Aeronautical items from
WWI
Ref. No. 788. WORLD WAR I SE5 PROPELLER HUB
CLOCK. Item consists of a core component of an SE5
propeller hub that is made from mahogany and five laminations.
The back of the hub has been stamped with SE5 but this was probably
done after it was modified. The circular core is mounted on a
base made of oak and measuring 350 mm wide by 135 mm deep. Two
book-end-like scrolls support the core on the base. On top is a
carved set of wings. The central hole has been fitted with a working
clock, which keeps good time. One interesting feature of the
clock is that, in addition to having the numerals one to 12 around the
edge, it also has smaller 24-hour numerals outside the larger numbers
(ie. 13 next to 1, 18 next to 6 and 24 next to 12, etc). The
eight holes on the front, which would have been used to bolt the
propeller onto to the propeller shaft, have been filled with wooden
plugs (the holes are still open at the rear however).
Ref. No. 972. ZENITH ROYAL FLYING
CORPS ALTIMETER. Mark V.A No. 11925/W. Non-Luminous. Has
original bevelled glass front. Knob at base rotates outer dial so that
instrument could be calibrated prior to take-off. Has “A” stamped on
rear with broad arrow (which was the mark for RFC instruments).
Type was fitted to aircraft such as Sopwith Camels and Pups, SE5As,
Avro 504s, Bristol Fighters, etc.
Ref. No. 1207. ROYAL FLYING COPPS FLYING
GOGGLES. Has stamp on side in gold with TSG and "Triple Safety
Glass" plus the words “Aero Mask”. On the metal bridge is the word
Patent and the date "August 1917". The same type of goggles are on
display with the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, where most of the
artefacts are owned by Peter Jackson.
Ref. No.
129. 1918 WWI PHOTO FRAME PROPELLER TIP. Mahogany. Two
photographs of
WWI American pilot. Top of frame has "US" with pilot wings. Bottom of
frame has "AEF 1918" carved onto silk scarf which forms a bow on an
olive branch - all carved and raised from propeller. On reverse side is
original propeller sticker with words "Boulton & Paul Ltd, Norwich"
with "In conjunction with ...es & Sons Ltd." Item was part of
estate owned by Professor Gordon Marshall Petersen who died at St. John
of Gods on 9 November 1996, aged 74. He was Head of Dept. of
Mathematics at Canterbury University from 1965 to 1983. Pilot is
Gordon Marshall. Son of Richard and Anne Marshall and brother of Gordon
Peterson’s mother. Uncle of GMP. Operated several garages and built his
own aeroplanes in San Francisco area. Survived WWI US Army Air Force
but was killed in an air crash in 1920 aged 32. Medals given to uncle
for services to aviation after crash.
Ref. No.
31. WWI HANDLEY PAGE BOMBER COMPASS. Aperiodic. Brass and alloy.
160mm
diameter, 90mm deep. White card with red and blue dome. Luminous
symbols. Only writing is on top rim "THE C.O.AERO COMPASS Patent
applied for". Below "COMPASS" is the number "324". Housing is painted
black and has white fore and aft lines. Inner compass is not rotatable.
Photos of a WWI Handley Page bomber show this type of compass fitted.
Ref. No. 883. POSTCARD TITLED “ANZACS
IN FRANCE”. Caption on front reads “159 Anzacs in
France. New Zealand Premier’s visit. Daily Mail. Official
photograph. Crown Copyright reserved.” Caption on rear states
“The Rt. Hon W F Massey and Sir Joseph Ward at the Front. They
are seen beside a war-plane talking about its capabilities.” The
postcard was produced by the Daily Mail as an Official War Picture and
this card is Series XX. No. 159. Printed in England.
Ref. No.
110. WOODEN GENERATOR PROPELLER. Circa WWI. Mahogany. Fifteen
inches in
diameter. stamped into rear is "15 IN. DIA" and "2.10 FT. PITCH."
Manufacturers transfer logo is of Unit Construction Co, Philadelphia,
USA.
Ref. No. 876. STEREOCARD IMAGE TITLED “SOME
GALLANT AIR FIGHTERS” SHOWING AMERICAN ACE EDDIE RICKENBACKER.
Also states "Made in the USA". The aircraft shown is a French
designed SPAD Type 13, as evidenced by the external exhaust pipe
running back along the cockpit and the distinct grill. SPAD stood
for "Societe Pour Aviation et ses Derivees". The SPAD Type 13 was
popular with American pilots and by November 1918 it equipped 16
AEF pursuit squadrons. On the fuselage between the pilots is an
inverted Uncle Sams hat with a circle around it. This was the
logo for the 94 Squadron and the pilot shown to the left of the logo is
the famous American ace Eddie Rickenbacker, who shot down 26 German
aircraft.
Ref. No. 875. STEREOCARD IMAGE TITLED
“STARTING AN AEROPLANE”. Stamped on left hand side in ink
is "Made in the USA". An interesting feature of this card is that
the gentlemen in the foreground are wearing top hats and carrying
rifles. Why is the aircraft in long grass? What is the
purpose of two sand bags hanging from the ise of the cockpit?