question ID Differential Cover - possible 94th Aero Squadron?? Hat in the Ring

[Dan Joyce]

I sent an email to the US Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis and the Curator, Mr.Marc Sammis identifed the differential cover belonging to a 1920's Rickenbacker Automobile. Seems after WWI, Eddie Rickenbacker started several business. Rickenbacker Automobiles produced very innovative cars in the early/mids 1920s before the business failed. I found a website devoted to Rickenbacker Automobiles and the site had several images of a similar cover during the restoration process.

 

Many thanks to everyone who read the post and pondered the identification of the cover. Take Care. Dan

 

 

Hi: I'm new to this site and joined to try and get this item identified. It looks like a differential cover to me.

The cover is steel, approx 11.5 inches in diameter, and approx. 3 3/4 inches deep. I bought this at an estate sale for Charlie Macgill who was a highly decorated WWII bomber pilot who collected aviation memrobilia.

The emblem on the cover looks similar to the modern squadron emblem for the 94th Fighter Squadron - one of the oldest US Air Force Fighter Squadrons. The emblem might be an earlier version of the emblem, before the current emblem was approved after the Air Force established it's Heraldry Office. During my Air Force career, I worked as a Field Historian and later in Aircraft Maintenance. Anyone have any ideas what I brought home? Thank you. Dan

Edited February 18, 2010 by Dan Joyce
ITEM IDENTIFIED

[Dan Joyce]

I failed to mention that the cover does not have any manufactures or part number marks. Dan

[fesm_ndt]

My first thought would be odd that the military would personalise a diff cover as not something most people would look at or see.

 

Being Airforce and their penchant for dashing around on motorcycles could it be something of a bike i.e. side cover of some description??

 

Just thinking out loud as is quite interesting.

[fesm_ndt]

was just checking their aircraft types, thinking possibly also a wheel spat, but dont seem to fit.

 

someone went to the effort of making it.

[Dan Joyce]

I thought an image of the inside of the cover might also be of interest. Dan

[fesm_ndt]

My limited jetlagged, stay awake all night search last night did not reveal any insights i.e.

 

- was there any other manufacture that used that symbol (I couldn't see anything)

- it dont look hand stamped i.e. custom

 

It could possibly pre date the 94th..... I can only think it was something showy for a bike but 11 inches.

 

Maybe a chevy 10 bolt diff cover easy to check at the local junkyard... problem then is why