2024-03-28T16:08:13+00:00https://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/jsonhttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/xmlhttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/rsshttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/atomhttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/kmlhttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/geojsonhttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results/format/qrcodehttps://marinefinds.org.uk/database/search/results3120finds-172172MAS-F100172AIRCRAFT COMPONENTMODERNRolls Royce Merlin 45 gear unit, serial number GU 69 677, with a truncated, heavily damaged and corroded, three bladed propeller. All three propeller blades have survived despite heavy corrosion, though the end of one is missing. The wiring in the propeller cam shaft is visible since the outer dome casing has partially disintegrated. The Merlin 45 engine was used in the Mk. V Supermarine Spitfire fighters, in Reconnaissance Spitfires (PR Mk. IG & P MK. IV), and early versions of the naval version the Supermarine Seafire Mk. IB and Mk. IIC). The Merlin 45 saw active service from early 1941 as squadrons were equipped with the new Mk. V Spitfires.
Consultation with Boscombe Down Aviation Collection has suggested that this aircraft likely landed on the water, rather than crashed directly, as the damage to the propellor blades is minimal. Given that the nose of an aircraft is most likely where the initial impact of a crash would occur this would appear a more than probable conclusion. Additionally, following cleaning and initial preservation steps, it was noted that there are two circular scollops in the edge of one of the propellor blades (see image 13 of 13). Boscombe Down Aviation Collection suggest that these are of a diametre closely matching that of cannon shells that may have been fired at the Spitfire from a German aircraft such as a Messerschmitt BF 109E. This evidence suggests that the aircraft, to which this Gear unit belonged, was in combat shortly before its loss. The damaged sustained likely caused the engine to fail, causing the pilot to belly land the aircraft on the sea. It is to be hoped that he successfully exited the aircraft and was rescued following these events. Efforts to identify the exact aircraft from which this gear unit originated are being contiued by Boscombe Down AC.The Mk. V Spitfires were initially developed in late 1940 as a high altitude interceptor and were essentially remodelled Mk I & Mk II spitfires with a new engine, later Mk V's were purpose built airframes.
The PR Mk. IG (Armed) & P MK. IV (Unarmed) Spitfires were variants created to fulfil the role of photo- reconnaissance of enemy held territory. On some variants the planes had all their armament removed and often replaced with additional fuel tanks to increase their operational range. Their speed, small size and high operational ceiling allowed them to either remain undetected or avoid enemy aircraft. This role had previously been performed by light bombers, such as the Bristol Blenheim, or purpose built reconnaissance aircraft, such as the Westland Lysander. They are both relatively slow aircraft and the Lysander had no armament what so ever, as a result early war losses were high and an alternative solution was sought.
The Seafire was a naval version of the Spitfire, adapted for use on aircraft carriers, the first batch of which came into service in late 1941. The earlier variants being used for training to acquaint Fleet Air Arm pilots with the Spitfire air frame and using it on aircraft carriers. vehicle41411059/183MAS2018-04-27T00:00:00Zaircraft engineWith Boscombe Down Aviation Collection2018-04-27T09:07:05Z2020-03-27T15:30:26Z172124512414PAS5C5037EF001C032MAS MASMASSteel11786OtherIncompleteCorrodedMODERNMODERNFishing172_i0000010.jpg418images/MASPhil Trim2020-03-27T15:30:26.261Zfinds-175175MAS-D100175SHIP FITTINGSNINETEENTH CENTURYTwo brass deck water filler plates and one ceramic door number (45).
The water filler plates are 150 mm in diameter and approximately 100 mm thick. They are both heavily degraded and concreted, distorting their 'mushroom-shaped' original form. It appears they have screws running through the wider top surface and hanging down below next to the tinner plug interior. The screws are approximately 50 mm long and 5 mm in diameter. This type of ships fiitting is used to provide an access point by which to fill water tanks on a vessel and are common on many vessels, from pleasure craft to commercial vessels, up until the present. A hole would be drilled through the deck to accomodate the tube and the outer face of the plate would be flush with the deck, the central cap could then be unscrewed to allow a water pipe to be inserted and the tank filled. The plates are manufactured in a material, such as brass or stainless steel, is resistant to corrosion from sea water thereby protecting the rest of the pipework which would connect the pipe to the tank itself fitted lowr in the vessel.
