Hi Texantomcat,
I’ve never seen a cockpit photo of a British Mustang with a Dunlop type spade grip. They always seem to have the U.S. moulded stick type.
Also, the American stick features an electric trigger for the gun firing mechanism, whereas your description of the spade grip suggests it has a pneumatic gun button. Perhaps if someone could advise whether the guns in British Mustangs were fired pneumatically, we would have a bit of a clue?
Regards,
682al
p.s. As a result of a p.m. from David Collins, I’m beginning to doubt that the AH8272 spade grip would have been intended for the Sea Hornet, after all. I’ve checked my original notes, which came direct from Dunlops, and have noticed a “?” against Sea Hornet. Thinking about it, the Sea Hornet would surely have had the same stick-type column as the Hornet, which is not unlike that of the Mosquito. Sorry for the confusion, I will alter my spreadsheet right away!
Right you asked for it!!!!, the Texan Tomcat Spadegrip indeed sounds as if it is UK/Canadian Harvard. Early RAF Harvards had Dunlop UK made spade grips utilising the AH2040 (Hurricane) type part number, a stainless bolt to blank off the brakelever pivot but no brake lever or catch. They retained the bowden cable guide. About the same time a Dunlop Canada grip came out in same configuration as the UK version. For Harvards they fitted the blanking bolts, for fitting to Hurris they fitted the brake lever and catch. Otherwise same grip. These differed from the beautiful pure shiny ally early UK AH2040 grips by being chunkier castings and being magnesium alloy (hence they corrode).
Some Harvards were fitted with AH2242 which has no brake lever, pivot or brake catch and no cast bowden cable guide. Of course the Harvard had toe brakes. After the war, many Harvards had the gun button converted to electro pneumatic by boring a hole in it and fitting wiring.
I will take a phot of a RAF Harvard with the said grip to Popham to show Al tommorrow.
US and foreign T6, SNJ5 etc have either a B2 or the colloquial NAF 1173-2 grips.
What a bore I am, sorry!!
Sign In
