Home wanted for Airplane Wheels - free

[Nick Rogers]

Hello. Please forgive my complete ignorance on this but this seemed a suitable website to pose my question.
Years ago we inherited two airplane wheels from my wife's late father who was a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF during and after WW2.
We're finally getting round to decluttering which includes these two wheels, please see the photos. We don't want any money for them but would rather they went to someone who wanted them - if such a person exists - rather than they go to landfill.
Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.
We live near Bristol, England.
Thanks

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Hello Nick,
I could be interested in these. I'm also near Bristol UK, Junction 14 on the M5. I have no idea what they are from, but know someone that I could ask, next Tuesday. I restore WWII Planes as a living so that's why I'm interested.

 

[SaparotRob]

COOL!

 

[Nick Rogers]

Thanks Spitfire Steve! My father-in-law would have been very happy if a restorer were to take them. I'll give you first refusal in case anyone else is interested and look forward to hearing from you next week. We live in Portishead, so straight down the M5 from you.
Best wishes

 

[Snautzer01]

Hello Nick,
I could be interested in these. I'm also near Bristol UK, Junction 14 on the M5. I have no idea what they are from, but know someone that I could ask, next Tuesday. I restore WWII Planes as a living so that's why I'm interested.

Do tell more.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Thanks Spitfire Steve! My father-in-law would have been very happy if a restorer were to take them. I'll give you first refusal in case anyone else is interested and look forward to hearing from you next week. We live in Portishead, so straight down the M5 from you.
Best wishes

Thank you Nick. I'll take your photos to the person I think will know what they may come from and see if he can shed some light on type of aircraft used them. Can you see any part numbers stamped on the wheel hub at all ? That may help to ID them. Cheers

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Do tell more.

I've been restoring for many years. Started in thew RAF doing a Spitfire and Black 6 Bf109G. Helped with the Seafire XVII that Navy Wings fly here in the UK. Worked in Arizona restoring FW 190 D-13 – "Yellow 10" and two Ki-43 Oscars, one flier. Spad XIII. Several other things. Doing a Gloster Gladiator, Spitfire MkII, that was used by 303 Polish Squadron. Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann, Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister and Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann at the moment, if the years allow me to finish them all.

 

[Snautzer01]

I've been restoring for many years. Started in thew RAF doing a Spitfire and Black 6 Bf109G. Helped with the Seafire XVII that Navy Wings fly here in the UK. Worked in Arizona restoring FW 190 D-13 – "Yellow 10" and two Ki-43 Oscars, one flier. Spad XIII. Several other things. Doing a Gloster Gladiator, Spitfire MkII, that was used by 303 Polish Squadron. Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann, Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister and Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann at the moment, if the years allow me to finish them all.

If you happened to have pictures you would like to share....this is a good crowd for it.

 

[Nick Rogers]

Sorry Steve but if there are any numbers on either of the hubs, the surface rust hides them.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Sorry Steve but if there are any numbers on either of the hubs, the surface rust hides them.

That's ok Nick, just thought I would ask, just incase I could reference a number with aircraft type. I ask my friend tomorrow if he knows by the size. Have you any ideas where your father in law was stationed. That may help the search. ;0)

 

[Spitfire Steve]

If you happened to have pictures you would like to share....this is a good crowd for it.

First batch of photos are 2 of the Spitfire MkII, was part of 303 SQN, one of the Oscar Ki-43 in AZ, and 2 of the Spad XIII with final markings being done by me after painting it. also in AZ. This now hangs in PHX Terminal 3

 

[Wurger]

 

[Spitfire Steve]

2 of a Stearman I did 4 years ago, including paint. 2 of the Gloster Gladiator I'm on now. I haven't got any of the German stuff I'm doing, but will get some this week

 

[Spitfire Steve]

This is the Fw-190 D13, a P-40 we repaired that had a wheels up landing in the desert. And a couple of A-2 flight jackets I've painted, 2 of many.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Snautzer01]

Very nice. Thank you for posting. Perhaps a thread on its own would be a good idea? Certainly if you have more to share .
Wurger could help with that.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Sorry Steve but if there are any numbers on either of the hubs, the surface rust hides them.

That's ok Nick, just thought I would ask, just incase I could refrance a number with aircraft type

Very nice. Thank you for posting. Perhaps a thread on its own would be a good idea? Certainly if you have more to share .
Wurger could help with that.

I have problems with finding the photos from the many years. I have moved house and countries. Some are 35mm hard copies some are digital. These I put up were just luck of the draw when I looked for some. I will try and find some more, but can't promise anything.

 

[Nick Rogers]

That's ok Nick, just thought I would ask, just incase I could reference a number with aircraft type. I ask my friend tomorrow if he knows by the size. Have you any ideas where your father in law was stationed. That may help the search. ;0)

Hello Steve. I'm not sure that this will help you as we know more about his roles rather than the details of all the aircraft he flew. He was in the RAF from before the war and flew with 224 Squadron until 1943 when he was taken off operational duties and became a Flying Instructor in Training Command until 1952, when he was moved to Air Traffic Control until retirement in 1961, some of which time was spent in Berlin. So I'd guess he flew and had access to lots of different aircraft.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

Sorry Steve but if there are any numbers on either of the hubs, the surface rust hides them.

That's ok Nick, just thought I would ask, just incase I could refrance a number with aircraft type

Hello Steve. I'm not sure that this will help you as we know more about his roles rather than the details of all the aircraft he flew. He was in the RAF from before the war and flew with 224 Squadron until 1943 when he was taken off operational duties and became a Flying Instructor in Training Command until 1952, when he was moved to Air Traffic Control until retirement in 1961, some of which time was spent in Berlin. So I'd guess he flew and had access to lots of different aircraft.

224 Sqn was an anti-submarine unit, which flew Hudsons and then B-24 Liberators. Both of these had larger tail wheels than 4" x 3 1/2" so maybe it could be off a trainer if as said he was a flight instructor. If you have his logbook that would tell you what he was flying. Usual trainer for that time was a Tiger Moth, but I can't find any details on the rear wheel tyre size, even on Google. I will keep trying ;0)

 

[Nick Rogers]

Sorry but we don't have his log book. Yes, you're right about the anti-submarine flights but we know that he also took part in the early raids over Hamburg.