In photo 7, is the casting in the hand aluminium or perhaps lead?

One of my old Seafires had a lead mass damper clamped to the the spade grip to assist the pilot / reduce force effect transmission etc

This might be a Seafire thing.

Mark

Nah, it’s a heavy cast(?) iron piece – it remined me of a bomb attachment kind of thing, but it was in the box of mixed stuff so I have no idea of it’s origin. Some of the stuff I was given looks like somebody’s childhood shrapnel collection i.e. pieces of bomb casing, the bits that screw in the noses of bombs (but shattered) pieces of grenade etc… There is a lead weigth included in the box, but I thought it looked decidedly un-aircraft-like. here it is:

I love the “one of my old Seafires” bit 😀

Nothing’s ever simple is it! Thanks for the help.

Any ideas as to the brass disc with fast-slow adjustment markings on it? – seen here on the right.

What about the piece on the left here:

Lower part of the crankcase on a merlin? No idea about the bit on the right.

and sorry for all the questions!

Thanks Mark12, very interesting, but I’m left pondering why an armed seafire would be in the ground in Biggin Hill? Could the same mod be incorporated on a Spitfire? Would you agree it looks a bit like the plate you sometimes see in a spitfire’s wheel well?

By the way, in answer to your question, the (exploded) ammo ranges from 1937-1941, I haven’t found anything later than that.

Merlin Pete, the Spitfire bits in my last photo were in a bag together, but I don’t think everything else came out of the same hole, the blanks could just be home guard or local defence forces cast-offs…? When my neighbour comes back from hols I can ask him more about the source.

Thanks all 🙂

Zwit

Your plate is a Mod (modification) plate.

The numbers in the boxes are the mods incorporated in the part.

Please advise the mod numbers and I will check what they are. This will locate the the area of the assembly.

What is the date on the ammunition?

Mark

The mod number in column 1 is A72 and on the same line in column 3 it says M229

I’ll check the ammo dating when I get home tonight

couple more bits here – anything recognsable? The round plate has fast – slow engraved on it, some kind of indicator or adjuster?

Thanks (everyone)

Zwit