Wow! I wasn’t expecting the mystery-object to look like that; thanks for posting the scan.

Looking at that scan I’d put a totally different interpretation on the purpose of the object; I now think it is a ceremonial, spiritual or religious object.

…apparently the small piece of paper found inside was burnt…..it must have been burnt before the crash, but why?

So if the paper inside the object wasn’t accidentally burnt in the crash then it must have been burnt beforehand and so was probably burnt deliberately. Why would somebody deliberately burn a piece of paper with writing on it? The obvious reason is to destroy and therefore conceal the writing but then why throw it from the aircraft if it was already burnt; and when exactly was it burnt, surely not during the dogfight?

What if it was burnt before the aircraft took-off? But then why carry it at all if it was burnt and unreadable?

The only explanation I can offer is that it was some sort of spiritual or religious offering, such as a spell or prayer, which was written down and then burnt and carried by a member of the crew in the hope that it would bring good luck. It is not really my field of interest but I believe things of this nature are (or were) done. I can’t think of another explanation.