Molly Coddle

Some years ago I was at a car boot sale in Yorkshire and I came across this wooden lamp base. The guy who was selling it told me it was made from a part on a world war ll bomber which had crashed in Scotland. The first plane to crash there or the only plane, I can't bloody remember now, this was about 8 years ago. Me being a sucker for a good story and even more so for one that involves the world wars, I bought it.
I vaguely remember him telling me which part of the plane it came off, but can't remember exactly what he said now. I've tried to find out online but no luck. Anyway it's been in the attic years and I never got round to revamping, but I'm just about to.

Do we have an aeronautical experts with us? Or any plane geeks who know their stuff?
I would love to know which bit it's from, I've just bought a new shade for it today and I'm going to have it rewired ready for my new home downunder.

Here's a few pics ....Sorry I can only put one on per post.

Molly Coddle

The base.

Molly Coddle

Side view.

I'm just trying to get all angles it might be easier for someone to identify.


Hopefully someone will be able to help.

koalakim

The mosquito was wooden and our friend Mr Google says one crashed in Scotland.

There are some websites which list WWII crash sites in Scotland.

Hope this helps

Molly Coddle

That's really helpful Kim thanks.

I've read all about the Mosquito Bomber (very interesting actually)
And I thought it must have come from one of those as I don't know of any other bombers that were made from wood.

I'm very excited to hear one crashed in Scotland( obviously not about the loss of life that occurred )

So there is a chance then that this story is true, I never doubted the bloke but it's always nice to have a bit of evidence to back it up.


I found this clip on YouTube tonight, interesting stuff.

http://youtu.be/vf-x7tLgDbQ


I didn't know that some of the bombers were made in Australia.










I wonder if anyone can identify the wood that this lamp is made out of?

I'm not sure what it is, it doesn't look like balsa wood though, and that's what the Mosquito Bombers was mostly made from.

Amazulu

My grandfather flew Mosquitos

The first Mosquito bombers only came into service at the end of 1941, so I doubt that this is from one of those

Most aircraft at that time had wood in their construction - even all metal planes like the Lancaster and B-17

The Wellington was an early bomber that had some wood in its airframe

It could have come from a German bomber?

The first German aircraft to be shot down over the UK was, I think, in Scotland in 1939

Molly Coddle

How cool that your grandfather did that, you must be very proud!

Hmmm, so it rules the Mosquito out then.

I'll try and see if I can find a German plane that had wood parts.

If I could just identify the wood first it might help but I'm not familiar with the wood at all. It's certainly not Pine, Oak, Walnut, or Birch.


Cheers for that info!

The Bloke

Molly,

Why would it rule out a Mosquito? I am sure some did crash, either in training or returning from operations. after 1941. One Mosquito in particular from 617 Sqn crashed near RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland late in the war
Mosquitos were made normally from plywood, balsa or spruce. I'm pretty sure that the wood in that photo is not spruce, though if it had dark stain applied it is possible. If it is from the Mosquito, my guess would be the only parts that it could possibly be a counter-balance weight or laminated pieces of bulkheads.

The Luftwaffe did have some wooden aircraft, like the Heinkel He 162, Messerschmitt Me 163, but saw limited action mainly over occupied Europe and Germany. late in the war when materials were hard to get.

Molly Coddle

Thanks Bloke

Interesting stuff!

I might sand it down a little just to see what colour the wood is underneath, or maybe just take it to a carpenter today? I think I'll do that, he should know shouldn't he? Once I have identified the wood I will be in a better position of finding out where it came from.

Regarding the parts where it came from, thanks for that info, I was certain it couldn't have come from the fuselage as it's too thick for that isn't it?

Anyway the plot thickens... I hope I can find out the story about it, it's so interesting.

And if I find out that I do own a piece from one of these planes, I'll be thrilled to bits!

The Bloke

Just added some info form a book I was reading about 617 "Dambuster" Sqn. As Zulu said, a lot of planes did have wood bit in them. The Mitchell B25'sthat Lt Col. Jimmy Doolittle flew to Tokyo had wooden guns sticking out of the tail (to make the Japs think they were real)in place of the real ones to save weight.

Molly Coddle

Cheers!


OK so my first port of call is to identify the wood, I'll do that shortly when I go into town.

Then, it will be one of the types of wood the planes were made from, then I could perhaps take it to the Imperil War Museum in Manchester, and ask an expert his/her thoughts on it, although that will have to wait to the weekend.







( Hope my husbands not reading this, he thinks I'm busy getting things ready for the move, Lol)

The Bloke

Lol.


I'd be interested to find out what it was.
I'm a big WW2 buff myself and love the old aircraft. My biggest buzz was going to the Shoreham Air Show in 2003 and standing less than 4m from a F4U4 Corsair, Mk 5 & 9 Spitfires, P51D Mustang, P40 Kittyhawk, Fairey Swordfish.....

Amazulu

Yes, very proud. He went through terrible times but was always quiet and unassuming and rarely talked about it. His service is a hell of a story

It could be a Mosquito but the 1st bomber to crash in Scotland would not have been one. Hundreds of bombers - British, American and German - will have gone down in that country

The Mosquito was made of mainly spruce and Canadian birch, with some balsa as well

rasen78

I'm fairly certain my grandfather flew Mosquitos. My parents have part of a propeller from one of his planes as a coat stand.

Molly Coddle

I love air shows too, as well as the older aircraft I also enjoy watching newer ones like the Eurofighter Typhoon etc..I get a buzz from watching them.




So yesterday I managed to find somebody who could identfy the lamp base he was a great help and he said that the lamp is made from plywood,with each individual sheet being made up different types of wood. ( this explains the rainbow effect you see)

The lines on the bottom of the base indicate where the strips of plywood have been glued together to form a solid piece. He said it was very unusual that someone would glue pieces of plywood together to make a lamp base when it would have been much easier and more valuable to make a solid base out of a solid piece of wood in the first instance.

I then told him the story of the lamp, he said to me that it's possible but he can't
identify what wood is in the plywood, all he knows is they are different types in there.

So I reckon to identify what wood is used I would have to send a sample off to a lab

As soon as I find a lab that will do that and if it isn't going to cost too much I'll send a sample off from the hole at the bottom of the lamp.




So this is what I'm now thinking or hoping, that the plywood is off the fuselage of a Mosquito Bomber, the thickness of the plywood sheets and the fact that they are made from multiple wood types is a good indication this could be true.

I really hope so anyway.





I bet your grandads story is a great one to pass down the generations.
You often found that those who fought in the war rarely spoke about it after, my grandad was the same. Didn't say much until near the end of his life.



I love the fact your parents have recycled the propeller Rasen, it will always carry a story. Something to tell the kids and grandkids etc.. I think it's important these kind of stories are kept alive.