Anybody know what this is?

[daleyboy]

This is supposed to be a WWII military ammo magazine or ammo can for a plane. I dont have a clue. I thought it might be some kind of shell catcher box for a machine gun.At the bottom you can just make out the words (START HERE 300 RDS)

Any info would be great

 

[Crimea_River]

Likely an ammo feed box. I was thinking P-38 but not sure.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Daleyboy, it is a ammo box. Not sure of the craft that used this particular one though. Here is a link to a photo to a page here on the sited with some shots of a B-17G with two very similar ones mounted up in the nose position.http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/personal-gallery/brooks-photos-16469-98.html
Hope this helps out somewhat. I know it's not specific but if there are any numbers on it it may give us a clew.

 

[daleyboy]

i looked it over really good, and found some numbers stamped on the side. they were, ASSEM 174751-j

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Aaron is correct - it could have been used on several different bomber aircraft from what i can see.

 

[A4K]

Yep, thought straight up 'P-38'...will see if I can find anything on that assembly number.

 

[Airframes]

Also looks similar to the ammo cans fitted to the F-86 Sabre.

 

[daleyboy]

A guy told me it came out of a P-39 could that be?

 

[vikingBerserker]

From the cutaways I have, it does not look like it's from a P-39 or from a P-38 as it appears they both have handles on the bottom, not in the middle. I think they also carried more then 300 rounds per gun.

 

[daleyboy]

there is holes in the can at the bottom where the handle might have been at one time. I don't know if the handle is in the original position. You can see them in the picture

 

[Frantish]

The B-17 link image looks like an identical match, including where the handle once was located.

6th image this post

 

[MiTasol]

Absolutely not P-39 (and as a previous owner of a P-39 I can be absolutely positive on that both from shape and part number)
I go with P38 but cannot prove it yet - will see what I can find over next few days. Assy number smells Lockheed and is definitely not Bell or North American