I fully agree with you Creaking Door, I am a totally committed user of the site and like you I have gained some quite exotic pieces for my collection too; both on the aviation and the medal side. However, it does irk me when individuals elongate or over exaggerate the description in a perhaps slightly disingenuous (naive?) way, to maximise their reward and ignore any contact when these errors are hi-lighted to them.

It must also be pointed out that these individuals are not just restricted to the ‘Militairia’ sections of the site, so we are not alone.

There are however, fortunately many more sellers who do appreciate additional information about their items and readily acknowledge these facts. I have also been messaged (through eBay), a couple of times from sellers who have welcomed additional information in the past and have asked me to help identify items before they list them.

So no, eBay isn’t really ‘evil’ it’s addictive!

GYD

A casual glance through other items this individual is offering is this aviation related collectable:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-RAF-NAVIGATOR-MOSQUITO-BOMBER-LOG-BOOK-AIRCREW-EUROPE-MEDALS-/362099947873?hash=item544ed6b961:g:8PgAAOSwL4BZtt-J

I am suspicious of the medal group being genuine (i.e. an original group belonging to the log book), especially as the ACE star is a copy.

The close up has carefully been photographed obliquely so you can’t easily see that the lower right hand point of the ‘W’ is not directly over the centre of the lower limb of the star, (i.e. the ridge) as it should be on a genuine star but, it is noticeable on the picture of the whole group study. I have never seen these stars tarnish like this except for fire damage and the (British) cupro-nickel Defence medal will not go black unless it is a genuine ‘Canadian’ Silver issue or, again smoke damage. But, no reference to the nationality – so he could then of course be Canadian.

I am not suggesting in any way at all, that this vendor has ‘faked’ the group and he does not mention any misleading references in his very brief text. It may well be that the original owner lost his medals and ‘cobbled’ a replacement set together himself, not unknown.

But it seems to be just as suspicious as the piece of fabric mentioned above.

GYD

Thanks Rob,

That’s better, cheers!
I’m surprised that the artwork remains as crisp as the day it was painted all those years ago, even though it was recovered from a crash site and having been stored for 70 odd years, no scorching, scratches, corrosion, amazing!!! Has the British Museum enquired to their conservation techniques?

Hint of sarcasm, perhaps?

GYD

603 (City of Edinburgh), was allocated Vampire T11 XE895 during 1956/57.

Gin Ye Daur

Another B-47 Stratojet yoke for sale:

At the rare opportunity of obtaining one of these elusive yokes, I broke open my piggy-bank and put an offer in! Now on it’s way! :love-struck:

GYD

Caveat Emptor!

Exactly David. The Gannet grip should indeed have the ‘Stores Release’ cover. But, with the ease and nature of the interchangeability of those Selectric switch/buttons that can ‘fill’ a hole in a handle is all too easy to do. Hence my previous post’s observational comment.

There was a ‘proper Gannet’ grip advertised on a vendor’s site not too long ago, sadly advertised as a ‘Spiteful/Spitfire 22/24’. I would like to hope that the input from erudite individuals on this medium will hopefully prevent the unwary from parting with too much hard earned cash. I would think that the ‘Guns’ switch is probably worth more than the (Gannet) grip itself!

GYD

Hi Aircraft,

Fellow forumite ‘Old git’ posted in the favourite stick/grip thread a few months ago, page 50 one for disposal (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?121888-Your-Favourite-Control-Column-Stick-Yoke-Grip!/page50) Drop him a PM to see if its still available. I didn’t have enough pennies in my piggy bank!!

GYD

The purpose of a differential is to usually allow two driven shafts from one single input, to turn at different speeds whilst travelling in the same direction of rotation not, in an opposite direction. They will however, rotate in different directions if force is applied to one side only.
Given that the drive appears to be from the chain sprocket, I would think that the rotational input speed is relatively low, (mechanically speaking) but, as to it’s application, I have no idea!

GYD