Request of identifications from a B-17 crash site
Sat Apr 07, 2012 5:16 am
Here are some fragments from crash site who noticed on HOUSTON CHRONICLE here:
http://www.chron.com/default/article/WW ... 453968.php
Some idea about these fragments?
Best regards from SALERNO AIR FINDERS
www.1943salerno.it
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/129119250509719/
Electric engine. For what?
Pistol fragment?
What?
What?
What?
http://www.chron.com/default/article/WW ... 453968.php
Some idea about these fragments?
Best regards from SALERNO AIR FINDERS
www.1943salerno.it
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/129119250509719/
Electric engine. For what?
Pistol fragment?
What?
What?
What?
Re: Request of identifications from a B-17 crash site
Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:27 am
I'm sure someone with better information will add to this. The B-17 was an electric airplane, and everything except, I believe the brakes and cowl flaps used electric motors for operation. The B-24 was a hydraulic systems airplane.
The booster coil was and exciter circuit that increased spark production to one cylinder on each engine to get a cold cylinder to fire and hopefully drag the rest of the engine into firing during starting, there was one booster coil assembly per engine and fed through the magneto system remember each cylinder on an R-1820 displaced 202 cubic inches so that's a lot of cold charge to get fired on pretty low compression ratios.
The ultraviolet lights would have made the radium stenciled instrument markings legible by causing them to glow without causing night blindness caused by incandescent lamps, sort of like subdued lighting on a boat @ night.
The exhaust manifold is the engines cylinder exhaust plumbing, This part was made by FISHER BODY the car body division of GENERAL MOTORS switched to making parts and subassemblies since cars weren't being built during the war, if you look in the early part of the DUXFORD 'MARY ALICE' thread you'll find a photo of an assembly tag for an elevator rib made by BRIGGS MFG. BRIGGS stamped most non GM car bodies in the 30's and 40's on contract (including FORD bodies) and was switched to aircraft parts too.
The bakelite piece is quite likely from a crewmewmbers issued sidearm ACP pistol.
The booster coil was and exciter circuit that increased spark production to one cylinder on each engine to get a cold cylinder to fire and hopefully drag the rest of the engine into firing during starting, there was one booster coil assembly per engine and fed through the magneto system remember each cylinder on an R-1820 displaced 202 cubic inches so that's a lot of cold charge to get fired on pretty low compression ratios.
The ultraviolet lights would have made the radium stenciled instrument markings legible by causing them to glow without causing night blindness caused by incandescent lamps, sort of like subdued lighting on a boat @ night.
The exhaust manifold is the engines cylinder exhaust plumbing, This part was made by FISHER BODY the car body division of GENERAL MOTORS switched to making parts and subassemblies since cars weren't being built during the war, if you look in the early part of the DUXFORD 'MARY ALICE' thread you'll find a photo of an assembly tag for an elevator rib made by BRIGGS MFG. BRIGGS stamped most non GM car bodies in the 30's and 40's on contract (including FORD bodies) and was switched to aircraft parts too.
The bakelite piece is quite likely from a crewmewmbers issued sidearm ACP pistol.
Re: Request of identifications from a B-17 crash site
Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:58 am
salerno1943 wrote:
Pistol fragment?
Looks to me like the grip of an M8 Flaregun.
http://www.303rdbg.com/pp-m8-flaregun.jpg
Re: Request of identifications from a B-17 crash site
Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:30 pm
The Bakelite piece is part of an M-8 flare pistol, not an M-1911 sidearm
Re: Request of identifications from a B-17 crash site
Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:38 pm
I didn't say M-1911, it could have been from a personal 'pocket piece' like a .32, lots of crew members carried one or more 'accessory' pieces. I agree it is a flare gun grip.