AIRCRAFT(?) PARTS FOUND ON UTAH BEACH - IDENTIFICATION?

[harry2111]

Hi All

first post on this forum and am hoping someone can help identify these parts that I found washed up on Utah beach a few weeks ago.

There is a fuel valve of some sort, what I think is a condensor with the code

CA-275X
4.0MSF50VDC
PR MALLORY &CO INC
B210002-6

and a section of cast aluminium with a stamp 2005905.

they were all together on a larger sheet of aluminium skin so are all part of the same craft.

I am assuming they are of US origin given the maker name on the condensor (PR Mallory), but have had no joy identifying them.

does anyone recognise them and know what they may be from? Any help would be gratefully received.

thanks

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The casting part number matches Lockheed sequence for the numbering system for the P-38. I'm trying to find a good photo of a P-38 cockpit to see if the shut off valve matches anything on the P-38.

 

[bobbysocks]

the one looks like a fuel selector valve. it is simular to the 51 and 47 ..or a b17 for that fact. but not close enough...the mounting is different.

 

[harry2111]

The casting part number matches Lockheed sequence for the numbering system for the P-38. I'm trying to find a good photo of a P-38 cockpit to see if the shut off valve matches anything on the P-38.

Thanks very much. Just as an update, further cleaning of the cast aluminium piece has revealed another set of markings. Looks like DYCO (manufacturer?) and a '43 date stamp?

 

[T Bolt]

This is a fuel crossfeed valve lever I have from an AT-10

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Thanks very much. Just as an update, further cleaning of the cast aluminium piece has revealed another set of markings. Looks like DYCO (manufacturer?) and a '43 date stamp?

"DYCO" can be a manufacturer. The "D" stamp with the 43 is an inspection stamp. I compared the stamp to a page that has a list of major US manufacturer's stamps and it really didn't match anything from the period.

 

[bobbysocks]

i wonder if this came from a landing craft that was destroyed. there is a possibility they used a selector switch like that for something. and mallory was an ignition/electronic component co. i used to sell mallory ignition parts for automotive use.

 

[bobbysocks]

alright...did a little digging on the part #s and so far i come up with it being a "noise filter capacitors mounted on the rotary flap actuator to detect damage" for a fokker F27-135. there is an AD (airworthiness directive ) from the FAA dated june 1, 1992. basically the one from a different manufacturer cause a problem on the aircraft ( not the mallory) and had to be swapped out with a one of the new components...within 500 hours or 2 months which ever came first. with that length of time for inspection and/or replacement it wasnt a huge or life threatening problem. i have seen ADs ground a fleet down right now because they had to be adhered to within hours or days. i think you already know some of this because i see where you posted on another forum.

FOKKER Model F27 Series Airplanes

i would suggest you contact mallory tech support and maybe they can help you. here is an address with phone# and 2 links. i could not find any mallory aeronautical or aerospace division.

Mallory Capacitor Co. 4760 Kentucky Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46241 317 856-3731

Mallory Ignition :: Distributors ? Coils ? Hyfire ? Unilite ? Fuel Pumps

Mallory Marine :: Electronic Ignition ? Service Parts ? Inboard ? Outboard

now, i am not saying this didnt come from an allied ac...just that is all i could find. IF all this was is a noise filter then mallory could have used this from day 1 or for the past 70 years. technology for some of those items hasnt changed. whenever you have a dynamo....electric motor, generator, etc....they give off electrical interference. have you ever been in a car with the radio on and heard the alternator or windshield wiper whining through the speakers? a noise filter would take care of that. so i am guessing...flyboyj would be the real authority here...that it was fitted on an aircraft ( or jeep, tank, LST) to block radio or nav interference from the charging/ignition/etc. system . mallory maybe the only ones able to give you the complete story. the bottom number is a probably a "batch" or "run" number that should identify the date and location of when it was manufactured. good luck...

 

[harry2111]

Thanks very much to you all for your help on this.

I have e-mailed to Mallory to see if they can shed any light on this and will let you know what, if any, information, they can come up with.