The ceramic door number is 50 mm in diameter, and in fair condition. The number '45' has faded, and the white ceramic has been stained yellow in places. Near the edges either side of the number there are two holes roughly 3.5 mm in diameter, used to secure the number plate in place. The exact use for this item is difficult to determine, as it could be cargo or more likely ship fittings. It may correspond to cabin door numbers, crew lockers or the like, its high quality finish suggests that it is unlikely to be part of the crew or operating areas of the vessel and therefore probably relates to the accomodation of the 100 or more passengers the vessel could carry.These items were recovered from the wreck of the SS Pomerania, a German ocean liner steamer built in 1873 by J. Caird & Co., in Greenock. This vessel was one of many owned by the Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft (HAPAG); a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg in 1847 that transported hundreds of thousands of emigrants from Germany, Scandinavia, and eastern Europe to the United States, Canada, Latin America, and other destinations around the world. The ship sank in 1878, 5 miles SE of Folkestone whilst carrying 109 passengers and 111 crew en route from New York to Cherbourg and Hamburg, last from Plymouth, following a collision with Welsh barque Moel Eilian and resulting in the loss of 55 lives. NRHE and Kent HER reference numbers cited in this record refer to the wreck of SS Pomerania.39391878073/183MAS2018-05-06T00:00:00Z883110Kent HER Number: TR 33 SW 262018-05-09T11:27:36Z2020-03-26T15:39:40Z17510015012454515PAS5C50379B001E6C218210KentTR323251.040489161.30806705resemblances.unopposed.audiobooks10MAS MASMASSteel11786Ceramic10539CompleteEncrustedNINETEENTH CENTURYNINETEENTH CENTURYDiving175_IMG_4997Large.JPG435images/MASRobbie Trevelyan2020-03-26T15:39:40.161Zfinds-11MAS-6105BAFIREARMNINETEENTH CENTURYThis gun is a QF (quick firing) 6-pounder Hotchkiss, a light 2.25 inch (57 mm) naval and coastal defence gun from the late 19th century. The design appears to be pre-1890 as it does not have the recoil system that was introduced at that time. The original 1885 Mk I was a built-up gun with a vertical sliding-block breech. The name comes from the French manufacturing company, Hotchkiss, who were the major supplier of light QF guns in the world. This type of gun became a standard torpedo defence weapon; many navies bought this same type of gun (Friedman 2011).This gun was ship mounted and from the location given may have come from the French merchant vessel, SS Saint Andre, a 2457 tons French, screw-driven cargo steamer. In France in 1915, it was decided to arm merchant ships with guns against U-boats. Initially, small naval guns were used, with French steamers of more than 500 tons being issued with two guns with a calibre of 90 mm or more in three stages. First, all ships were armed with at least one gun. These small-calibre guns (47 mm, 57 mm, 65 mm) were then replaced with one more powerful gun. Finally, all steamers were armed with a gun more powerful than 90 mm. In a two-year period between 1916 and 1918, over 1600 merchant ships received one gun and another 400 received a second (Friedman 2011).
SS Saint Andre was built by Ateliers & Chantiers de France, a company founded in 1880, in Dunkerque in 1907 as Yard No. 46. On 19 December 1917, SS Saint Andre was on a voyage from Rouen, France, to Algiers, Algeria, with a cargo of empty casks and barrels, when it was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB-58, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Werner Fürbringer, nine miles southwest of the Eddystone Lighthouse, Devon. At the time of sinking the vessel was owned by Société Navale de l'Ouest, Le Havre. Saint Andre now lies in approximately 70 m of water. NRHE and Cornwall HER reference numbers cited within this record refer to the wreck of SS Saint Andre. Due to the ambiguity of the gun having come from the wreck of SS Saint Andre, the chronology of the find is broader.Armour and weapons3941188519501150/163MAS2016-07-01T00:00:00ZProjectile weapon1257850Cornwall HER Number: SX 33 SE 77With finder2016-07-25T14:12:59Z2016-08-26T12:44:03ZPAS5796105B001ACC12482841414PAS57BC1B67001A23PAS57BC1E1600176F243750CornwallSX170749.93511828-4.55145117contemporary.rickety.muesli10MAS MASMASSteel11786Iron11019CastCompleteCorrodedNINETEENTH CENTURYMODERNFishingSubmitted as wreck to the Receiver of WreckMAS6105BA_Image1.jpg7images/MASMF2017-11-06T18:25:32.61Z