Relic Find inside "Aluminum Mistress" !

[noizeedave]

Shes a C-47B

see Restoration Post in the maintenance hanger

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19235

[bdk]

If there were guys handling ammunition it could have been dropped and stepped on or the bullet could just have been pulled out and lost. I wouldn't quite warm up the forensics lab just yet.

[SaxMan]

Could it be an Israeli round? After all, it was in their service for 34 years.

[JDK]

If there were guys handling ammunition it could have been dropped and stepped on or the bullet could just have been pulled out and lost. I wouldn't quite warm up the forensics lab just yet.

You mean they can't call the C-47 'The Grassy Knoll'?

[Forgotten Field]

If there were guys handling ammunition it could have been dropped and stepped on or the bullet could just have been pulled out and lost. I wouldn't quite warm up the forensics lab just yet.

You're absolutely right! There's no need to ask an expert about this because EVERYTHING can be resolved here on the WIX.

Dropped or stepped on or the bullet just pulled out? God, how did that NEVER happen to me in all the 10's of thousands of rounds I handled and fired in my military service...? It's just WIX voodoo, that's what it is...

[brucev]

You're absolutely right! There's no need to ask an expert about this because EVERYTHING can be resolved here on the WIX.

Dropped or stepped on or the bullet just pulled out? God, how did that NEVER happen to me in all the 10's of thousands of rounds I handled and fired in my military service...? It's just WIX voodoo, that's what it is...

(raises hand) me me over here, I've had a round with the bullet so loose in the case it just took a light pull to remove it (I think it was a .243 round).

note: i doubt have fired 1000 rounds in my life

[51fixer]

When the restoration of the SBD at POF in the early 80s I found several 30 cal rounds and many shells around the area where the dive window is through the wing in the cockpit. This window IIRC was under the rudder pedals or pretty close. The mystery was that 30 cal weapon was in the back and there was supposed to be some kind of barrier between the pilots cockpit and the gunner. If memory serves part of the barrier was canvas and we surmised that when diving with the dive brakes extended, nose pointed straight down, the shells and such would roll forward. Above the instrument panel was a pair of 50 cal MG. Only found a few of those shells. The fuselage had a NZ bureau number under the movie paint and Francious and Durka painted under the canopy. I believe it was recovered from MGM in the 60s and was used by NZ and the Marines.
History here-
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/sbdregis ... 28536.html
Rich

[bdk]

If there were guys handling ammunition it could have been dropped and stepped on or the bullet could just have been pulled out and lost. I wouldn't quite warm up the forensics lab just yet.

You're absolutely right! There's no need to ask an expert about this because EVERYTHING can be resolved here on the WIX.

Dropped or stepped on or the bullet just pulled out? God, how did that NEVER happen to me in all the 10's of thousands of rounds I handled and fired in my military service...? It's just WIX voodoo, that's what it is...

Did you miss your medication?

If these were used as troop transports, do you think that every cartridge was accounted for?

What expert do you recommend? If that is all that fell on the floor and rolled into an inaccessible area in 65 years of service around the world I'd be shocked.

So you are saying that in your tens of thousands of rounds handled in military service you've never rejected a questionable round?

If that projectile had been fired there should be evidence of rifling.

[Mudge]

If that projectile had been fired there should be evidence of rifling.

UH...evidence of rifling? After seeing that round, I doubt that there would be any evidence of something as subtle as rifling left on it. I could be wrong...(remember 1953? )

Mudge the memorable

[Forgotten Field]

note: i doubt have fired 1000 rounds in my life

Some years, I fired well over 100,000 rounds, usually high velocity rifle and machine gun, and got paid to do most of it! Yes, bullets do come off of cases- it just never happened to me. No kidding- just last week, I had my first bullet stuck in a barrel. First time in 26 years of shooting. I guess I've been lucky.

What expert do you recommend?

www.firearmsid.com is a good place to start to seek information.

http://www.unl.edu/anthro/afaculty/scott.shtml

Dr. Doug Scott is one of the people who worked on Little Big Horn reconstruction. I had to look up his name because I couldn't remember it. I was introduced to him once- nice person.

Maybe you guys could have a debate with him, really teach him some stuff!

Last edited by Forgotten Field on Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Brad]

During my last deployment to the desert we would bring all the ammo that was found in the airplane and put it on the ops officer's desk. When he left for home about halfway through the TDY, he had nearly fifty rounds of various ammo on his desk. It isn't uncommon to find bullets at all, but one crew brought in a Hummer with three grenades rolling around in the gun tub.

[noizeedave]

Im sure it wasnt shot into the airframe, but I am convinced at its age in the belly. The funny thing is that unless modifications were done to the floor after the war, i dont see how the round made it under the Nav area with floor being so well fitted. Maybe after the war the floors were replaced and the round made it in then. Still curious where the brass went, and why a .30 round in the nav area to roll around?

Ill never know! Unless we have a forensic scientist among us who can carbon date the rust on the bullet to know exactly how long its been in the belly. Then If I know the year, Id just be more interested to know more.

[Canso42]

I'm with Mudge on this one. Good luck finding rifling on the crud encrusted gem. On the other hand, if rifling marks are found it could narrow the field as to what it came from.

[Django]

Try soaking it in vinegar for a few days. It will eat the rust but not destroy any rifling if it is there.

[omega7]

Another possible explanation is the field adaptation of tungsten carbide cores from armor piercing ammunition frequently being used as a center punch for drilling operations. -Adrian