Mystery Aircraft Object ?

The attached photographs are of an object found at Earls Colne airfield. It may have been part of a B-17 or a B-26 as the 94th and 323rd Bomb Groups were based at Earls Colne.

I did suspect that the mystery object was something to do with the B-26 Marauder bomb bay doors. However, the Marauder bomb bay doors use a hydraulically operated swinging arm type mechanism, so I doubt it was used for that. Perhaps it was an internal part, maybe something to do with the extension of the flaps.

Does anyone know what it is (or can offer an educated guess) please ?

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[IMG]/community/134301=14522-IMG_0470 MH 2 trim tabs linkage small.jpg[/img]
[IMG]/community/134301=14523-IMG_0473 MH 2 trim tabs linkage small.jpg[/img]

There should be plenty of part numbers marked on an assembly that size.
They would give a clue as to it's origin at the very least.

At first glance, it's not something I recognise from the B-17 Illustrated Parts Catalog.

All the best,
PB

Hi Paul,

There are some markings stamped on the object:

GK32- W8369LF
W05
GK 32W-52211L

The other side:

322W-522-11R
SO 443592
GK32W 836 R WOZBF

I hope these may mean something to someone !

Although it may not be possible to identify which aircraft the object came from, I'm hoping that someone may be able to identify what it is. I'm guessing that there will be some similarities between objects on contemporary aircraft that perform a particular function i.e. trim-tab operation, flap operation, etc.

Cheers,

Steve

GK32 = Ford-built B-24 Liberator.
W suffix = wing component.

Now we have a type designation, checking some B-24 references indicates it's a Fowler flap roller guide assembly.



All the best,
PB

Wow, thanks for your help in identifying the object, Paul. I can definitely see that the mystery object closely matches the part in the diagram.

From what I've been able to find out, the B-17 and the early B-26s had split flaps, later model B-26s had slotted flaps, and the B-24 had Fowler flaps.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_(aircraft)

How a part from a B-24 came to be found at Earls Colne is still a mystery. A B-24 may have made an emergency landing there, but I can't find any B-24 related accident report for Earls Colne to substantiate this assumption.

www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbaloc.a...rls+colne&Submit8=Go

Cheers,

Steve