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Mystery photo..

Ferry_vO

Ferry_vO

Retired SOH Administrator
Found this photo on a Dutch aviation forum: http://www.luchtschroef.nl/Vragenfoto AAMIJ.jpg (Click to zoom in)

The guy that posted it has no info, so maybe you can help..? The name on the back suggests it is pre-WW2.
It looks like part of an engineer's station inside an aircraft, and it looks like the top of the photo could be the top surface of the wing.

What makes this photo strange are the gauges and labels inside: all tekst is in French, but the three swiches bottom right are labelled 'Bosch' and the fire extinguisher also has German text on it.

Even stranger: The top left cluster seems to have a pair of almost everything, while the left 'Bosch' switch reads 'Front engine, rear engine, port and starboard' (In French).
 
How about something like the LeO H-470 ?

4 engines push-pull, mechanic's position in the wing, and even a port above for observation/navigation sighting ???
 
That is an option also suggested on the other forum Mike, but it seems stuck at 'most likely French' for now.
 
For a long time, I had been fascinated by the similar, but much smaller, engineer's position in the Catalina. In fact, it was only when actually crawling round the Duxford Cat that I realised how tiny that space actually is !

The Leo is a much chunkier machine, and seems to me the only flying boat which would offer such a space. The observation hatch seemed the ultimate clincher.

There is no clue given in my LeO book, so I suppose we'll have to leave this as speculation. Obviously I didn't read the Dutch forum, so I am pleased someone else arrived at the same conclusion !

Please let me know, Ferry, if someone finally clinches this.
 
At first I thought that it might be some German flying boat with French placquards. They look very similar to the German ones. I'd would not care about that there are Bosh stuff inside of the cockpit. Manufacturers used different instrumentations inside. For example, Polish PZL.37 'Los' bomber used such gauges: Morrell RPM gauges (German), Kollsman (US) for oil temp, pressure, altimeter, Aera (French) compass, Sperry (US/UK) gyro and Gerlach (Polish) ASI and one of the altimeters.
But it is a bit of mystery. Perhaps it may be a French one. It is huge one and has original engine placement.

Lucas
 
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