Steindaddie Posted December 28, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 28, 2009 I just got this lovely piece of aviation history. Besides it's great look, I love it for the fact it's mostly made of aircraft parts from about 1930. The base is a section of a wooden propeller complete with sweetheart wings and a DI for the 5th Composite Group from Luke Field Hawaii. The bottom of the base is covered with several layers of OD green aircraft fabric with the inscription "from a Keystone B-4 bomber". Then we have the gilt painted and Hawaiian sand encrusted practice bomb. All held together with aircraft hardware (castellated nuts, etc.). The lamp shade is hand-tinted photo transparencies of the DH-4, B-4, and P-12E. The 5th Group flew the DH-4 until 1929, the B-4 and P-12 arrived in 1930, and the lamp most likely dates from that time frame. A story came with the lamp but it doesn't quite jive. Story goes that the lamp was made of parts from a B-4 that crashed after bombing lava flows at Hilo in 1935. The lava bombing is true, but there is no record of a B-4 crashing after that mission. Also, the B-4 had metal props, and the DH-4 seen on the shade was long gone from Luke Field by 1935. I'm thinking early 30's, the prop section is probably from a DH-4. PS. There is a 1926 dated .45 ACP round on the pull chain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steindaddie Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted December 28, 2009 The DI and wings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steindaddie Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted December 28, 2009 The bomb reads "Luke Field TH" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steindaddie Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted December 28, 2009 And the planes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted December 29, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 29, 2009 Your DI is the 5th Bombardment Group,thier early design, I've seen a photo somewhere with this emblem on the side of a B-18 Bolo Bomber. Also the wings are an early style of the pilot type, a very interesting piece, the Bomb is a very early "practice" type . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted December 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 29, 2009 From a collector's standpoint: lovely. From the standpoint of spouses: "You want to put that in the house????????" Kind of reminds me of that lamp from The Christmas Story movie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patriot Posted December 29, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 29, 2009 From a collector's standpoint: lovely. From the standpoint of spouses: "You want to put that in the house????????" Kind of reminds me of that lamp from The Christmas Story movie: "Look honey... FRA-JEE-LAY".... it must be Italian"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steindaddie Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted December 31, 2009 Kind of reminds me of that lamp from The Christmas Story movie That's pretty funny - and accurate too. My wife made the same comment as I unpacked the lamp. :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now