Two men who were local boys came to visit the RAF Wethersfield Museum, when they were about 12 during WW2 I had heard they witnessed the crash of Capt Battersby 416th BG A20 Havoc in a field at the west end of the runway. I had heard they had picked up Capt Bat’s wings, to my disappointment they had given them to Finchingfield Guildhall.
However I was discussing the Dornier that was shot down over the village by a Hurricane and the RCAF Pilots glove, when they gave me this piece saying they found it in the field where the Hurricane crashed.
Can anyone tell me what it is?
By: Ross699 - 10th November 2015 at 14:22
Thanks everyone for the conversation, I can confirm that the two boys in 1944 witnessed a number of crashes from their favourite spot on top of a pill box at Finchingfield, then they would ride there bikes to the crash area. 71 years later those memories merge but it would seem that it’s a 90% + reasoning this is from Dry Gulcher and will go to Ridgewell to add to the other pieces of that wreckage and story.
By: Ross699 - 10th November 2015 at 14:15
Type of Radio that was in Dry Gulcher the 381st B17 that crashed at Shalford.[ATTACH=CONFIG]241862[/ATTACH]
By: Mahone - 10th November 2015 at 13:14
Not sure about Havoc… see attached. Radio t/x and r/x equipment is the white box and larger black box to the left of it
[ATTACH=CONFIG]241860[/ATTACH]
Quite similar to typical sort of dial found on B17, B24 and others… but not an exact match.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]241861[/ATTACH]
By: Arabella-Cox - 10th November 2015 at 12:28
Agree some kind of radio dial, it is probable that this item would have been used in both the A-20 and the B-17.
Thanks to both for the replies, I wonder if they picked this up from the A20 Havoc crash? In that case it has a special place in the Wethersfield Museum. I have A20 experts who have and rebuilding A20s in the USA. And I also have contact with the surviving 416th men maybe they will recognise it.
The other possibility these boys would have visited the B17 crash site in Shalford so will ask some B17 people at Ridgewell.
By: Ross699 - 10th November 2015 at 10:46
Thanks to both for the replies, I wonder if they picked this up from the A20 Havoc crash? In that case it has a special place in the Wethersfield Museum. I have A20 experts who have and rebuilding A20s in the USA. And I also have contact with the surviving 416th men maybe they will recognise it.
The other possibility these boys would have visited the B17 crash site in Shalford so will ask some B17 people at Ridgewell.
By: Arabella-Cox - 9th November 2015 at 19:21
Radio tuning dial? MC – megacycles?
Not Hurricane, though!
By: ian_ - 9th November 2015 at 18:43
No idea what it is but the font looks American. I have similar from an Allison engined Mustang.
By: Ross699 - 9th November 2015 at 17:01
The Wings[ATTACH=CONFIG]241851[/ATTACH]
By: Ross699 - 9th November 2015 at 16:59
Capt Battersby’s Wings and the Hurricane Pilots Glove.[ATTACH=CONFIG]241850[/ATTACH]
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November 9, 2015 at 4:57 pm