I don't think any propeller blade will do more than identify the type(s) of aircraft fitted with it. In this case you have another Wellington in the vicinity so even identifying it as being from a Wellington doesn't pin down any position, it could have been dragged for miles in a fishing net for example... but it's proving to be a very interesting thread.
If the original propeller could be found, and markings that positively identified it to the specific aircraft, well and good. However, even if that is possible, the chances of doing that are extremely remote. So I have more or less given up on that. It is not critical to the story but it would have been nice to be able to show the picture to family members of the crew - just a last, tangible artefact linked to their family member.
For anyone interested in the coastal scenery around it, experienced fellwalker 'Hugo' from Colwyn Bay posted some nice pictures of his South Stack lighthouse visit yesterday ... Walking - page 107 - Walks in North Wales - Three Towns Forum - Talk about Llandudno, Colwyn Bay & Conwy Steve
hello and welcome im sure the whereabouts of the Wellingtons position would be useful if you could post it here
the prop that was lifted should have been reported as it still belongs to the goverment. I am the guy in the picture that lifted the props off the jigs up and had additional info for you on the Wellington.
I would like to know anything at all about this crash and the families of the men are obviously interested
Long time no see but mainly just to announce/welcome a potentially-useful ally - a new forum member who responded to my recent 'HMS Mercury found' thread and who's CAMS hi-res sonar team was actually instrumental in identifying it. Now. back in 2015, Coflein had basically commissioned Bangor Uni's CAMS to improve the accuracy of their sub-maritime artefact database and I'd more or less given up eyeballing their new 3D imagery when, on 15 Nov, life 'threw me a curve ball' so distracting that I gave up fishing and forgot to mention that initiative here. But now he has kindly shown an interest in pinpointing Z1172 and conditionally offered his team-leading help, I nutshell-briefed him with a link back here to give him the fullest picture of our progress so far to non-committally absorb ad lib. Having just reread it all to refresh my memory, though, we all seem to be au fait with Wimpys whereas he may not as more of a mariner - but he surely need only ask us if so. Yup - Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 "An Act to secure the protection from unauthorised interference of the remains of military aircraft and vessels that have crashed, sunk or been stranded and of associated human remains; and for connected purposes." Sorry, Neville, but that specifically includes wreckage in the quoted summary description - as I understand it, from my copy of Snowdonia Aviation History Society's position-listing warplane wrecks booklet, even unmanned RC target drone remains are thus taboo as litter-picking souvenirs. And, of course, "ignorance of the law is no defence" !
Out of curiosity, the Act starts off with the following: "the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument". Would such an SI have to be published in the Gazette for each and every crash site?
Aha, and there was I fearing this thread dead! That's a fair question given the parlous state of LG's 'Deceased Estates' RSS feed of late. I didn't think to check that angle but I'd hope so as my simplistic search for the Act also returned a 1987 Guernsey variant plus 1 amendment and 7 subsequent site schedules: The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2002 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) (Amendment) Order 2003 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2006 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2008 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2009 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2012 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2017 The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2019 That actually 9 documents, including a 2010 update to the 2008 one, which I've just pulled down to search and find: Good news: Cumulative - only latest needed for currency Bad news: Only vessels listed by name - no a/c codes merely giving lat/long positions Bottom Line: All a/c totally anonymous - no clue as to what each may be - so even going to the trouble of mapping any would prove nothing except by informing a visit to see what proof remains if any HMS Mercury is curiously absent - due to location or just yet to be added ? If you've only just latched onto this thread, BTW Blutto. you may just be able to supply the US perspective it so badly needs if at all familiar with New Jersey. I just hope at least its OP is still tuned in.
Oh, sorry, my false impression then - though I trust you're reading "US" as 'United States' rather than 'UnServiceable' !
Thanks Red Goblin, I have no intention of disturbing military wreckage for souvenirs. My interest was only in locating the burial places of the air crew - which I have done - and I am satisfied with that.