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I recently received this photo of a damaged propeller blade from Joop Thuring living in the Netherlands, accompanied by the following letter:

I received this relic a couple of years ago this relic from family members of a local farmer.

They disclosed to me the following. Their farm was located in the vicinity of B.88 airfield in Heesch (the Netherlands). Early in 1945, an Allied fighter crash-landed on their farmland. The same day the aircraft had been removed by an Allied team, which arrived at the spot with some heavy equipment including a crane. No pilot was seen by the locals. The accident occurred at the end of the winter weather of 1945. They have since associated this relic with this incident.

In my humble opinion, the depicted item is characteristic propeller blade - although badly damaged - from a Spitfire. Most likely Mk. IX, but other marks or types cannot be excluded.

Can somebody among the Spitfire experts audience decipher and explain the incomplete code stencilled as can be seen on this picture.

Thank you,
Joop Thuring, B.88 HEESCH, c.q. 126 RCAF (Spitfire)Wing promotor.

Labels: Memorabilia