I have also made contact with P38 National Association and Museum in the US to see if they can verify whether the parts are from a P-38.

I'll let you know the outcome.

Thanks again.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

alright...did a little digging on the part #s and so far i come up with it being a "noise filter capacitors mounted on the rotary flap actuator to detect damage" for a fokker F27-135. there is an AD (airworthiness directive ) from the FAA dated june 1, 1992. basically the one from a different manufacturer cause a problem on the aircraft ( not the mallory) and had to be swapped out with a one of the new components...within 500 hours or 2 months which ever came first. with that length of time for inspection and/or replacement it wasnt a huge or life threatening problem. i have seen ADs ground a fleet down right now because they had to be adhered to within hours or days. i think you already know some of this because i see where you posted on another forum.

FOKKER Model F27 Series Airplanes

i would suggest you contact mallory tech support and maybe they can help you. here is an address with phone# and 2 links. i could not find any mallory aeronautical or aerospace division.

Mallory Capacitor Co. 4760 Kentucky Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46241 317 856-3731

Mallory Ignition :: Distributors ? Coils ? Hyfire ? Unilite ? Fuel Pumps

Mallory Marine :: Electronic Ignition ? Service Parts ? Inboard ? Outboard

now, i am not saying this didnt come from an allied ac...just that is all i could find. IF all this was is a noise filter then mallory could have used this from day 1 or for the past 70 years. technology for some of those items hasnt changed. whenever you have a dynamo....electric motor, generator, etc....they give off electrical interference. have you ever been in a car with the radio on and heard the alternator or windshield wiper whining through the speakers? a noise filter would take care of that. so i am guessing...flyboyj would be the real authority here...that it was fitted on an aircraft ( or jeep, tank, LST) to block radio or nav interference from the charging/ignition/etc. system . mallory maybe the only ones able to give you the complete story. the bottom number is a probably a "batch" or "run" number that should identify the date and location of when it was manufactured. good luck...

Thanks Bobby....

I think we may just have a coincidence with the part numbers being the same as the F27 part numbers. Those items look pretty old.

 

[bobbysocks]

no..what i am saying is that same part could have been used on everything from a p 38 up to even now. when i had the autoparts store some of the resistors and condensors were the same from early 30s cars up to..well i sold the business in the 90s and they were still being used. a lot os stuff chanced when they were able to make them solid state...like voltage regulatores. but on the condensers...the only thing that changed was the box color. mallory will know for sure....

i couldnt find where a fokker went down anywhere near normandy...i looked at that aspect as well. need to keep digging.

 

[GrauGeist]

Not sure if this will help, but the P.R. Mallory company was sold in 1978. That style of capacitor looks to be much older than that, though...if I'm not mistaken, they were migrating to solid state assemblies by the early 70's...

Also, if that's the same DYCO, they are based in New York, and have made aircraft equipment for the military and civilian sector for some time. They specialize in electro/magnetic based equipment, amongst other things, Radar gear.

The inspection stamp I see on that aluminium bracket (that is also stamped with the name DYCO) could be a DYCO factory (inhouse) QC stamp which would explain the "D" outline as well as not being in the aircraft manufacturer's Inspection Stamp database.

 

[harry2111]

I have confirmed with Mallory Sonalert that the ' CA ' was designed for general noise suppression in aircraft and marine applications. PR Mallory ceased to exists back in the late 60's. Mallory Capacitor Company / North American Capacitor Company was bought by Vishay Company in 2003 and was absorbed into Vishay on Feb 2004. Mallory Sonalert is all that is left and it is a private company

The code B210002-6 is a US Military part number but there seems to be no history of it from WW2 days that I can find. The earliest record I have found is 1963 and the end item for this specific capacitor is an AUSTIN SHIP CLASS LPD-4 AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT DOCK. So it looks like Bobby is correct in saying that this part has been used on a whole load of stuff over several decades, so will probably be not too helpful in identifying the craft

FYI Whilst cleaning up the cast aluminium section, I found another number stamped into the casting, near to the DYCO logo. This is reads 2119777.