Liberator parts I.d needed

Extra long switch lever with the reflective lense in the top. Anyone any idea what equipment in a B-24 it would of come from?

Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]255490[/ATTACH]

Two more mystery items, or pieces of anyway. The first appears to be made of some early form of black plastic. The second is I’m presuming to be part of the front turrets drive gear, seeing as most items found are originating from the front end!?

Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]232111[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]232112[/ATTACH]

Rob, I dunno what happened with that link, so I have re-edited with another link to a different photo that will hopefully work this time?

That’s better Bomberboy, I understand what they are now.

Yes to bomb door bits. See post 5!

Indeed you were right Ian. And after looking at Bomberboys photo I’m just surprised I only found one.

Rob

Yes to bomb door bits. See post 5!

Rob, I dunno what happened with that link, so I have re-edited with another link to a different photo that will hopefully work this time?

[QUOTE=Bomberboy;2171721]This looks to me to be B-24 Bomb Bay Door drive dog ‘tooth pins’ ie; The door opening/closing sprockets interlock with door mounted drive dog teeth to open and close the bomb bay doors. They may be the last drive dog teeth on the door that are the door closed locking teeth. see the two teeth interlocked at the two separate narrow sections which sit at the ‘top’ of what makes up part of the bomb door assy. see the attached photo link.
http://www.questmasters.us/sitebuilder/images/B-24_Bomb_Bay_Doors_1-527×230.jpg I hope the link works this time?
Until the rest of the wheel guides, these two sections are paired up in what looks like the same as you have posted.
But I could ne wrong of course.

Smirky, I understood what you were trying to say about the K-10 & K-11 gun sights, all I was trying to indicate was, was that there is another compensating sight which although different, does look similar again.

This looks to me to be B-24 Bomb Bay Door drive dog ‘tooth pins’ ie; The door opening/closing sprockets interlock with door mounted drive dog teeth to open and close the bomb bay doors. They may be the last drive dog teeth on the door that are the door closed locking teeth. see the two teeth interlocked with the sprocket in the closed position of the attached photo.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]232099[/ATTACH]

Thanks Bomberboy, my iPad can’t for some reason open your piccy link thingy.

Rob

[QUOTEwell if you take a careful look at a K-13 compensating sight, you will see great similarity between the K-10 and K-13 compensating gun sights[/QUOTE]

The point I was trying to make is that the K-10 and K-11 are said to be internally similar and distinct from the other types. I haven’t seen the internals of a K-13 but given the resemblance to a k-10 and that one of the parts is marked k-11 it seems a reasonable bet.

Another item to identify is this fairly lightweight frame or support of some sort. Any ideas guys?
Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]232008[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]232009[/ATTACH]

This looks to me to be B-24 Bomb Bay Door drive dog ‘tooth pins’ ie; The door opening/closing sprockets interlock with door mounted drive dog teeth to open and close the bomb bay doors. They may be the last drive dog teeth on the door that are the door closed locking teeth. see the two teeth interlocked at the two separate narrow sections making up part of the bomb door assy of the attached photo link.
http://www.questmasters.us/sitebuilder/images/B-24_Bomb_Bay_Doors_1-527×230.jpg I hope the link works this time?
Until the rest of the wheel guides, these two sections are paired up in what looks like the same as you have posted.
But I could ne wrong of course.

oh that is interesting, internet says K-11 is like a K-10 but for a nose turret – that might fit in with the other nose parts you have?

Also, In line with my previous quote, “Even some of the waist gunners in B-17’s & B-24’s for example had K-13 compensating sights fitted to the gun cradles”, well if you take a careful look at a K-13 compensating sight, you will see great similarity between the K-10 and K-13 compensating gun sights

Another item to identify is this fairly lightweight frame or support of some sort. Any ideas guys?

Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]232008[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]232009[/ATTACH]

Great detective work smirky. Yes a nose turret sight would fit in with other items found, although I had no idea RAF transport command Libs had any sort of defensive armament still fitted postwar, especially as 102 squadron were involved in the repatriation of POW’s from Asia. And I would of thought that any weight saving made possible by removing unnecessary equipment would of been beneficial to getting more men on board!

Rob

Well spotted smirky, the left cam is a definite match I would say. The smaller cam I have is marked K-11 so possibly a slightly different model of turret sight!?

