Need Help Identifying old Navy aircraft control yoke stick

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damien-7

Recruit
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0
Mar 2, 2011
Hello, I am new to the forum and hope I am posting this in the correct place. I bought this piece at an estate auction, it has a trigger so I am assuming its military, and anchor stamped in the grip so I assume its Navy, and the wires are braided cloth, pre plastic so I am assuming its WWII era. The deceased gentleman it belonged to Im told was an old Navy pilot. The grip is stamped with an anchor and 3410, left side of grip is stamped o 150114 o. the shaft is stamped D65 43382 and the pivot casting is stamped EX4668S and CAB 5. Any help with the Identification would be appreciated...

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Interesting artifact. Sorry I can't help but someone may come along. If you live near an aviation museum, they may be able to help you out as well.
 
I have found 2 pictures on the web of the P-40's cockpit showing what looks to be the exact same bend and taper to the shaft as the one I have, however the grip has thumb button on the top instead of a first finger trigger on the front., also the pivot casting is different as well, but I am excited to see the part is definately of WWII vintage!
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Not a P-40, but the shape of the grip is almost the same as the ones used in P-40s, P-47s and P-51s, but they were a hard plastic, not metal. here's a picture of one.
 

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Damien-7,

Since the function of a control column or stick in WWII fighters was fairly basic and common, it's likely you'll find lots of very similar features associated with the shape of the stick and it's grip. The bottom of the stick, where it attaches to the control linkages, is likely to give more unique identification features since each aircraft had slightly different implementation of the control connections. Comparing that area on your stick with the pics of the P-40, I'd suggest they aren't the same since the P-40 has a noticable offset for the upper linkage location. Sadly, I don't know what aircraft it did come from.
 
I am not sure the Navy purchased any P-40s and the cast grip may mean a bit earlier than WWII, maybe Curtiss F11C Goshawk? You might try contacting the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. Do you know the mans name?
 
I don't know of any P-40s being used by the USN in WW2. At first glance, The stamp looked to me to be an IJN style anchor-stamp, although that's a Malcolm Gladwell 'Blink' reaction for which I can't provide any reason. I have to wonder if it isn't from an IJN aircraft although the anchor is certainly a universal naval insignia.

See photos, which include those of an IJN untriggered control stick hand grip that is quite different from the one in the above photo but has what appears to be a similar anchor marking. just saying. Those who have seen more WW2 control columns and grips are undoubtedly better qualified to make a call.

Examination of Japanese Aircraft Equipment

Check the base of the control column shown on the linked website photo and compare it to the one in the P-40 cockpit shown in the above photos. The IJN aircraft hardware linkage arrangement appears to be slightly more similar to the artifact in question.
 
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It is the front control stick for a Grumman J2F Duck. I know this as I have been working on a model of the J2F-5 for a few years and have the pilots handbook as well as a lot of other reference material. The lower section of the stick is where the linkage that connects the front stick to the rear stick is bolted. I can't say for sure which model it came from but the trigger suggests it was more then likely a -4 which is the only one that had a 30 caliber Browning M2 mounted between the cylinders of the Wright R1820 engine rather then the rear mounted gun which was most common.
 
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Photos of J2F cockpit (Monografie Lotnicze 98 ) - the one on the right shows the lower fork. The bend in the column looks to be damage rather than the original shape?
1-Grumman Jf2 cockpit-page-001.jpg
Hope this helps.
 

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