Crashsite part ww2

Thanks, Baz – first I’d heard of them!

Hi Adrian 

Just for general info – a starting magneto is different and was additional to the 2 normal magnetos,the starting magneto was only used briefly during engine start to initially get the engine spinning – then the normal magnetos would take over for normal running.

If this item was from a Bomber I would speculate maybe from an early Wellington ? or Whitley ? or Fairey Battle ? they were still using a starting magneto in the Hawker Fury Biplane so  possibly also used on early Hurricane Mk1 ??

By 1941 I would have thought the majority of  a/c had the push button Booster Coil system for a fat starting spark.

There is a little video on youtube showing a ground crew guy twiddling the starting mag on the RHS of the SE5a at Old Warden just after the prop swingers move the prop,the SE5a was unusual in that the handle was mounted externally on the fuselage,on most aircraft it was fitted inside the cockpit.

Well done! So stay safe everybody and spend  a healthy  christmas Time. Greetings from germany 

I’ll be quite honest – that was a guess to try and keep the thread near the top.

Wow, thank you very much!!!

It looks like a Hand Cranked Starting Magneto – these were hand cranked during engine start to give a fat continuous spark.

It looks very similar to a BTH AS3 Starting Magneto.

Thank you for the answer. I do Not have any further information,  only the pic. But it really looks like a magneto…

The casing looks like a magneto (see pic), but that handle on it has me beat – has it been re-used to make something else post-war?