Mystery Object
 

can anyone help identify this mystery object?

I found three of them at an ex-wwII airfield in the Northern Territory of Australia.

They may have been used to tie down aircraft, because they are solid steel and very heavy, but I don't think this is their original use.

As B-24 Liberator Bombers were based there during the war, I suspect they are an impellor from the supercharger system of that A/C.

They have slightly curved vanes in the mid-section and a keyway in the central shaft.

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...341645_744.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...41646_1054.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...41648_2403.jpg

<guess>
Part of an air-raid siren?
</guess>

Looks like part of a siren of some description.
definately not a supercharger impeller. Too heavy and wrong shape.

My first thought was 'Flywheel' off a piece of Ground equipment but then I thought it could be an idler wheel off a tracked vehicle (Cletrac Tractor?)
So no I don't really have a clue:)

If it's a siren, it's very high frequency. Also, I'd expect the blades on the rotor to be thicker at the rim: the amount of metal to space around the periphery would be about 50:50, whereas this is around 10:90.

Looks like the vented disc brakes of a Thronomeister Mk IV, you know the tricycle undercarriage one with the new nosewheel brake option. :} :uhoh:

It can't be an impeller because the vanes are almost perfectly radial, and not shaped to draw (or expel) air, and it is very heavy looking. The inertia would be tremendous!

My first thought was an air-raid siren too, although I am going to back the suggestion of it being an idler wheel from a tracked vehicle. This would explain why the vanes are much thicker at the outer edge than in the centre, and why the whole thing is a bl**dy heavy-looking piece of cast.

Looks like a Genset flywheel to me.

the blades are curved and do have a crude aero profile being thicker on the outside than the inside.

So it must draw air from outer to inner.

my guess then is an alternator cooling fan from a genset.

All guesswork of course.

Water pump impellor ?

Did it shift fuel around the a/c?

It's an anchor.......................tie on a bit O' rope and throw O'board..........It's an anchor!

Should have thought of that, I had one on my old Ford 8.

It sure resembles part of an Air raid siren - there was a WW2 one at a mine in Canada where I once worked. Long time ago but it sure looks familiar.

air raid siren rotor
 

pretty sure it is, seen one quite recently

Looks too big to be the stator part of an air raid siren; will have a look next time I'm at Tangmere, though the weather inc' black ice is an ongoining embuggerance.

brake disc off any make of VOLVO, i used to ride a motorcycle and can safely say most drivers of the swedish tanks need them:E:E