Rob

oh that is interesting, internet says K-11 is like a K-10 but for a nose turret – that might fit in with the other nose parts you have?

Well spotted smirky, the left cam is a definite match I would say. The smaller cam I have is marked K-11 so possibly a slightly different model of turret sight!?

Rob

Bomberboy, as you say I know nothing and hadn’t realized that these things were stuffed with computers.

Think I have cracked it though, see pic http://www.glennsmuseum.com/bombsights/pics/k10_cu1.jpg
of a K-10 rear turret sight – would one of these have been fitted?

I meant to say the numbers could be on the inner faces of the nipple itself, I.e where the Perspex is sandwiched between.

On this photo it shows a B-24 navigators astrodome with some sort of cable running down from the centre.
Never realised before that on the Liberator it was mounted in front of the main cockpit area!

Rob[ATTACH=CONFIG]231998[/ATTACH]

Thanks Bomberboy. Sadly I can’t find any part numbers on it, so possibly they’re on the inside faces. Any idea what was the reason for this ‘astrodome nipple’?

The numbers could be on the frame that the astrodome is fitted into?
WRT the nipple existence itself, I’m afraid I cannot say why?
I don’t believe it has any relevance to the use of a sextant, as this was an instrument that was mounted into a specific bracket that would clip onto the lower astrodome frame.

No, this is quite the wrong tree, these are for arithmetic not just blocking the guns. What navigation or bombsight computers were carried in this aircraft?

Smirky, These aircrafts turrets, were typically fitted with K-3 computing gunsights, (giving you your arithmetic element that you are looking for), but they still also had to avoid shooting at their own structure. I was suggesting that these cams could be part of the sighting (computing) system. I’m not saying that they absolutely are, but that they could be.
Now unless you actually know otherwise and clearly you don’t know too much about the internal fit of these aircraft types, then you can’t say they are not.
They could of course also be from within the Norden bombsight or even from within the servo units or gyros that are part of the C1 autopilot system.
Even some of the waist gunners in B-17’s & B-24’s for example had K-13 compensating sights fitted to the gun cradles

Astrodome top nipple.

For info, Parts with numbers showing a 32 in them such as “GK-32D 1229” that you posted, are generally liberator specific part numbers.

Any other bits you have please post and I’ll see if I can help?

HTH

Thanks Bomberboy. Sadly I can’t find any part numbers on it, so possibly they’re on the inside faces. Any idea what was the reason for this ‘astrodome nipple’?

Smirky – I know from the accident report that it was a GR MKVIII built by the Ford motor company at Willow Run, Michigan, and was first certified fit for flight on the 5/12/44. Modifications were incorporated by the Consolidated Vultee Corporation at Louisville, Kentucky – presumably for its role with RAF Transport Command. But I have no idea what type of navigation equipment or bombsight (if any regarding the latter) that it had fitted at the time of its delivery to 102 Squadron (Ceylon) on the 26/4/45.

Rob

Bit of a guess,…….cam arrangement for gun interrupter in turret driving/sighting mechanism, so that one doesn’t shoot at ones own aeroplane. possibly top turret?????

No, this is quite the wrong tree, these are for arithmetic not just blocking the guns. What navigation or bombsight computers were carried in this aircraft?

Bumping this up as I’ve now found two of these items at the Liberator GR VIII crash site, although different. The larger one is marked GA – LOG COS CAM 806097, the slightly smaller one K11 LOG CAM 806115. Any ideas what they are?

Bit of a guess,…….cam arrangement for gun interrupter in turret driving/sighting mechanism, so that one doesn’t shoot at ones own aeroplane. possibly top turret?????

Another item, two reasonably sized round pieces of identical diameter held together in the middle, but sandwiched between them is the remains of some 4mm Perspex. Maybe a blanking plate in a window perhaps? Any ideas gratefully received

Astrodome top nipple.

For info, Parts with numbers showing a 32 in them such as “GK-32D 1229” that you posted, are generally liberator specific part numbers.

Any other bits you have please post and I’ll see if I can help?

HTH

Another item, two reasonably sized [ATTACH=CONFIG]231952[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]231953[/ATTACH]round pieces of identical diameter held together in the middle, but sandwiched between them is the remains of some 4mm Perspex. Maybe a blanking plate in a window perhaps? Any ideas gratefully received :eagerness:

Rob