Any P-40 experts care to comment on this image?

[Steve Nelson]

I don't know much about the climate in the area, but I'm assuming the sand would "hug" the ground as it blows along, like snow drifting over a paved road.

Another forum says the aircraft is (was) in an area controlled/patrolled by the Egyptian military, which would keep looters at bay.

SN

[cimmex]

What are the parts on pic 13 and 32? A very knowledgeable member of a German forum claimed that these are parts of the supercharger which is at the rear of the motor and normally cannot fall out.
regards
cimmex

[mike furline]

I would guess the supercharger impellar would be about 10 inches in diameter.

[george]

In the original 5 photos, photo 2 showed the rear fuselage section still straight and not touching the ground, although 70 years with a cracked back. Some have speculated a wheels down landing, but in that same photo the tail wheel is retracted. Those photos seem to no longer be available at the original site. The newest photos show the tail wheel down, and the rear fuselage now on the ground.

[PeterA]

I don't know much about the climate in the area, but I'm assuming the sand would "hug" the ground as it blows along, like snow drifting over a paved road.

SN

Deserts behave differently. These dunes further south in Namibia are over a 1000' high...and they move over time.

Spectacular from the air.

PeterA

[51fixer]

What are the parts on pic 13 and 32? A very knowledgeable member of a German forum claimed that these are parts of the supercharger which is at the rear of the motor and normally cannot fall out.
regards
cimmex

I believe it is the supercharger.
Falling out under normal circumstances, no it wouldn't.
This impact was pretty strong. If it is the night flight with gear stuck down the 1st contact with the ground was strong enough to shatter the MLG wheel. You see chunks of the rim and even the brake drum is separated from the rim. This probably bounced back in the air and the next ground contact probably smacked the front of the aircraft as what was left of the landing gear caught and folded breaking off the nosecase and tearing off the radiator/oil cooler chin scoop.
The engine was turning as evidenced by all 3 blades having similar bending and when mass that is turning suddenly stops the loads are tremendous. Not just in a circular mode buy at angles to the rotation direction. These loads and the impact with the ground shattering the case of the engine probably tore the guts out of the engine.

[barnbstormer]

RE: HS-B
Fwiw.. This print is from an old British collection of 30,000 photo prints (mostly British Commonwealth aircraft), collection. Marked on the back is

" Negative # 118580, HS-B 260 Sqn Tunisia, 3/43"

(there are also 120,000 negs from same source)
Not saying it is accurate, just relaying what I see there.

[mike furline]

RE: HS-B
Fwiw.. This print is from an old British collection of 30,000 photo prints (mostly British Commonwealth aircraft), collection. Marked on the back is

" Negative # 118580, HS-B 260 Sqn Tunisia, 3/43"

(there are also 120,000 negs from same source)
Not saying it is accurate, just relaying what I see there.

I believe that is the tail of a P-40K.
http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40-RAF-SAA ... 42-03.html

[The Inspector]

The blower impeller is mounted on the induction accessory gear case vertically and is under the carburetor mounting adapter at the center/back of the engine and looks like the impeller on any other engine mounted supercharger a swirlled conical shaped wheel and turns inside a cast diffuser ring that distributes the fuel/air mixture to the induction log mainfold that runs fore and aft between the cylinder banks and the cylinder induction 'rams horns'(made by MAYTAG) are attached to the log manifold. The coolant scavenger pump is mounted on the very bottom of the accessory gear case and is the lowest component on the engine, and sort of resembles a cast metal cinnamon bun, it mounts horizontally. The impeller shown is for moving fluids not compressed induction air/fuel mixture and the gear cluster is part of the accessory drive system for coolant, oil, starter, and other components that all run off the blower gear case. Later models of the (said with reverence) Indiana tractor motor used a coolant scavenge impeller that more closely resembled a smaller diameter version of the blower impeller to cut down on cavitation and improve cooling as the power ratings went up.

'You can fly an ALLISON further than you can ship a MERLIN'

[cooper9411]

Isn't the manufactures data tag located on the right side near station #5?

Last edited by cooper9411 on Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cimmex]

The blower impeller is mounted on the induction accessory gear case vertically and is under the carburetor mounting adapter at the center/back of the engine and looks like the impeller on any other engine mounted supercharger a swirlled conical shaped wheel and turns inside a cast diffuser ring that distributes the fuel/air mixture to the induction log mainfold that runs fore and aft between the cylinder banks and the cylinder induction 'rams horns'(made by MAYTAG) are attached to the log manifold. The coolant scavenger pump is mounted on the very bottom of the accessory gear case and is the lowest component on the engine, and sort of resembles a cast metal cinnamon bun, it mounts horizontally. The impeller shown is for moving fluids not compressed induction air/fuel mixture and the gear cluster is part of the accessory drive system for coolant, oil, starter, and other components that all run off the blower gear case. Later models of the (said with reverence) Indiana tractor motor used a coolant scavenge impeller that more closely resembled a smaller diameter version of the blower impeller to cut down on cavitation and improve cooling as the power ratings went up.

'You can fly an ALLISON further than you can ship a MERLIN'

Do you have a pic which shows where these parts are located?
regards
cimmex

[The Inspector]

The blower impeller is mounted on the induction accessory gear case vertically and is under the carburetor mounting adapter at the center/back of the engine and looks like the impeller on any other engine mounted supercharger a swirlled conical shaped wheel and turns inside a cast diffuser ring that distributes the fuel/air mixture to the induction log mainfold that runs fore and aft between the cylinder banks and the cylinder induction 'rams horns'(made by MAYTAG) are attached to the log manifold. The coolant scavenger pump is mounted on the very bottom of the accessory gear case and is the lowest component on the engine, and sort of resembles a cast metal cinnamon bun, it mounts horizontally. The impeller shown is for moving fluids not compressed induction air/fuel mixture and the gear cluster is part of the accessory drive system for coolant, oil, starter, and other components that all run off the blower gear case. Later models of the (said with reverence) Indiana tractor motor used a coolant scavenge impeller that more closely resembled a smaller diameter version of the blower impeller to cut down on cavitation and improve cooling as the power ratings went up.

'You can fly an ALLISON further than you can ship a MERLIN'

Do you have a pic which shows where these parts are located?
regards
cimmex

GOOGLE IMAGE 'ALLISON V-1710' and the third picture on the top row (from the Hydroplane and Race Boat Museum) is a good photo of the accessory (rear) end of the engine, the scavenger pump is at the very bottom of the gear case below the starter mounting pad. I got my info from the ALLISON overhaul manual copy I have.

[Steve Nelson]

Another thing that's got me curious. In the various closeups of the nose, there's a greyish-white crumbled material beneath the engine. It looks like remains of corroded or burnt aluminum (or maybe magnesium.) Any ideas?

SN

[Wildchild]

Another thing that's got me curious. In the various closeups of the nose, there's a greyish-white crumbled material beneath the engine. It looks like remains of corroded or burnt aluminum (or maybe magnesium.) Any ideas?

SN

That's parts of the engine. I've seen the same stuff inside my fathers racecar when he blows an engine, but it's on the outside. That engine's probly totaled.

[Shay]

Any theories as to who the white face guys are? No attempt, it appears is being made to conceal the ID of the accompanying locals. In one of the last pics it looks as if a logo or some such indentifyer is being "Whited out".

Forgive my ignorance, what is the UK's equivlant to JPAC? Could this be them?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis