Church organ incorporating WW I aircraft parts?

Pity it doesn’t say where it is. Reminds me of the bomb bell on a church on the Greek island of Symi.

Speaking of related things – keep it simple. Horsa air tank as a church bell: https://twitter.com/perlineamvalli/status/631154602319183872

Am I right in thinking that this might be an RR. Falcon prop of a Bristol Fighter The Blue bands I think are to denote that this is a left hand rotation. Falcons were produced in both Right an left handed versions. (as also were Eagles) A similar prop is fitted to the F.2b in the RAF Museum.

John

ISTR reading somewhere that there was a warehouse containing over 100.000 wooden aircraft propellers which required disposal, some time after WW1. This might account for why there are or were so many propeller art pieces around, from umbrella stands to chairs to clocks, at one time.

Anon.

That might account for how my Mother’s father came by some. I think they were bought at a London market
some time in the 20’s (?)
I managed to get hold of one in the 70’s, which is now displayed at Stow Maries airfield.

I’m not sure what happened to the remainder. I think a relation who lived on the Isle of Wight grabbed them.

ISTR reading somewhere that there was a warehouse containing over 100.000 wooden aircraft propellers which required disposal, some time after WW1. This might account for why there are or were so many propeller art pieces around, from umbrella stands to chairs to clocks, at one time.

Anon.

That makes perfect sense, Adrian. Thanks.

1920 or 21. Plenty of aircraft and parts being sold for whatever could be got for them. The Aircraft Disposal Company was formed in March 1920, and bought the entire national stock of surplus military aircraft for resale. Wiki says they’d sold 2000 airframes by 1925. I don’t know how many they bought, but it has to be a lot more than that. Could just be the organ maker using a cheap source of decent timber and so forth, and not being too particular about tidying up signs of former ownership on parts that ‘nobody’ was going to see.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t a connection. But there doesn’t have to be.

Thanks for reminding me about Southwell. I’d totally forgotten that one.

Such a possible aviation connection may not be so unusual.

From the ‘Aviation Memorials in Nottinghamshire’ booklet, the entry for Southwell Minster has the several aviation connections, including:

“In the north choir aisle of Southwell Minster is the beautiful Airmen’s Chapel, which reflects the county’s diverse aviation history.

The chapel altar was built at RAF Norton (Sheffield) in 1919 out of aircraft propellers. The triptych that sits on the altar was inspired by a Dame Edith Sitwell poem, ‘Still falls the rain’, this was installed in 1988. The cast iron altar cross and candlesticks were made from the cylinder block from an aeroplane engine. Please be aware that depending on the church season, some of these artefacts may not always be in position……”

Those two locations would be around 30 miles apart.

You’re probably right. Just an uninformed non-enthusiast’s point of view, I suppose. I’m still intrigued, though!

I don’t see a link between ‘RFC insignia’ and WW1 aircraft. I may be wrong but it sounds like someone has put two and two together and made 5. But not SE.5 or DH.5 by the sounds of it!