Spitfire Part - Strange Markings

[konig]

Hi all,

This is a spitfire part, but I'm yet to determine what part of the aircraft it is from. 26 refers to Struts & external bracing. The mark near the rivet hole has me stumped also. Any ideas.

Thanks

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/9288/clip3r.jpg

[TonyM]

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Last edited by TonyM on Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Sopwith]

Failing that,try the Flypast Historic aircraft forum,there are plenty of Spitfire experts on there,someone would be sure to know.

[FITD]

Hi Konig,

I am just curious as to why you think the part in question is from a Spitfire? Are there other numbers on the part which are not shown in the photograph?

Thanks.

Regards,

FITD

[Dave Smith]

I'm not entirely convinced that it's from a Spitfire as the part number looks more American-style. As Sopwith suggests, try the FlyPast Historical Forum. Someone will know!

[konig]

Hi all,

Thanks for your advice. You could be right, this might not be from a spitfire and might be American in origin. I consulted a B-17E parts manual which had numbers in exactly the same pattern (15-6620-8 for example). So the plot thickens. I thought it might be spitfire because spitfire parts have been found in the vicinity.

Hmm... Whats the link to the flypast forum?

Thanks

[konig]

Hi,

The inspection stamp is 'Boeing'. You can see the bottom part of the Boeing inspection stamp near the rivet. Still don't know what the 5 X stands for or what part it is but at least I got what aircraft its from now. Thanks to those who shed doubt on my earlier theory.

[Dave Smith]

If you still want to try the FlyPast Forum for more info:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=4

You'll have to register to post but it's easy. They will be very interested to know where you found these parts. So am I!

[The Inspector]

5X is probably the specific Inspectors 'bug' number so a bad part or batch of parts could be traced back to the specific Inspector who bought it/them off. My QC 'bug' when @ the lazy 'B' was
BT
71
N

[TonyM]

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[konig]

Hi all,

Yes your right it is probably is a inspectors number. The question I have now is did Boeing use this inspection stamp in the 30's and early 40's? From a bit of research it appears that most B-17s had the letter "B" as an inspection stamp. It also appears that the Boeing company used the logo, as pictured on the part, as their official company logo in the 1930's. Did they use it as an inspection stamp also?

So the question is did Boeing use the "logo" inspection stamp on early B-17s manufactured in the 1930's and if so when was it discontinued in favor of the letter "B".

[The Inspector]

This one definately has the bottom of the 'totempole' from the Boeing old logo (that got replaced when MCD took over Boeing in '97). the stamp designs change periodically to keep them 'fresh' and to cut down on possible use of lost stamps by others.
Since Boeing changed the service year pins from the totem to the Long Beach button and made the totem a 'buy it yourself if you want one' @ $35, most old timers just refuse to take one.

[konig]

Hi Inspector,

Thanks, you are a wealth of information. Do you think this could be from a Boeing B-17C or D? Did Boeing manufacture all of these early B-17s?

Thanks

[The Inspector]

Boeing built all B-17's up to the mid F model when the demand exceeded the capabilities of Seattle who were building 16+ every 24 hours, Vega started with mid production F's, did all the YB-40's and started fitting 'G' chin turrets to really late production F's which is why sometimes thr cheek windows don't look 'right' on a 'G', Douglas started with a few very late F's and did mostly G's but parts and subassemblies were sourced from all over, see the Mary Alice thread for the picture of the horizontal stab bearing a BRIGGS I.D. with a Boeing QC stamp as well as an ARMY QC stamp (BRIGGS was the biggest independent stamper of car bodies in the 20's & 30's, they could produce a complete Model 'A' body for about $4.75 per car which even Ford couldn't beat, in the mid 50's they were bought out by Le Baron and became part of MOPAR) plate and a Boeing 'source' QC stamp, Company Inspectors are sent to work as 'source' QC so parts and assemblies can be taken directly out of the box or crate and installed without needing receiving inspection, they also work with the suppliers as do travelling MRB folks to help implement changes in assemblies or assembly sequeces.
Today, 737 assemblies come in from China being source accepted (whatcha got for lunch today, snippets of Whippets), parts for 747's come from EADS (bet cha didn't know that didja?) and 767 assemblies from Japan source accepted.

During the Korean War Douglas and Locoweed built B-47's

China was building complete MD-80's for customers under the same ATC as the ones built in Long Beach, and might still be for domestic consumption.