Description
You are bidding on a VERY RARE and 100% original WW2 British Royal Air Force Aircraft Tail Rudder Fabric! This was recovered from a damaged Westland-Built D.H. 9A.
This type of lacquered fabric covered the entire airframe of the aircraft, and all control surfaces. This was fairly universal on most aircraft control surfaces during WW2.
The Airco DH.9A is a British single-engined light bomber that was designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. It was a development of the unsuccessful Airco DH.9 bomber, featuring a strengthened structure and, crucially, replacing the under-powered and unreliable inline 6-cylinder Siddeley Puma engine of the DH.9 with the American V-12 Liberty engine. Colloquially known as the “Ninak” (from the phonetic alphabet treatment of designation “nine-A”), it served on in large numbers for the Royal Air Force following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial policing in the Middle East, finally being retired in 1931.
Over 2,400 examples of an unlicensed version, the Polikarpov R-1, were built in the Soviet Union, the type serving as the standard Soviet light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft through the 1920s.
This SPECIFIC rudder fabric came from aircraft “J7855” that was delivered to No.1 School of Technical Training in July 1926, and was in use until January 1927, where it subsequently went to 36 Maintenance Unit (36 M.U.), near RAF Sealand. After the aircraft was broken up and many parts discarded, this fabric was removed by Captain Samuel Dicks (Sergeant-Warden at 36 M.U) who used to repair a leak in his roof.
Made of lightweight fabric, this section is a VERY NICE example! 95% of the ORIGINAL paint remains, along with VERY PROMINENT British Colors! Paint consists of Red, White, and Blue. Original aircraft fabric of this age is EXTREMELY rare as it usually burned up or rotted away over time. Measuring a LARGE 28″ x 62″ in size, there are some slight wear, tears, and marks, due to the age. Dating around 1927, it is 100% identifiable as coming from a DH.9A due to the size, coloring ID, and structure. I have indicated the exact location in the last images. With only ONE surviving aircraft of its type in the world, this is a SUPERB piece of history, it would make a FANTASTIC addition to any collection or display!
