Data Plates
Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:52 pm
Just a suggestion from a Tulsa guy on a late March day that looks like it's going to dump snow on us...
I am fascinated by data plates, as they are little capsules of information that represent something much larger in scaled down form. We had a discussion a bit back about Jack's P-38 data plate, but it made me wonder- what data plate treasures are out there, and what do they look like? I would guess that there were plenty of vets that brought back data plates from aircraft they wrecked/got shot down in as a convenient momento (sure packs easy.) So here's a suggestion- how bout folks post some pics of data plates they have or have seen (can even be off of a complete aircraft) so that we can get an idea of the wide variety of styles that are out there? I'll start with a really rare one- the Spartan NP-1!
kevin
I am fascinated by data plates, as they are little capsules of information that represent something much larger in scaled down form. We had a discussion a bit back about Jack's P-38 data plate, but it made me wonder- what data plate treasures are out there, and what do they look like? I would guess that there were plenty of vets that brought back data plates from aircraft they wrecked/got shot down in as a convenient momento (sure packs easy.) So here's a suggestion- how bout folks post some pics of data plates they have or have seen (can even be off of a complete aircraft) so that we can get an idea of the wide variety of styles that are out there? I'll start with a really rare one- the Spartan NP-1!
kevin
??
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:09 pm
Gary Austin is the king of the data plates! 
Re: ??
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:20 pm
Jack Cook wrote:Gary Austin is the king of the data plates!
YEP!
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:26 pm
Workin' on a post right now. 
Gary
Gary
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:38 pm
Well the world waits with baited breath... 
Another question- I know that there are dedicated data plate collectors out there. Do many of them share/post/display their collections? I've heard rumors of huge collections with some real rarities, but have never seen any actual proof. I figure most are probably keeping them to themselves and their buddies, but just didn't know if that had ever been the subject of an exhibit anywhere.
kevin
Another question- I know that there are dedicated data plate collectors out there. Do many of them share/post/display their collections? I've heard rumors of huge collections with some real rarities, but have never seen any actual proof. I figure most are probably keeping them to themselves and their buddies, but just didn't know if that had ever been the subject of an exhibit anywhere.
kevin
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:48 pm
My one and only dataplate, I found it in a box of stuff I had bought a few years ago.
The serial number and Type are obvious, but can anyone tell me what the rest of the info is?
Brian
The serial number and Type are obvious, but can anyone tell me what the rest of the info is?
Brian
Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:57 pm
Well Kevin, first of all, that Spartan data plate you posted is very cool (that JU52 plate is pretty neat too, Brian). Second, I may be busting the rules for the Super Secret Data Plate Owners' Society, but Ober won't tell me where the meetings are held, and I can't find the secret bunker in Boerne, TX, so I'm just gonna post what I've got, here on WIX. 
I was apparently a long time data plate collector, but never knew it. You see, just a couple weeks ago, I was going through some boxes of my "stuff" here at Austin Acres and was throwing away junk that was really and truly junk (yes, I throw stuff away occasionally). Well, I came to one box that I've been moving from place to place for the last fifteen or twenty years. I started to just throw the box and all of it's contents away, but decided I better physically put my hands on each item, just to make sure what I was throwing away was indeed trash. So I looked at and threw away each busted generator housing, old nasty hardware, various broken engine gaskets, and so on, until the box was "empty." Well, as I went to throw this supposedly empty box away. I heard a "clanking" sound inside. Upon closer inspection, I saw the end of a plastic bag that had been trapped under the loose flaps on the inside of the box. I pulled the bag out and discovered that it had thirty data plates inside! You can imagine my pleasant surprise, as I had been mere moments away from throwing away that box, with the data plates in it!
Soooooo, I think that instead of posting all of the data plates at once, I'll post one, or two, or a few at a time. I'll start off with the "less exciting" ones and go from there.
Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures in this and following posts........
This is the Beechcraft pile. UC-45F, C-45F, and GB-2 (Staggering Beech.....yes, I said staggering. )
Gary
I was apparently a long time data plate collector, but never knew it. You see, just a couple weeks ago, I was going through some boxes of my "stuff" here at Austin Acres and was throwing away junk that was really and truly junk (yes, I throw stuff away occasionally). Well, I came to one box that I've been moving from place to place for the last fifteen or twenty years. I started to just throw the box and all of it's contents away, but decided I better physically put my hands on each item, just to make sure what I was throwing away was indeed trash. So I looked at and threw away each busted generator housing, old nasty hardware, various broken engine gaskets, and so on, until the box was "empty." Well, as I went to throw this supposedly empty box away. I heard a "clanking" sound inside. Upon closer inspection, I saw the end of a plastic bag that had been trapped under the loose flaps on the inside of the box. I pulled the bag out and discovered that it had thirty data plates inside! You can imagine my pleasant surprise, as I had been mere moments away from throwing away that box, with the data plates in it!
Soooooo, I think that instead of posting all of the data plates at once, I'll post one, or two, or a few at a time. I'll start off with the "less exciting" ones and go from there.
Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures in this and following posts........
This is the Beechcraft pile. UC-45F, C-45F, and GB-2 (Staggering Beech.....yes, I said staggering.
)
Gary
Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:08 pm
Neat stuff, guys. And geez, Gary- talk about making a guy jealous!
Here is another Spartan one- yes, it is factory original, and yes, it is blank. The C-3, Executive, and presumably the Zeus and C-4/C-5 all used this same data plate. Ahh, the possibilities...
kevin
(with thanks to a certain WIX-er)
Here is another Spartan one- yes, it is factory original, and yes, it is blank. The C-3, Executive, and presumably the Zeus and C-4/C-5 all used this same data plate. Ahh, the possibilities...
kevin
(with thanks to a certain WIX-er)
Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:31 pm
I might as well post another picture, since I have quite a few more........
Culver PQ-14A
Gary
Culver PQ-14A
Gary
Plates from the Spirit of Flight Center
Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:33 pm
Some pictures from the "Spirit of Flight Center".
???
Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:44 pm
Gary deserves a hand here has he's got so many of these 
Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:45 pm
I got frustrated at how bad those previous two pictures of mine turned out here, so I just sent copies of the scans I did of my data plates to my Photobucket account. So, although they're not in any real order, they'll at least look better.
This will be the last one I post for now. I'll let some other folks get a word in edge-wise, and then I'll post a few more later.
Here's my Curtiss line up. From left to right...SB2C-3, SB2C-5, C-46A, SB2C-1.
Gary
This will be the last one I post for now. I'll let some other folks get a word in edge-wise, and then I'll post a few more later.
Here's my Curtiss line up. From left to right...SB2C-3, SB2C-5, C-46A, SB2C-1.
Gary
Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:06 pm
Sweet!!!
Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:32 pm
My evil digital camera won't autofocus in on the data plate. It's a pain getting a shot of it. Anyways, here's mine.
Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:50 pm
