September 18, 2006 at 9:38 am
Dear all
herewith some pics of our dig on Boulton Paul Defiant 1 N1794, at Ketton, Rutland, this weekend – the aircraft of 151 Sqd RAF Wittering, crashed on the 4th March 1941 and both crew members were killed after structural failure of the aeroplane – Pilot P/O G Deane, Gunner Sgt Warledge.
Parts recovered included pilots seat armour, flare pistol and two .303 Brownings, plus main gear leg and some turret parts.
Unfortunately the engine was smashed, there being gravel substrata about 10ft down – also it was very badly ‘daz’d’ or corroded, unlike the guns which are in excellent condition.
Hope you find the pictures interesting – we are looking for a picture of N1794 if anyone can help
TT
By: Junk Collector - 20th September 2006 at 18:09
Mark12Man
Oh dear Mark 12…..not bringing up THAT dig again are you? Think we should rename you Agent Provocateur. (Dont they make lingerie?) It could start all over again, you know!
Yes I think you are right, he must be Basqueing ? in his role…………
By: Junk Collector - 20th September 2006 at 18:01
Help Wanted
[/QUOTE]
Think that photo does need a caption, been thinking but cant figure one out yet, all this testosterone in the shape of Hispano’s is making me drowsy !
Surprised TT you havent got a Hispano seems like half the world here has dug em up
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 20th September 2006 at 17:27
We’ll get one – just you wait – bet you havent got three RPs though have ya!
TT
P.S.
Yep weapons will be with armourer for legal deactivation….
By: Alan Clark - 20th September 2006 at 15:50
I would second the not to be fired from the hip.
They are v. heavy when handled that way.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th September 2006 at 15:38
Oh dear Mark 12…..not bringing up THAT dig again are you? Think we should rename you Agent Provocateur. (Dont they make lingerie?) It could start all over again, you know!
By: Junk Collector - 20th September 2006 at 14:54
like to see you walk into a bank with that concealed down your trousers !
By: stuart gowans - 20th September 2006 at 14:52
“Fill your hands you sons of b*tches” (Rooster Cogburn, True Grit)
By: Mark12 - 20th September 2006 at 14:29
Where can I get a holster for a Hispano ??????
A word of advice:-
Not to be fired from the hip.
Mark

By: Junk Collector - 20th September 2006 at 13:34
I would recommend everyone go down the Deactivation route whatever they have, even being in posession of a barrel could be an offence, I have even battlefield relics certificated, its always better to be safe than sorry. I am not suggesting anyone on here isnt doing the right thing by the way !
Different Police Forces have differing views on what constitutes not needing deactivating, I know of one case where someone showed a rifle metal work and asked was he taking the p*ss by the firearms Officer. Another case down this way made great light of showing similar items found in a raid to a gun story hungry press, although there were other issues in that raid, it is a fact the press love to sex up gun stories.
It seems stupid, as a relic by its nature will be far more deactivated than any cutting and welding but I advocate better safe, than your picture all over the local rag as a gun toting nutter. While you would hope common sense will prevail firearms offences attract a 5 year mandatory prison sentence.
Where can I get a holster for a Hispano ??????
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 20th September 2006 at 12:39
gggggggggrrrrrrr!!!!!!
:p 🙂
TT
By: N.Wotherspoon - 20th September 2006 at 12:34
– IIRC Hispanos are bloomin difficult to find, we’ve never ‘dug’ anything RAF with them fitted TT
You mean like these 😀
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 19th September 2006 at 12:25
I reckon you’re right Stuart!! Certainly as regards the de-act rules – IIRC Hispanos are bloomin difficult to find, we’ve never ‘dug’ anything RAF with them fitted (did a P-38 a while ago but no sign of any weapons) I think Spitfire Spares have a couple for sale but £900 seemed a bit steep and I’m not much in favour of selling crash remains commercially…
Even if you did find one the ammo drums are even rarer (but I bet 682al has half a dozen :p ) mind you with your fabrication skills am sure you could knock a couple up before breakfast!
TT
By: QldSpitty - 19th September 2006 at 12:24
watch where you point that thing……
now its removing everything else other than the firing pin!
Geez you could put an eye out with something like that… :diablo: I,m not even thinking about our wings yet.Sending me up the funny farm just worrying about the fuse :p ..
I agree it all comes down to the soil composition to see what survives and what doesn,t.Just recover whats left of the engine and clean up as best as possible.All you can do and have a good pic next to it saying..”This is what it should look like”..Good luck guys.
By: stuart gowans - 19th September 2006 at 12:16
Ben, I am not at present thinking of an armament fit, as I reckon it’ll be hard enough just building the wings without all the various brackets required for the guns ; and as a mkIX I’d need a couple of cannons as well!!
QLD, I bet your gun laws are less draconian than ours; deactivation over here used to mean removing the firing pin, now its removing everything else other than the firing pin!
By: QldSpitty - 19th September 2006 at 11:41
Stuart give us a yell,we have a few that need fixing:)
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 19th September 2006 at 11:32
Stuart- are you doing an armament fit on your Spit?
TT
By: stuart gowans - 19th September 2006 at 10:27
Only problem with the browning is that to slot the barrell properly, you have to unscrew it from the receiver, and to do that you have to straighten it, because as it turns, it fouls the heat shield around it ,which in turn is pinned to the receiver, but the pin can’t be driven out until the barrell is removed, which can’t be done unless it is straight……
I started out with a relic, and by the time I’d finished deact’ ing it ,it was more usable than it was to start with!
By: N.Wotherspoon - 19th September 2006 at 09:21
All a bit pointless on that type of weapon, as there was no firing mechanism, and as a crash relic ,it obviously wasn’t concours condition either; not exactly the favorite weapon of yer yardy type or bank jobber
Exactly! – and as for the pair of 20mm Hispanos I had to have deact last year……. Fortunately I have now made contact with a very reasonable and knowledgeable local firearms inspector who they send out to check out our finds – he took one look at the .303 & commented that it would probably disintegrate if deact, so signed it off on the spot.
From what I understand, if the barrel is bent or blocked and a rod cannot be inserted, then the barrel has to be slotted instead 🙁
Ok then Alan time to reassess that Defiant!
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 19th September 2006 at 09:17
MK12 – tsk tsk tsk!
No problem with the Brownings chaps – we know our weapons, the de-act rules and have an excellent local police firearms dept – so not a problem…
(just as a point of order they were safetied the second they emerged from the hole – done this a few times before you know… :p 🙂 🙂 )
This was our first Defiant – after doing oodles of Wimpeys, amongst other types…. 🙂
Glad the pix were of interest guys (I always like seeing other peoples dig photos myself…)
TTFN
TT
By: Alan Clark - 18th September 2006 at 21:18
Nick
I never moaned at another Defiant, i got the map out instead.