March 31, 2021 at 9:47 pm
Hi I found this plate yesterday whilst metal detecting in a wood and think it could be off a plane. Am I correct in thinking this and if so can anyone please explain what the numbers on the plate mean. If it is off a plane are this numbers enough to identify what type of plane it’s comes from.
Best regards Danny.
By: Milkcup1986 - 14th April 2021 at 23:24
Thank you both for your reply”s . Very interesting.
By: NewQldSpitty - 14th April 2021 at 23:10
In regard to Spitfire parts manual yes Spitfires do have them.
https://spitfireparts.co.uk/products/wwii-raf-spitfire-parts-manual-mks…
If not there I ve heard Hendon has it as well.
By: adrian_gray - 14th April 2021 at 21:32
If I bump into someone with Spitfire bits next time I’m getting flints ID’ed at the Ashmolean, I’ll say “Hello”!
I can’t help with the licence (sadly, the people I could name who would know I don’t think post any more), but I can say – and you’ve probably worked this out yourself – that the 20mm cannon shell cases along with the .303 case are absolutely right for a Mk Vb Spitfire, which would have carried 2 20mm cannon and 4 .303 machine guns.
By: Milkcup1986 - 14th April 2021 at 08:25
Hi I have shown my brother the aircraft parts I have found and he think’s I need a licence to dig on this land because I am finding crashed aircraft parts. Is this correct ?. The land owner has given me permission to metal detect on his land and is happy with the finds I’m giving him . I am not actually looking for aircraft parts but I am happy to find them as they are very historic . I take all my artifacts to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to be logged on The Portable Antiquities site but these aircraft parts fall into a different category. Can anyone please advise me the correct route to take and whether I do need to speak to anyone about obtaining a licence.
Best regards Danny.
By: Milkcup1986 - 13th April 2021 at 22:32
Here are the pictures.
By: Milkcup1986 - 13th April 2021 at 22:23
I have posted some pictures of tonight find’s. I am mainly looking for Medieval, Saxon and Roman artifacts but must say I’m really enjoying finding these Spitfire parts.
By: Milkcup1986 - 13th April 2021 at 22:23
I have posted some pictures of tonight find’s. I am mainly looking for Medieval, Saxon and Roman artifacts but must say I’m really enjoying finding these Spitfire parts.
By: Wyvernfan - 13th April 2021 at 07:02
Some very nice finds there Milkcup. Please keep posting photos of anything you find.
By: Milkcup1986 - 10th April 2021 at 18:49
Sorry this is the photo I was surprised to have attached. I’m not sure whats happening with my phone.
By: Milkcup1986 - 10th April 2021 at 14:09
Sorry two of my pictures didn’t load.
By: Milkcup1986 - 10th April 2021 at 14:03
Thanks to everybody that has replied to my recent posts. I can see you are definitely experts on Historical Military aircrafts and aviation. This is only the second time I have found aircraft parts during my 6 years metal detecting. I went again yesterday to my friends land and unintentionally found more of what I think are Spitfire parts. I have tried to
identify the parts online but have had no success so far. Am I right in saying the A M and crown image on some of the parts refer to The Air Ministry . I will post more pictures online if I find any other similar items in the future.
Best regards Danny
By: bazv - 9th April 2021 at 09:09
Just out of general interest – there are some wonderful good quality shots taken in and around the Castle Bromwich Factory by an employee,inc a couple of Desford and Cosford.
I almost get agoraphobia whenever I look at the picture of the Spitfire Final Assy Shop,my knees ache at the thought of walking the whole length of it LOL.
http://spitfiresite.com/2012/07/castle-bromwich-spitfire-and-lancaster-…
By: Sopwith - 8th April 2021 at 11:25
Thanks bazv, I thought initially CB = Castle Bromwich, it was the DS that threw me but what you say makes sense.
By: bazv - 8th April 2021 at 10:59
Or perhaps ‘Castle Bromwich Detail Shop’ ?
Small components/parts were often manufactured/assembled in a Detail Shop.
Sometimes by personnel classified as ‘Detail Fitters’ because it was was a less skilled/narrower job ‘description’.
We had ‘Detail Fitters’ at Wastospace,because of my qualifications/experience I was employed as a ‘Skilled Fitter’ – and because I had a much wider job description/scope on various aircraft.
By: bazv - 8th April 2021 at 10:48
As I alluded to in Post Number 11…
CBDS will be Castle Bromwich Shadow Factory related (perhaps something like Castle Bromwich Design Standard ?)
To support that view – here is a pic from Spitfire Spares.com

By: Sopwith - 7th April 2021 at 16:33
Thanks Danny
By: Milkcup1986 - 6th April 2021 at 20:25
Here is the Information I found on line today about the spitfire.http://aircrewremembered.com/godlewski-sylwester.html
By: Sopwith - 6th April 2021 at 19:53
Yes that is a Spitfire part, it has the 300 numbers. What was the gen on the Spitfire that crashed? Nice finds by the way.
By: Milkcup1986 - 6th April 2021 at 17:03
I went today for another metal detect and found a small stamped aluminium bracket. I found an article online today about a Spitfire that crashed in 1942 not to far away . I suspect these parts must be from that spitfire ? .
Regards Danny.
By: bazv - 6th April 2021 at 15:41
CB = Castle Bromwich ?? (Shadow Factory/Airfield)