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Salvaged WWII bomber parts


wavanberkel

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20180406_183933.jpg20180406_183942.jpg20180406_183955.jpg20180406_184033.jpg20180406_184047.jpg20180406_184053.jpgThese are parts of (an) aircraft that was were salvaged of the coast of Ameland and Rotummerplaat, two Dutch islands in the Wadden sea. They are displayed in the open air near the Hotel Bernstorff on Schiermonnikoog. There are questions about the provenance of the propeller. Does anyone have a clue?

 

The plaque on the tailplane reads:

 

"On November the 8th 1942 a four-engined bomber crashed on the Rottumerplaat. This aircraft, a Handley Page Halifax was part of "Operation Gardening". The object was to lay minefields North of the Wadden Isles to hinder German shipping. All the crewmembers were killed in the crash.”

 

The plaque on the propeller reads:

 

“This propeller of an allied bomber was dredged up by a Zoutkamper fisherman above Ameland. Unfortunately it is unknown of what aircraft is, be we hope to be able to retrieve its provenance”

 

 

Edited by wavanberkel
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It looks like a Merlin engine reduction gear to me. The prop blades are feathered so it's probably from a multi-engine aircraft which ditched with at least one engine shut down.

The number of teeth on the gear might narrow down the list of possible types but I don't have any references on Merlin reduction gear ratios.

Edited by Ivor Ramsden
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I'd forgotten that you were on here too Cees!

Looking at it again and opening myself up for ridicule, is the tailplane Halifax too?  Shouldn't the outer of the pivot points for the elevator be just before where the rear edge structure changes direction and extends aft along the fins?

 

This carries on in a straight line.

 

The two access panels by the inboard hinge look Lancasterish. 

Edited by Vicarage Vee
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