Gallipoli Posted 21 September , 2021 Share Posted 21 September , 2021 Hi all, new to the forum but been on before as a visitor. I was meaning to put this up many months ago but never got round to it. I have a wooden cased brass piece of WWI equipment that I am hoping someone can identify and tell me more about. It had the military broad arrow stamped at various locations, but very little else to go on. Please see photos. Any help greatly welcomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallipoli Posted 21 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2021 Another angle, outer box also has white stencilled letters SD and inner lid a little leather holder stamped RELAY VALVE (key no longer present) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14276265 Posted 21 September , 2021 Share Posted 21 September , 2021 It is a Royal Gun Factory gyroscope for an early (most likely a Whitehead) torpedo, circa 1900. There should be some RGF and other markings on the brass work. 265 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 21 September , 2021 Share Posted 21 September , 2021 1 hour ago, 14276265 said: It is a Royal Gun Factory gyroscope for an early (most likely a Whitehead) torpedo, circa 1900. There should be some RGF and other markings on the brass work. 265 Spot on by the looks of it https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=whitehead++tprpedo+gyroscope&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallipoli Posted 21 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2021 (edited) Thanks very much 14276265, you are the first person to identify this item and yes there is another number to the top. Thanks also Terry, I presume this is an unusual item / survivor? Please see additional photos below: Edited 21 September , 2021 by Gallipoli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallipoli Posted 21 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2021 Photo of lid with SD stencil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14276265 Posted 21 September , 2021 Share Posted 21 September , 2021 (edited) The W&C monogram identifies it as a Whitehead & Co build (not RGF as some were), with the 2360 being its serial number. It is a very nice find, especially in its transport box. 265 Edited 21 September , 2021 by 14276265 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallipoli Posted 21 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 September , 2021 Thanks 14276265, I was unsure what it was hence my post. Had asked quite a few people and collectors, however never got an answer. You nailed it straight away. It's a nice bit of engineering that is for sure. The box a little battered and top lid broken but held on with sellotape. Still all there though, apart from the relay adjuster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 21 September , 2021 Share Posted 21 September , 2021 Very interesting to see a WW1 example. About 8 years ago a Folkestone fisherman brought a similar object into my militaria shop and asked me to identify it. I found out it was the gyroscope from a WW2 German torpedo and the fisherman had pulled it up in his nets just off the White Cliffs. The German version was much taller and more complex (as you would imagine). That's a really great find. I'm sure a few museums would love to have one like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Finneran Posted 15 December , 2021 Share Posted 15 December , 2021 I don't have a stake in this conversation but feel strongly enough to make a comment. How amazing and incredible the breadth of knowledge is on this forum, and that individuals bother to inform and educate us masses. Its a great piece, interesting and now identified. Nothing to do with Imperial German MG but would love to know some more as even torpedos in WWI must have been quite a science! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 16 December , 2021 Share Posted 16 December , 2021 (edited) A number of patent documents relating to Whitehead torpedoes (& their gyroscopes) can be found and downloaded from https://worldwide.espacenet.com/ (Search for Whitehead torpedo then filter by selecting the names which contain Whitehead from those available under 'Applicants' using the filter option) NigelS Edited 16 December , 2021 by NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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