Items 49 and 51A

Yes, we have had a good success rate on the last batch – a great combined international effort with input from France, Canada and the UK!!

I suppose there would have been a similar arrangement as in 51A for the bomb bay jacks? Does this piece have a technical name? Or should I simply describe it as ‘hydraulic connection for undercarriage jack’? As a reminder it bore the number 35795 or 35785.

I have just had a flash of inspiration for our item 49 (probably ill-founded)! These pieces were found not far from item 47, the frame for the landing gear locking mechanism (post #504). I have had a closer look at AP2062A and found a diagram hidden away in the section for Instructions for ground personnel, which gives a close-up view of the frame with the turnbuckle arrangement showing the locking catch in position with the undercarriage retracted. The pieces in 49 look as if they might be part of the turnbuckle – any thoughts, anyone?

I have posted the earlier pictures alongside for ease of reference. Laurent had thought the top item in the “uncleaned” picture was part of the engine sub-frame, but I am now wondering whether it might be one of the undercarriage strut braces. The piece was too big for Laurent easily to clean electrolytically, so it remains in its original state.

Matching brake shoe linings

Laurent has confirmed that the two pieces 51 and 51A both have diameters of about 33 to 35 mm – much as I thought. Having positively identified 51 (thanks again Peter – a lot of effort went into that!), our spindle (51A) seems too large to be a locking pin in the retracting strut locking mechanism but, by a process of elimination after looking at a number of photos, I wonder whether it might be part of the attachment for the upper end of the hydraulic jack, as you thought was a possibility in your post #484, Peter? The diagram in AP2062A does not quite give enough detail, but it certainly looks to be a possibility.

I had high hopes that the cleaned-up pieces numbered 49 might be identified. I can’t see them obviously anywhere in the undercarriage retracting mechanism (could they be engine related?), but I think I will have to assume these and the other recent photos remaining unidentified are now a lost cause.

Following my comments on the brake shoes and linings, Laurent has provided the attached photos. The wear patterns are well-preserved and can be matched. These show that the two pairs must have come from different brake drums – one from the starboard undercarriage which came down with the main fuselage (presumably 53/54) and the other from the port wing which fell separately after the mid-air explosion (presumably the two found after Laurent’s dig at location 12). Given what has now been found, I am beginning to have doubts about finding anything else at the bottom of the hole. The parts of the undercarriage found seem to be too widely scattered to indicate something substantial is still buried there, but who knows? Maybe something will turn up – we will have to wait and see.

Peter, that would be great. Laurent will be delighted with the news.

Thanks again, Peter. Looking at Laurent’s tape measure, the diameter of the iron rivetted part (51) is a little over 3cm or about 1.25 inches. The spindle (51A) is about the same.

In the meantime Laurent has confirmed that the brake shoes found in location 12 do indeed have a different wear pattern from those in locations 53 and 54. So he seems to have found pieces from both wheel drums!

Many thanks, Peter – I have found a picture of a K-Gass priming pump which appears identical, and I have found its location on the aircraft from the fuel system diagram in AP 2062A. A great start to the latest batch of photos!

Thanks for your further comments WV-903 and an interesting thought, Richard gray. Many thanks for entering the fray – this one does not seem to want to lie down just yet – it looks as if I may be browsing more photographs for a little while longer!!

Peter, you are working really hard on this one! Maybe we are beginning to narrow it down a little – a two-fastener panel with a chain attachment – but where???