny or does that 504 have a slightly unusual power plant?

Anne

It’s an Avro 504 J (the 504 A was similar) and these have the Monosoupape engine with the front support mounting, hence the square “look” to the cowl.

The 504 K ala Shuttleworth has the more common Le Rhone open front and bottom cowl. The rotation of the propeller in the stripped Snipe picture by the way suggests it’s off a RR engined type (or a pusher) Not an RE.8.

John

Are my eyes going a bit funny or does that 504 have a slightly unusual power plant?

Anne

The Avro 504J is probably at Aboukir. The DH.9 is an a/c that was at Kantara in 1919 and then part of “Z” Sqn for the Arabian expedition, also 16 TDS and at Aboukir in 1920.

The RE.8 is probably at Aboukir c late 1919/early20.
The propeller in front of the Snipe is being prepared as a grave marker.

The HP 0400’s are most probably 216 Sqn, again at Aboukir or Kantara (Egypt)

John

Can’t help at all inky, but lovely old pictures!:)

D5509

E89… and a 96 visible on the tail so could it be E8996?

Snipe E7514 was with No 1 Sqn (possibly at Hinadi) but all the others were with 56 Sqn at Air depot Aboukir from around1920. E7538 was later with 43 Sqn 1925/26. I am interested in the DH. 9s as I have photos of them in the theatre at this time. 56 were also at San Stephano from Sept 1922 to Nov 23 which I think was to do with the Chanak crisis.

John