Mystery part

[Splitpin]

The title may be a bit misleading, because we know "what' it is...but we dont know "what" its from.
obviously its a throttle quadrant, 99.99% sure its american, due to the fact that the frame work, or the box is common to a lot of U.S aircraft.
What makes this odd, is the blower lever(which the P-47 had), and the absense of what could have been either a mixture or prop control lever.....but the way the pullys are arranged at the base , it appears there was never anything there to start with.
The actual throttle lever is common on the P-40/P-47 etc....this one has a lever type thing that lifts up and allows the throttle to be moved foward about 1/2 an inch past a detent.....

So far a part number search only tells us what the "parts" are....oddly enough ie...."lever-blower"etc.

Ive added a couple of Harvard quadrant pics for comparison.
Bottom line is that it maybe nothing at all....perhaps a training aid, or something someone threw together for what ever reason.
Ive googled lots of pics....but cant find anything.

Anyway, I would love to know what its from, if anything, and get it in the system.....sorry the pics aren't that hot.

Mystery Item.







Harvard for comparison.








Cheers

[Alfashark]

The lack of an RPM lever could suggest one of two things... Either whatever this quadrant was fitted to had a fixed pitch prop or it used a Curtis Electric CSU, in which case the RPM is varied by a centrally sprung 3 position toggle switch.

[Ian Warren]

A P-47 throttle quadrant but umm , they had parts bits and pieces ship from Auckland 1995/96 although an old model and early model ... This looks more like a off all things a Hellcat , had a few here during carrier visits during the war but i'm sure its Thunderbolt .

[Splitpin]

Thanks for the input guys....gives me some more areas to look at. The collective knowledge on this forum is amazing...thanks again

[deaneb]

If you google images of P-47 or F6F throttle quadrants, they do not look the same. Also they use the word "supercharger" rather than blower. I'm tempted to stick my neck out and say "Blower" is British terminology. Would it have been possible for them to have used some American parts?

[connor]

Looks like maybe an early F4F Wildcat quadrant, or maybe another naval A/C?

[SeanTK]

The closest thing I can find is a T-6 Texan throttle quadrant.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/airventure/196697516/
http://coralbay.cc/T-6%20Front%20004.jpg
The throttle arm/knob shape matches up, as does the general layout. It looks like your example could be missing the actual control for the mixture, although the slot seems to be there.
Maybe it's an incomplete variant? It looks like there is a perfect amount of space for the future application of labels for high/low prop rpm on the far right, followed by the addition of the overhanging prop RPM lever.
This is the closest match I can find....

I'm still thrown off at the blower control however....

EDIT:
Alternatively.....if anyone can dig up a better photo of a CAC Wirraway throttle.
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=285355

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (deaneb @ May 3 2011,11:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you google images of P-47 or F6F throttle quadrants, they do not look the same. Also they use the word "supercharger" rather than blower. I'm tempted to stick my neck out and say "Blower" is British terminology. Would it have been possible for them to have used some American parts?

Looking into that now Deane......started a crash course today on parts id.....its amazing .....every single nut and washer has a number (as you would expect)....but, its the number of bits involved.
The part i had to practice on was tagged "DC-3 ?" and no numbers....so out comes the Dak parts book which weighs a ton, it wasnt engine, avionics or fuel which narrowed the search....so i start looking at structure...it was jointed , so it moved....narrowed down again to about 300 pages...WHAT MOVES? flight controls from the cockpit to the actual surfaces, landing gear, seats, doors, engine controls......2 ciggis and a coffee later, i found it was part of the cowl flap actuating mechanism......mission accomplished, not quite.....clean it, dismantle it, label each part with number and full description , and store it....enter details and location in the computer.......phew......next bit just had "not P-40" on it.....well...that narrows down the field
Sorry i got off track there Deane......

[Ian Warren]

Good test to find part type if authentic is the screws BSW or UNC .. guess you need an engineer to figure or the gauge , that would confirm make if its original .. but if in the Pacific theater and Kiwis got to it for a fix be very hard to get a dead recon .

[deaneb]

QUOTE (SeanTK @ May 3 2011,6:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm still thrown off at the blower control however....

To have a "blower" lever means it should belong to something bigger engined than a Harvard/Wirraway.

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ May 3 2011,6:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good test to find part type if authentic is the screws BSW or UNC .. guess you need an engineer to figure or the gauge , that would confirm make if its original .. but if in the Pacific theater and Kiwis got to it for a fix be very hard to get a dead recon .

Ian..i didnt think about"field mods" ...the old #8 wire

QUOTE (deaneb @ May 3 2011,6:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To have a "blower" lever means it should belong to something bigger engined than a Harvard/Wirraway.

So....the blower could be the clue, U.S or Brit.....jeez Deane, this one may remain a mystery....and remember the throttle can be moved a little bit past the full power setting...so what ever it is/was....it was a mover.......

[J7G]

I just found this old document, it says that blowers are used as the first stage of a supercharged engine, so it's not a term that's interchangeable with supercharger (it seems. I'm pretty useless with engines and I don't mind being corrected).

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/vie...20-%200143.html

[Rotordude]

Looks real Curtiss to me I would hedge my bet on the P-40.

[deaneb]

P-40 has throttle, prop and mixture levers in all the pics I have looked at. As far as I am aware they only had a single speed supercharger, so no need for a lever for that. From what I can tell most Merlins and P&W 2800 engines had two speed superchargers

[deaneb]

QUOTE (deaneb @ May 3 2011,9:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

P-40 has throttle, prop and mixture levers in all the pics I have looked at. As far as I am aware they only had a single speed supercharger, so no need for a lever for that. From what I can tell most Merlins and P&W 2800 engines had two speed superchargers

After further searching - the P40F and L models were fitted with Rolls Royce Merlins and had two speed superchargers. The P40N had no prop lever as it was auto adjusted by the throttle. It may be you have a mix and match of parts !!

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Rotordude @ May 3 2011,9:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looks real Curtiss to me I would hedge my bet on the P-40.

Big thing is they have P40 parts coming out the ears at Wigram , they even display a panel , for anyone there not able to discribe a throttle mech from the many bits and pieces , one reason i turn to the P-47 was the throwing all in the many box,s before throwing our only and most oldest across to Oz and wonder if parts were left behind in checks . The early B/C models , 47 did not have the lateral lever as later C/D types similar to later US single engine types .

You could be still right Pete , as Deane mentioned Blower may lead to the answer .

[Splitpin]

I think you guys are right about a lever missing....there just arent any 2 lever quadrants other than jets, that i can find. The missing bit would more than likely be a prop control of somekind.
The Tempest II had a supercharger control, a throttle, and a propeller over-ride lever.Mixture was automatic , governed by the throttle setting.But the quadrant frame was totally different, as were the levers....and british(so that was a pointless statemnt)
That throttle lever is the same as some P-40's ....but that lift up lever to let it move further forward is interesting......

The shape of the throttle levers seem to vary, the round top type and a square type...like some p-47's and the Corsair.

Deane you may be right, it could a mix, for training or display....or as Sean said "Maybe it's an incomplete variant". Amazing what Ive learnt from this...
Im not giving up, I'll hit the books in the morning.....put it on the smoko table again.

Your a great team of detectives....cheers

[deaneb]

Also - If you look at the bottom of this page you can see, the prop lever comes out a side plate, not through a slot on the main top face. That side plate is missing off yours?

[Ian Warren]

Marty , hope you don't have so many parts in a box that the team here will put a complete plane together for you

[J7G]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ May 3 2011,11:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Marty , hope you don't have so many parts in a box that the team here will put a complete plane together for you

I hope he does, I think some of us need a project