Visiting a small museum in central Italy I found tis item. Even the museum curator was unable to trace back the history. It's likely it is coming from a WW2 US aircraft; I think a single engine.
I had a quick sweep through my books but I was not lucky enough. Can anyone help me in understanding where is this item coming from?
In the meanwhile I made some research:
- cross checked with Mosquito pictures found surfing the web: seem quite different
- checked over some poor quality pictures of DH Vampire: seem more appropriate. The Vampire seems consistent with the plywood side; moreover the item is in a location close to the base airfiled of Italian Air Force Vampires
- Lavochkin seems 100% inappropriate
BINGO!
It's a DH Vampire... the enclosed pictures, scanned from Scale Aircraft Modelling June 1992 issue, can clear the matter!
This A/C is a Vampire Mk I and was preserved at the Midland Air Museum near Coventry - UK - when Terence Marriott took the pictures.