Hello again Bobkat.
Just now noticed this thread and looking at the last 2 items pictured (Item 12 and VJN 9 42 ) agree, that on left looks to be a drum brake pad part ,almost certainly Lancaster, The other piece just cannot be anything to do with a Lanc Mainwheel assy. During my RAF Service I worked in and ran Wheel and Tyre Bays for Cold War jets,even did the Dunlop Course on this at Fort Dunlop in early 1960’s and I’ve never come across item 2 here being associated with these early Drum Brake Cum Wheel assemblies or even later ones. Unfortunately, my main Computer has just crashed and my list of Dunlop Wheels part no’s wasn,t backed up (DUH !!! ) so while I’m waiting for a copy from Forumite Terry P. I’ll pass on my thoughts. I’ve got copy of AP 2337 but no Lanc Wheel assy in there, that I can see at this time, as most are from RAF and Navy Aircraft from 1950’s the WW2 stuff being long deleted,

Peter, The item you’ve arrowed in your Lanc Hub pic. can only be the back of one of the 5 bolts that either:- 1) Bolt together 2 halves of a divided / Loose Flange wheel. or 2) Bolt the Brake drum to the one wheel half. Mainwheel assemblies of these periods were :-

Divided—Loose Flange– 3 piece flange, The loose flange type had the flange held in situ by a lock ring. All Brake Units (Drum or later disc type ) would be mounted on the Axle stub in various ways.
Moving on to this 2nd item, it looks to me like a manifold /unit mounted air passage duct fitted with an auto butterfly valve throttling unit,that worked in a warm /cool area. What immediately comes to mind is:- Was the Lancaster fitted with warm air from engines pipes or ducting that ran along wing leading edge to break up ice formation (Anti-Icing )( a very real danger to unprepared aircraft) Lanc specialists here will know, Notice the main part is made out of what appears to be “Pot” Zinc based alloy. with the butterfly valve rotted away. No way would that last very long in the exceedingly hot confines of a brake drum area. This unit reminds me of those Brit Classic Cars SU Carburettors parts. So either it is, or it could be out of some air system in ED 908,
Looking at pic again,in the inner duct there is also what looks like a small feed pipe, that either fed fuel or something into the air system. Those extra lumps of “Pot” metal show room for drillings to accommodate this. I know from personal experience that Bristol Freighters had a dreadful lower cargo area heating arrangement like the one I’m talking about here, that had big bore pipes running down inside of Fuselage, these were fed with gasoline from fuel system which was ignited in these tubes for heating and very dodgy it was. Did the Lancaster have the same system fitted ?? (Over to you on that one ).

Finally——— 2 days ago, myself and forumite Terry P. attended the Newark Aerojumble and had a great time, although the stall holders didn’t due to lack of punters. Anyhow, after paying our way in and scuttling along to get to them bargains first lol !!! we passed a Lancaster Mainwheel with tyre, parked up against that first building on right after leaving shop. I stopped to have a good look at it, noticed the cooling fins cast into area above the main brake drum liner,but couldn’t get head other side to see what type of wheel build it was. Looking around for Terry, he was long gone into the Jumble after instruments,etc so I moved on. This was (of course) before I saw this thread—lol !!!!

So that’s all I can throw in so far BobKat,– will catch up later on this.

Bill T.

2 Wows this week !!!! That is amazing. How many of you budding pilots would like to have Mr. Takahashi as your Flight Instructor. What a flying link back to WW2 you would have. Here is the real McCoy in person. Brilliant !!!! I am mega impressed.

BillT.

Hi Ian,
Interesting bits of stuff U have posted pics. of. My hunch is the aircraft was a small fabric covered airframe, going by that big structure and the section of alloy Rib/frame. The circular item with the Kings Crown and an RAF Section and ref. embossed on. is dark plastic and would be a small switch /plunger type outer cover. Section 5 is electrical -ish but cannot make out 2nd. no. Somebody in here will though and even identify the switch. Please post any more pics. you have and sizing them up will definitely help.

BillT

Ha !!
Don’t we just love trying to identify the unidentifiable. :confused: The section and ref seems to indicate anything from 1940’s to 1960’s,before the nato numbers system came in. And these items seem to be either anchor points for long springs or maybe they were threaded onto a rod (en-masse ) and used for holding some kind of string netting slung down inside of fuselage. This reminds me of the interiors of Beverley–Hastings,etc period. I’m pretty certain Section 28N was Aircraft AGS as against ground equip,etc.

Yet again, does:- “Shock absorber” springs/elastic mean as in light Aircraft landing gear or Anti Vib. Mountings ??

Best I can do AM, hope U get them identified.

BillT.

No Pics or anything ??

Thought I was only one having this problem ?? since the Forum re-vamp.

BillT.

VC’s Awarded.

Great pics !! indeed BobKat, very poignant too. Thanks for posting.

Found this para on a web site about Little Staughton history.

“
Two Victoria Crosses were awarded posthumously to Little Staughton airmen. On December 23, 1944, Squadron Leader Robert Palmer, a No. 109 Squadron pilot flying a No. 582 Lancaster, perished after determinedly attacking the target despite crippling damage to his aircraft. Then on the night of February 23/24, 1945, Captain Edwin Swales of No. 582 Squadron lost his life in a gallant effort to save both his crew and aircraft.”

Anyone know any further detaiils about these awards ?

BillT.

Servicing Tools.

Hi BobKat (Swift reply here–lol 😀 )
RRRRRRR again !!!! Armourers tools hmmmm !! yes quite possibly as the bombs would be armed at the Bomb dump and any mods/checks/markings/servicing/etc/etc would all be done there. Then they would be transported in those famous “Bomb Trains”( pics. of which we all are familiar) to the Aircraft. The Hydraulic Servicing bays would normally be found in those large hanger side rooms, that was the 1950’s format anyway. So plenty of food for thought.

That will be another epic visit for you to Little Staughton then. Take lots of pics. And post them back in here, we love seeing pics. and more pics.

What would be really helpful is to obtain a WW2-ish map/diagram/schematic of Little Staughton,with buildings ,taxiways,servicing areas as used, then you could add places where items have been found recently,what they were and see the bigger picture build. Must see what I can locate about this WW2 airfield, as I know nothing about it.

—————

Here’s a small aside from my WW2 circumstances, that your posts have made me think about.

Back in 1944-I was a 3 year old living in Moseley, Birmingham,—– because of the austere situation then,families had to house other people, squatting was rife too, so my parents had taken in a lady in her 20s called “Thelma”. She lived in the front bedroom of our rented victorian house at no 7 Sandford Road. ( right by the railway line that Germans Bombed earlier in war, but missed and hit houses around). Thelma was married to a Lancaster Pilot (Flt Lt. I think he was. )who flew on the “10000 Bomber Raids” into Germany and he would come back to our house from time to time, when he could get leave. I knew him as “Uncle Arnold” a slim to tallish happy fellow who would pick me up,whirl me around and throw me in the air and catch me again. Great times indeed, This went on till they left us ,possibly in 1945. I cannot for the life of me, remember their surname, both my parents are now dead and I was the eldest in our family, so no more help from that side. We have no documented records either and I remember my mother telling me many years ago that “Uncle Arnold” survived WW2 staying in RAF or the Volunteer reserve and that he flew Meteor jets in the 1950’s.——- From there the trail has just died.

I know that the Reserve RAF was all disbanded in 1957, so that was almost certainly when he came out. ( I know that RAF Hooton Park (15 miles from me ) flew Meteors till 1957, for instance )

So where did “Arnold ” fly from during operations in WW2, and what operations was he involved with,etc,etc.—— and many more questions.:confused: One thing always leads to another in here, maybe “Uncle Arnold” even flew out of Little Staughton.

So thanks for the Thread”Prod”. Bob Kat, appreciated.

Bill T.