Aircraft identity. Help needed please
 

Some friend in France are currently excavating an aircraft wreck in the Lorraine Region. They have previously recovered wreckage from a couple of US fighters and erected memorials to the pilots. They are at a bit of a stand over this one though as it appears to be British. The word on the electrical component is Dubilier which is a British manufacturer. The jointed section though does not seem to be part of a fighter. Any help in identifying would be greatly appreciated so that further research may be carried out.
Peter

Re: Aircraft identity. Help needed please
 

In 1915, William Dublier founded the Dublier Corporation in New York manufacturing capacitors. In 1933 he merged with Cornell Radio to become Cornell-Dublier Electric. In 1940 their main manufacturing plant was in New Bedford, Mass. I hope this helps.

Regards,

Bill Martin

Re: Aircraft identity. Help needed please
 

Peter,

The Dubilier component appears to be a mica capacitor which was used in radio receiver and transmitter circuits. If a radio chassis can be recovered, it would have a metal tag attached to the rear of it with the name of the manufacturer. WW2 aircraft radios made in the U.S. also used metal vacuum tubes and special sockets to keep the vacuum tube locked in place. Any of these items could provide a clue to the origin of the radio. Also, U.S. and British vacuum tubes were different enough that if one were still intact, it could be identified as to origin.

Regards,

Bill Martin

Re: Aircraft identity. Help needed please
 

Many thanks for this information; I will pass it on to the guys in France. Hopefully the weather will stay reasonable over there so that they can continue their search. As you can see from the photo of the hinged piece, it is not very deep.
Peter