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As memo serves
366 means the Spitfire Mk.XII
30 means the main fairing
3 CS is the individual part number.
By the location of the part do you mean where it was on the aircraft or anything else?
Just a note .. the part number 366 30 3CS indicate the Spitfire MK.XII while your grandad flown the Spitfire Mk.XIV. The parts number for the Mk.XIV started with 369 and 379.
It would mean the world to me, and I'd like to purchase it or know it might be in a museum of some sort yes
However, that said, there is a slim chance that this was a "common" part, and used as a replacement due to availability. It looks rather like one of a number of circular inspection panels found on the underside of the wing leading edge.
... it is a round armoured access hatch/door about 4 inches in diameter with two X's (painted on) split by a forward slash, one X being higher than the other one ...
I think it will be rather difficult to locate the current owner of the part. Also, as Wojtek points out, the part seems to be from a MkXII, with only 100 airframes produced, serving in only two squadrons of the RAF, in the UK. As far as I know, the Mk.XII never saw front-line service outside of mainland UK.
Although the part may be desirable, to a collector, due to it's rarity, is it worth the effort trying to locate something which is very probably not from your grandfather's aircraft ?
However, that said, there is a slim chance that this was a "common" part, and used as a replacement due to availability. It looks rather like one of a number of circular inspection panels found on the underside of the wing leading edge.
Hello Peter
Can you please identify this panel – it is from a Spitfire XIV RN204 – shot down on 19 April 1945, of 402 Squadron RCAF flown by F/Lt Henry Cowan
See Spitfire mk. Xii crash sites germany
Cheers
Allan
Thank you all very much for your comments and info, it is greatly appreciated. The part I have, definitely was made for a Type 366 with the correct serial number. A Spitfire Mk. XII relic came from a crash site near Ludwigslust, that means that the part was fitted to another plane, probably Mk. XIV, the only logical explanation. I have 2 Mk. XIV crash sites at Parchim. Ludwigslust and Parchim were both airfields during WW2? A key to this if it was one of the two planes, would be the dates the airfields were being used? I read somewhere that the Luftwaffe changed airfields, Ludwigslust to Parchim in early 1945? There could be more crash sites in the area also.
The Spitfires shot down were RN204 AND RM727. Does anyone have the Squadron/plane code for these?
This might be "pie in the sky" but I am going to run it by you anyway. A part made for a Mk. XII was fitted to a Mk. XIV and then was shot down at Parchim. The Germans (Russians) decided to salvage the plane and take it back to Ludwigslust for whatever reason. Does that sound plausible?
Hi Matthew,
The part is from a Spitfire XIV, although made for the earlier mark
The person can't comment on it's authenticity
Wrong location for air access door
Why does it need to be difficult to find?
The person I originally sourced the item from, lives in that area and said it been recovered from that area
Sorry I have nothing to back this up, not anymore
Allan? did I say anything to you about location of crash site?
Douglas