Rudder Horn Balance Weight Identity

Great result then! Lucky for my kudos I left 5% uncertainty..

Beermat I have been passed a picture of a crashed 109 E tail that is 100% identical. same shape, metal and rivet lines.

It appears that the E ha a different rudder horn to the G and the later models removed it altogether.

The piece I have had previously was a horn from a G – and it was different – shape, hole and metal overlap.
I also had an elevator balance weight that was also different.

So I am now 100% sure that it is an Me Bf 109E that was painted in RLM02 and likely lost over Britain in the early part of the war .

It is sad that its identity has been lost and replaced with the id of a Hurricane.

I have contacted the seller again to ask for provenance. I am sure it was not duplicit.

Is it 109? The extent of the metal doesn’t agree with the cutaways I have seen, and the bottom edge looks wrong? The shape is right, true enough.

Perfect !

Early Bf109 (E and earlier).

No definitive picture of a rudder construction in either book.

Checking the shapes and overlaying in photoshop – it fits the Albacore and not the barracuda.

The paint could be a faded sky ?

Beermat – Since pointing out that it was not Hurricane the seller has so far not responded – hence no more information on its provenance.

Strangely he not only said it was Hurricane mk2c but he also gave an identity and the squadron. So unless he was duped in the past….

P.S. I have ordered books on Albacore and Barracuda to see if I can get a 100% positive id.

Yup, interesting.

That balance weight is fishy alright. Going on the metal covering I am now 95% certain it’s Albacore (which I have just discovered is a member of the Tuna family). Apart from claiming it was Hurricane, did the seller give any clue as to the origin?

Whilst searching for other crashed Albacore images I came across this link to some Italian WW2 photographs.

Thought they may be of interest.

http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dettaglio/uomini,5/un_aereo_nemico_e_stato_abbattuto,305.html

There is a good match to an Albacore

https://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/steinland.html

Tony I have had a few 109 rudder weights and they are that shape but different construction.

I thought Bf109

Quick overlay on PS show it is definitely not Battle.

Thanks Dave Also confirms that rudder has to have more metal and less acute top.

Checking images I can see a similarity to

Fairey Albacore; Barracuda; Gordon.

Supermarine Walrus
Percival Proctor

Me109 and 110.

Battle Rudder.

Dave

I think we can discount Fairey Battle – this picture from the Battle of France Then and Now shows the shape of the mass balance section.

Although theoretically this could be the aluminium section – the top profile is too acute.

Similar tail, but sadly not the same – believe me, it was the first thing I looked at!

I am trying to find a decent image of a Barracuda tail. Definitely more metal on it, though of the two cutaways I have, one hides the horn balance and one appears distinctly ‘approximated’.

Exactly Beermat.

However – the swordfish – like the hurricane is a frame with no aluminium around it.

The 110 rudder is similar- but its rudder weight is in the middle and uses an aerodynamic leading edge instead ( vultee report)

http://axis.classicwings.com/Luftwaffe/relics/images/Bf%20110%20G%20rudder.jpg

Your beloved Whirlwind has a similar tail.

The piece I have is 13 inches long and 11 inches high – so bigger than a Spitfire rudder as is the weight.

That something being a Swordfish?

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Though it might be more Barracuda – more metal on it..

Something like a Fairey IIIF, then? What was the rudder made of?

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Yeah, thought that through and edited at the same time as you posted.

Sorry Beermat – the angles at the front edge do not work.

These flat fin top types do not match – the fin trailing edge needs to be at 45 degrees.