Mystery panel number 7

Had another thought that it is perhaps the cover from a relay box or a distribution panel? There are quite often oodles of bits of electrickery in undercarriage bays (so you would have Port and Starboard panels) and I am sure I have seen them made of composite type materials. I always maintained leckies could never find their own backsides with both hands so they identified all their boxes hence the number 4

I am going to discount anything engine bay as the heat would preclude using GRP etc.

Definitely not C-130.
Looks to me like it could be some sort of cargo bay liner or area door. These are often made of composite materials.

Rad Alt panels tend to be smaller as a general rule but Doppler radar panels are a lot bigger – if you have ever seen a Tornado GR1 inverted the big white square just behind the nosegear compartment is a Doppler Panel.

However, it wouldn’t really stand up that you would have a panel on each wing fro Doppler or Rad Alt. I would suggest it is more likely to be a non structural access panel for some sort of inner wing space?

IF its for a Rad Alt!

Thanks Bruce. That certainly does seem the obvious answer, but would electronic equipment of this kind really be placed in the wings? I would have thought something like a radio altimeter would be in the fuselage freeing up as much space in the wings as possible for fuel tanks. I’m probably wrong, of course, but I just wondered.

The title ‘No 4 port’ suggests that it could be from under the engine bay, but certainly under the port wing!

Bruce

Could it be off an Nimrod R1, which has different underside?

That’s great, thanks Bruce. Presumably this will be on the underside somewhere then? Whereabouts is the radio altimeter located on a Comet 4? I must go and have a look at the aircraft. I don’t recall seeing a fibreglass panel, although if it’s been well painted I probably wouldn’t spot it on a casual inspection.

Looks like 6 ?F 5201A ND

Which does make it Nimrod (or Comet)

Bruce

Here’s a close up of the number. It’s been engraved by hand and is not very clear, so I’m prefectly willing to admit I might have some of the letters and numbers wrong. I hope this combination means something to somebody.

The rest of the number doesnt really work for a DH part no.

Could it be 6 AF ????

In which case it could be the old fav Nimrod again.

Good point!

Radar altimeter cover panels would be flat. (I just found one in the shed!!)

Thanks guys – interesting posts. Fibreglass does suggest a dielectric panel, but for me that normally means a nose cone. I can’t think of anything that might have a flat panel of radar transparent material. It may well be that the GAF stands for Government aircraft Factories, but I would be surprised if we have a random Aussie panel (although stranger things have happened).

I’ll try and get a clear picture of the numbers, just in case I’ve misread them.

I looked at it and immediately thought Phantom.

Cant think why…just looks Phantomish. Probably isnt…

Perhaps Hercules?? No 4 Port….

Panel i’d

I can’t tell you what the panel is from but GAF may be the Australian manufacturer Government (I think) Aircraft Factory.

If it’s fibreglass it could be a dielectric (radar transparent) panel.

Sorry, not much to offer – and guesswork at that.

Anon.

Re-examination of this panel indicates that it is made from a thin sheet of what appears to be fibreglass. The metal framing has the following marked on it: GAF 5RO L[or 1]AND / No 1.

Any ideas? Hopefully a fibreglass panel might help annrow it down. As always, any suggestions or comments are most welcome.

Does no-one have any idea what this is from? Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Does no-one have any idea what this is from? Any suggestions would be very welcome.