Bit of help solving abit of a mystery please

[109ROAMING]

Hey guys

After Paul (Micdrow) posted a photo of the gun bays of a Corsair in Dan's Corsair thread it got me thinking as to what I had in the garage -the accompanying photos will tell all

Just wondering -if it would be possible to find out what they're off? they look/are upside down to the ones on the Corsair pic so I'm thinking possibly RNZAF Mustang?

Any help/comments are appreciated/welcome!

Cheers

[Catch22]

I wish you luck Dan, but I doubt you'll be able to figure out what aircraft type it was put in, unless you can somehow narrow it down to what Squadron it was supplied to.

[Geedee]

I can definately confirm that they would have been fitted to a P51-D (and probably standard fit on other types as well)

I've taken two quick scans from my P51-D parts catalogue...dated 25 Jul 1944 !...and You can cross reference from the drawing to the parts list and it clearly matches the part No's you photo'd. Check out Item 29 on the drawing and get the full parts description from the second scan. Chute, inboard gun feed, right hand no less !

Lucky s*d !

[109ROAMING]

Thanks Gary! exactly what I was after ,looks exactly like them! also I noted as per the diagrams the 'Gun End' was the right end!

I thought Cory was right and I wouldn't of had much chance

Wonder if it was off an RNZAF machine? guess il never know -spose its likely!

Thanks again mate!

[Catch22]

Great fine Gary!

Where did you find them Dan? I would think they'd probably be off of a RNZAF bird if you got them in New Zealand.

[109ROAMING]

My father got given them from a guy he use to work with -so yep in NZ .Would be cool if they are off an RNZAF Stang' ,considering what happened to them

Couldn't believe it when he came home that day!

[Catch22]

I wouldn't doubt it'd be off of a RNZAF bird if you got them in NZ.

[Airframes]

Fantastic bits to have Daniel, and almost certainly of a RNZAF P51, I should think. Being 'found' in NZ, it's doubtful they'll be of any other Mustang.
As Gary said, lucky s*d!!!

[109ROAMING]

I wish -old man made it pretty clear they were his

Still good to have em around

[A4K]

Bloody hell Daniel!!! What a great score!

Don't mean to be a wet blanket, but two questions- First, why do you rule out the Corsair? If they are the links for the opposite wing to that photographed, wouldn't the belt appear 'upside down?' (Or did Hughes manufacture 'mirror' items for port/stbd respectively?)
Other aircraft options could include the P-40s, Avengers, or Venturas we used too, if the links are standard...

Secondly, could your dad ask the guy where he got them from, or when he found/got them? If they are Mustang links, there is a slight chance they may have come from the foreign birds we've imported since the 80's. (I hope they're original kiwi links though!!)


Evan

[109ROAMING]

Sh!t didn't think of that! may just be me but looking at the "GUN END" it doesn't have the same end and wouldn't match up on the other side -although as you say they could be different on the other side

Going by Gary's first scan it looks as though the 'GUN END' and 'BOX END' match up correctly on the P-51D

Could easily be off a P-40 though too ,as we all know they have 6 .50 cals .If theres something I'm not seeing though certainly let me know!

Will talk to him tomorrow about it -all he said to me was he got them off a truck driver who was also a aircraft nut

[A4K]

Ah, the old "fell off the back of a truck" story...

Will try and have a look round to see if we can't suss out exactly what they're from.



...Just had a thought ( it happens occasionally ) Looking at the 'Gun end' and 'Box end' of your belt and Gary's drawing, is it possible the owners of that Corsair stuck them in the wrong way round??

[109ROAMING]

Those were my exact thoughts too! Be really cool if I could find out what they're from

Ps.about to start doing those scans for ya now

[evangilder]

I guess the burning question is if those chutes were used in other aircraft. I am guessing they probably were. Why would the procurement folks have several different chutes to manufacture during wartime? Seeing how they were manufactured by Hughes in Hollywood, it is safe to assume they are out of an American aircraft, but you never know.

[Airframes]

The felexible feed chutes were made in varying lengths, so as to be used on a variety of aircraft. Long feeds were used on the waist guns of B17's and B24's for example. But, the deciding factor on which aircraft those particular feeds are from will be the length, and available angle of bend. It is possible they could be from a Sabre, as well as other RNZAF aircraft armed with Browning .50 Cals, but doubtfu, as the lengthe looks to be exactly the same as that fitted to the P51.
The Corsair feeds were shorter overall, and angled down to the guns fairly steeply. These felexible chutes are fitted to the ends of the main ammo trays and rigid chutes, to allow the bend toward the feed tray of the gun's receiver without kinks, and the Mustang required a specific feed length, and step motors, to prevent stoppages due to poor, or interupted feed.
Although it is possible they are off a different aircraft, I very much doubt it, especially if the part numbers match in any way to the manual posted by Gary.