Liberator wrote:
This photo has me very CURIOUS -
https://picasaweb.google.com/1146825662 ... 1343253970 - its a US built Kittyhawk from 1941/42 maybe so what is a aircraft part from Australia doing this aircraft? Does this mean this is a RAAF aircraft now?
Whats the reason a Australian company would supply Curtis with such a part doesnt seem right when the RAAF was importing P-40 and i am highly skeptical that Australia would export such items to US? Now if this was inserted into the aircraft in Australia before deployment to Africa???
These are Australian made batteries likely to be supplied to the RAF and RAAF as part of the British Empire war effort and to suit british radios fitted to the US made Kittyhawks, nothing to do with supplying Curtiss in the USA, or evidence the aircraft came via Australia before Africa, or that there is any other Australian connection to the airframe.
An interesting historical quirk that Australia was supplying such items to the Air Ministry but if the raw materials were being mined in Australia it was no great manufacturing task to refine and process them, put them inside a battery can then put the batteries in a cardboard box, and certainly no bearing on the identity of the aircraft or its pilot.
(Although while the airframe apparantly sports HS squadron codes relating to RAF 260 Squadron it might be plausable that later codes have weathered off and this aircraft was flying with another unit when it forced landed, including the risk of it being 3 Sqn or 450Sqn RAAF who were operating in the same area, or equally another RAF or SAAF Sqn - but there is no evidence of "hand me down" P40E's so far, so at this stage its expected to be an RAF 260 Sqn aircraft?)
Widdis Diamond Dry Cells Pty Ltd was making radio batteries from the 1920's in Melbourne, including for the Australian Post Office (and therefore Telecom), and the Royal Australian Navy so its not surprising that the Air Ministry sought reliable supply from them during WW2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/56770686Quote:
DIAMONDDRY CELLS.
Manufactured by the Widdis Diamond ' Q*2 CelkA.r Proprietary,.;: Limited, 119 Hawke street, -West Melbourne, Diamond Dry Cell* have earned a well deserved repu
tation tor general excellence. In illustra tion of this fact it may prove of interest to quote what a representative .of the Aus tralasian manufacturer has to say:— 'I tried-out - ? three Diamond Dry Cell batteries on my two-valve set at home and found 'them moat satisfactory in every way. In fact, 'they were more efficient than others I had previously used of American manufacture. The volume of sound given was something like. 20 per cent, greater than I had previously been receiving.' This is an expression of opinion Rained from; practical experience, and is wholly, authentic, and indicates that dealers in' wireless accessories and users cannot do better - than secure Diamond Dry Cells. It is interesting, therefore, - to note tart Widdis Diamond Dry Cells Proprietary, Limited, have a xreU cqmpped v factory- in . West Mel bourne, and are making many types of- first-class dry cells, using Austra lian* raw material .wherever possible. The range -of standard, manufactures, four types of single cells, three round and one square, nine sizes of B battery for radio work,- with voltages of 22}, 45, and 00. and a C battery of US volts. In addition, cells are made if necessary to fulfill spe cial requirements. Practically all the dry cells required by the Postal Department, the Australian -Navy, the Victorian Rail ways'.- and the South Australian Govern ment ire-supplied by this company. These . batteries are obtainable from all radio dealer*, in South Australia, or from the distributor, L. A. Harper, CSS. Build iijs; £lpc 'William ttarcet, Adelaide,
regards
Mark Pilkington
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
Yeah I saw that. LOL
to this in 3 months: 
Help us get her all the way back 
