I have been given this small hatch cover, approx 15cm wide by 20cm long. The only mark I can find on it is the one shown which looks to me to be an inspectors stamp. Does anybody recognise the type it is from? A long shot with so little to go on but thought it was worth asking.
Thanks for any suggestions.[ATTACH=CONFIG]252986[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]252987[/ATTACH]
By: ZRX61 - 3rd June 2017 at 07:26
I’ve heard several people refer to that kind of latch as a “Messerschmitt latch”
By: JDH1976 - 1st June 2017 at 22:39
Thanks Brian for continuing to try and resolve the identity. Yes I agree that is a very close match for the catch and rivet construction on my piece. So German it probably is.
By: FarlamAirframes - 1st June 2017 at 13:28
Looks similar to this piece in construction
By: FarlamAirframes - 3rd May 2017 at 19:47
The shape did remind me of a 109 lower wing access hatch but the rivets, hinge and catch were all too different to this one.
By: JDH1976 - 3rd May 2017 at 15:34
Sorry for the late reply and thank you for continuing to help with this piece. I have now looked closely through a loupe at what I take to be traces of the original paint around the rivets. On the outer surface it is a sky or duck egg blue, I can only liken it to the colour I used to paint on the under surfaces of Bf109 airfix kits. The inner surface has a dull dark green paint. I know that is not a very good description and probably won’t help in tying nationality down.
Jdh
By: brataccas - 30th April 2017 at 21:17
did you czech to see if it was from near slovakia?
By: FarlamAirframes - 29th April 2017 at 14:25
Okay checked through all the hatches I have had British, German, Russian and US and cant see anything exactly the same.
The irregular placing of the rivets on the hinge, the triangle inspection stamp and style of latch was simialr to Russian pieces but I dont think this is.
What does the paint look like in natural light- RAF Dark Green? What does primer loook like- grey, yellow , green ?
By: JDH1976 - 28th April 2017 at 19:56
Russian is something I had not considered, here are some details of the catch and hinge from the other side. They are both attached with nice flush rivets. ignore the black painted line near the latch that is a recent addition to the piece.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]252994[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]252995[/ATTACH]
By: FarlamAirframes - 28th April 2017 at 15:09
It is similar in construction to some Russian pieces I have had.
What is the upper surface and locking mechanism look like ?
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April 28, 2017 at 1:40 pm