Short Sunderland data plate

Tony, Mark, thanks. It didn’t “feel right” as an aircraft plate but I just don’t have the experience of such parts to know.

So, lets apply a few known facts to this and see if we can confirm the suggestions.

I met and interviewed Mr Gerrish years ago – he was a trained engine fitter but at Shorts he worked on the bomb aimers hatch at the front of the aircraft. In the late war he was one of several who broke up scrapped aircraft. He was also around as the factory stopped production was cleared and became, briefly, a supply depot. Plenty of chance to acquire such a souvenir (most workers have some trinket or other to remember the place by) but no particular guidance as to where he took it from. Sadly he is no longer here to ask.

And to consider the Feb 1942 date on the plate. The first Windermere aircraft was photographed as a bare frame in the jigs during November 1941 and again as a complete fuselage having it wings attached in May 1942. I would suggest the idea of a test item as Mark put forward would fit very well with these dates.

The blank plate could well have multiple uses – the engraved text on the “blank” is filled with black paint, not a one-off

I rather like the fact that it likely to be from an item of equipment in the factory. It has a nice association with the Windermere Works.

Malcolm – we’ll need several hundred tons of steel now please.

.
The item seems to be described as “Checking Gauge (set 18??) for C.P. (centre-plane)? truss front and rear top starboard”

I would therefore interpret it to be a QA compliance plate from a Factory installation test item, used in measuring the wing top starboard front and rear truss relative to the jig SG2189?, rather than a part dataplate for the truss in a particular aircraft itself?, and therefore would agree with Rocketeer.

However the plate “blank” may well be a standard Sunderland aircraft part dataplate, given the pre-engraved “Sunderland”, “Jig”, and “Inspected” text.

A nice brass plate would be an attractive souvenir to unscrew and keep, as you dumped such equipment into the skip for scrapping, regardless of the equipment’s purpose, especially with the mention of the Sunderland and its strong relationship to the site you were clearing.

regards

Mark Pilkington

I was given this at the weekend by a gentleman whose father (the late William Gerrish) worked at the Short Brothers Windermere Works.

Can anybody add more detail about it? I’m not sure wether it is from an aircraft or from a jig or similar at the works.

I’ll admit to not knowing what a checking gauge is – and neither do the people who’ve seen it so far.

There are front and rear trusses that make up the wing spar box on the Sunderland. Or is that a red herring? BTW, the wings were the only part of the aircraft not made at Windermere.

If it is an aircraft dataplate then it is likely to have come from one of those scrapped at Windermere – in which case, with that date, there are two candidates.

It could be the start of something big – very big. :diablo:

Just add about 18 tons of aluminium, some paint, stir well and you’ll have a Sunderland. 😀

ground equipment…a gauge does not need to be a dial….it can be some kind of protractor based angular unit