Help with identifying a mechanical part from a Flying fortress

[Ben West]

Hello,

I have just taken these photos of a mechanical part from a Flying fortress that crashed in South Sweden on June 21, 1944, and I would be very thankful if someone could help me with identifying what type of mechanical part it is.

 

[Airframes]

At a guess, I'd say part of a control surfaces linkage, but no doubt someone more knowledgeable can advise further. Perhaps if you can include some measurement it might help.

 

[Ben West]

At a guess, I'd say part of a control surfaces linkage, but no doubt someone more knowledgeable can advise further. Perhaps if you can include some measurement it might help.

Thank you Airframes for your answer. This piece from the Flying fortress is 30cm (12'') long and 16cm (6'') across.

Ben West

 

[Ben West]

Hello,

I just want to give a little more information about the Flying fortress that crashed in South Sweden by giving some links. The first link is a description about the incident (case 152) from Bo Widfeldt's book ''Making for Sweden, part two. The United States Airforce.''

Second World War Books: Review

I lived until very recently just beside the crash site in Dörröd in South Sweden and I have with a friend in the village written (in Swedish) and taken some photos for an article in ''Forced Landing Collection.'' The owner of the mechanical part that I have shown photos of here above lived as a boy in the house that can be seen to the left on the photo of the crash site from 1944, and I lived where the photographer was standing. The next photo that was taken by me in the link shows how the crash site looks today, a lake has been created and a forest has grown so it is very difficult to recognize the scene from the old photo.

Nödlandare från USA - B-17G - Serial # 42-38135

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Looks like a fuel shutoff valve...

 

[razor1uk]

It could be that Flyboy, but it does also have a 'grease nipple' on it and what appears a universal linked shaft through it too, perhaps a control/transfer pump of a shaft powered kind?
..as the shaft if it is that, looks perhaps too big for me, for just a shut-off valve - although it being a very important back up control part (if it is so), operational safety and operating of it would logically require such seemingly hefty shafts.
As bigger diameter tubes can generally be thinner, lighter and can carry proportionally more torque resistance than a more normally sized tube of an equal length...
Certainly it still has some parts codes and stencilling upon it, so those should help specifically in 'tying it' down.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I'm limited with what I could pull up on the computer at work, but Google "Grayson Controls B-17" and you should find a website about the company.

 

[Matt308]

Yeah looks like a mechanical linkage of some sort whose connection is via off-angle shafts covered in rubber boots (similar to what you might see on front wheel drive cars). For what I have no idea.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The raised numbers on the side of the unit might just be a casting part number. That yellow tag is obscured but should of had the part # which would make the search easier.

 

[razor1uk]

I'd guess the cast 'Alco' no's are its casting company mould ident number, design /or patent no etc, and the yellow could be company QC clearance before it was shipped unless I have it mixed with the 'stamped like stencil' hidden by the mounting bracketry..

Perhaps the mounting bolts/nuts could gently be loosened after a liberal localised coverage time soaking of WD40 to read it better - some plasticine or blutack made cups around the nuts bolt threads could easy soaking in WD, for perhaps safer, cleaner and easier undoing prior to reading the stencil and retightening the fixings?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I'd guess the cast 'Alco' no's are its casting company mould ident number, design /or patent no etc, and the yellow could be company QC clearance before it was shipped unless I have it mixed with the 'stamped like stencil' hidden by the mounting bracketry..

Exactely!

Perhaps the mounting bolts/nuts could gently be loosened after a liberal localised coverage time soaking of WD40 to read it better - some plasticine or blutack made cups around the nuts bolt threads could easy soaking in WD, for perhaps safer, cleaner and easier undoing prior to reading the stencil and retightening the fixings?

Agree...

 

[Ben West]

Thanks for all responses to my question, it is very kind of you to take the time. I did a google search on Grayson Controls as FLYBOYJ suggested and I found this information,

Other Aircraft Parts - B-17 AIR DEPOT

E17. Airspeed selector valve by Grayson. Double sided name plate standard WWII usage, BT-13 to B-17,
used on all instrument panel.

I also include two more close up shots, one of the yellow label and of what Matt308 call a ''mechanical linkage of some sort whose connection is via off-angle shafts covered in rubber boots.'' These mechanical linkage could by the way be rotated in any direction.

Ben West