wavanberkel Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 (edited) These 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 April 12, 2018 by wavanberkel Additions to the text 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 (edited) 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 April 12, 2018 by Ivor Ramsden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicarage Vee Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 (edited) If you post these photos on the Flypast Historic forum the 'residents' would also be very interested and you'd get a very quick positive ID. Edited April 12, 2018 by Vicarage Vee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavanberkel Posted April 13, 2018 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 Thank you Ivor Ramsden and Vicarage Vee. I will post the photos on the Flypast Historic forum en see what turns up. Willem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossington 2 Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I've just had a quick shufti in my 1942 Chorley. Most likely candidate is Halifax II MP-B DT550, of 76 Sqn. Sgt. GG Sawatzky RCAF and crew all killed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavanberkel Posted April 14, 2018 Author Share Posted April 14, 2018 Hello Ossington, thanks for that information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cees Broere Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 Looks like a Lancaster type needle blade propeller. Halifax didn't have metal blades. Groeten Cees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicarage Vee Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 (edited) 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 April 19, 2018 by Vicarage Vee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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