I think it might be an elevator or possibly rudder tip if there is a weight inside the leading edge nose.

John

Unfortunately these photos were two of a small number which I couldn’t enhance but thank you for the input. The majority of the photos (and why I bought them) are ‘just postwar’ pics of light civil stuff.

John

Many other gallant airmen killed themselves ‘stunting’ but weren’t out to take their mates with them. Of interest, other Vee strut sesquiplanes such as the early Albatros D.III which copied the Nieuport layout, also suffered from the lower wing twisting and breaking up. Edward Mannock was another pilot to survive losing a wing in a Nieuport.

The reason for the weakness is that early in it’s development the Nieuport lower wing had been intended to be variable incidence and the end of the vee strut was a circular collar around the single spar and in a dive the outer portion of the wing could twist.

John

Thank you, great photos of a much ignored genre. Light civil needs more coverage.

John

Along with the 504’s there are what appear to be Fokker F.III’s and a lot of Curtiss Orioles and the Curtiss Wasp Tri-plane to the left.

John

The Gauntlet ‘elevator’ in the same sale is not an elevator and is certainly not complete. I’m sure this is the aileron tip which surfaced on here a while ago and I identified it from the photo posted at the time. After posting a ‘coloured in’ three view surely the vendor could see that the shape didn’t even match the article.

John