top of page
APHS Logo - Transparent.png

Solve a Mystery Win $50 (store credit)

Maybe you can identify this thing.  We haven't too much of a clue except that it is obviously some kind of LOCKHEED prototype wheel.  It is professionally cast, splined, and appears to be closely related to all other Lockheeds of the last 50 years.  However; it is not a finished product. The trim roller is a dummy, the side gizmos are chintzy and there is no means to add wiring.  Identify it and we'll send you the dough.

     

Solved!!

Thanks go to Elliot Block, who solved the mystery of the Lockheed wheel. Our suspicions were correct that it is a Lockheed prototype.

Help!

Now that we have an answer to the L-1011 prototype wheel identified by Elliot Block, we have a new mystery.

OK all you old fart ALPA members, me included, why is there a battle star on the ALPA wings shown on a document from 1968?  The only battle stars I ever saw in my career were issued to UAL striking pilots in 1985, and maybe EAL strikers as well, but not positive.   No money for this one but we'll give you "on screen" credit.

Win $50!!

Tell us what this is from; weighs 5 pounds, heavy casting. We have no idea.

     (Requires some form of valid identification)

Tell us what this is from; weighs 5 pounds, heavy casting. We have no idea.

     (Requires some form of valid identification)

Solved!!

Congratulations Capt. Mike Williams, DAL Ret., who identified this as a dump chute manual crank from the DC-8. It is now his.

Pilot Wings.jpg

Win $25!!

Does anyone recognize these wings?  $25 in store credit to the first to provide valid identification of this set of wings , probably circa 1950's thru 70's, but that's a guess.

WP_20211211_09_45_56_Pro.jpg
WP_20211211_09_46_19_Pro.jpg

SOLVED BY MARK ALBERTS:

The piston appears to be from a Merlin engine on a P-51... but not just any P-51, it could be from what would become the world's fastest piston aircraft - the "Voodoo", which was owned by Bob Button (that appears to be one of the signatures on the piston - B for Bob, then a drawing of a button over the name of his plane - the Voodoo).

 

Adding weight to that is another signature on the piston... Curt Brown, Pilot of the FB 11 Sea Fury "Sawbones" who placed in the top 10 at the Reno Air Races in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 (and Voodoo, owned by Bob Button but flown by Stevo Hinton, was there during all of those years - winning first place on a few of them).

 

There was a Joel Swagger in the top 10 at a few of the Reno Air Races during those years...    the J? ? signature could also be Jose Flores who worked on the engine for Voodoo.

Solved!

IMG_1269.jpeg

Solved!

IMG_1270.jpeg

Congratulations to:  Jim Bitzegaio

He identified the mystery part as a COOPER VANE.  After DB Cooper hijacked NWA in Nov. 1971, the airlines installed this gadget which, after takeoff, swiveled in the airflow blocking the tail stairs, and preventing them from being lowered in flight. I believe we have the only one known to have survived. Most were deactivated once security in the US pretty much ended hijackings in this country.

bottom of page