Can anyone identify this metal object found in a 1950s garage? It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings!

It is metal with 4 fins and no markings. There is a hole drilled through it. I believe the previous owner of the house was in the US military in the 1940s or 1950s.

It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings.

r/whatisthisthing - Can anyone identify this metal object found in a 1950s garage? It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE ANSWERS:

doorgunner43 says:
ye_olde_tosser says:
Looks like an old Expendable Bathythermograph (XBT) weight that’s been removed from the tube and is missing the copper wire on the back. It’s used to measure water depth and temperature and is common in the Navy for sonar.
Ok-Push9899 says:

The ictures are so frustratingly perplexing. The first three fail to capture the essence of its 3 dimensional shape and the last one looks like a completely different, but related item.

joerbrosius says:

Ww1 pilots use to fly over and drop metal “bombs” that had no explosive in them just gravity on the enemy. This looks like a reproduction of one of those.

tomvee33 says:

Looks a bit like it but photos don’t show enough, description states it has 4 fins and is hard to determine but doesn’t appear to have the front hole.

r/whatisthisthing - Can anyone identify this metal object found in a 1950s garage? It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings.

UTgabe says:

Where the hole is, is the object perfectly balance at that point? To me it looks like an object that shows you what direction the wind is blowing.

Copropositor says:

I would guess downrigger weight for fishing. The hole is for a rope or heavy line of some kind, then the fishing line is attached somewhere higher on the rope. Toss it all out of a boat in a deep lake, then you can troll your bait at whatever depth you choose. The torpedo shape keeps it pointing one direction so it doesn’t spin and tangle the line.

BalusBubalisSFW replied:

It’s definitely this, I’ve seen downrigger weights shaped like these torpedos before.

MomsBoner replied:

Most likely home made. We use weights in different shapes and sizes and most of them are home made by hobby metal workers.

woods_edge replied:

This is the answer, they also have other uses for counterweighting things in the water and come in many sizes.

I’m a hydrologist and we use a number of them in different weights to keep our gauging boats level in high flows.

Obviously we call them bombs.

complexturd says:

The picture on page 14 clearly has “Center Hole (water inlet)” at the front tip and Center Hole (water outlet) at the rear end and holes in the fins. OP’s picture clearly has no such holes and I’m pretty sure “Water Inlet” and “Water Outlet” are going to pretty important to the function of the device you linked.

Level9TraumaCenter says:

I was thinking that, too- I bought one from the surplus company Jerryco maybe 30 years ago, and it was kind of similar. Jerryco (now American Science and Surplus) used to get the weirdest darned stuff.

r/whatisthisthing - Can anyone identify this metal object found in a 1950s garage? It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings.

brock_lee says:

Your post indicates you may possibly be in possession of unexploded ordnance (UXO).

If this is not the case, ignore the remainder of this message, your post has not been removed.

If you’re unsure, the first thing to do is LEAVE IT ALONE. Do not shake it, attempt to open it, or disturb it at all.

Next step would be to CONTACT THE PROPER AUTHORITIES. If you’re unsure who that is, call your local police or emergency number for instructions.

Please followup with an outcome regarding what was done with the object.

To others who are not OP: Any suggestion in this thread to open, shake, etc – disturb the object in any way – will result in a permanent ban. As usual, all unhelpful comments will earn you a least a temporary ban.

If you see any rule breaking comments, please report them.

nr4242 says:

It’s some sort of mid century space age ornament, likely mounted through that hole onto an upright pole

NovemberLimaPapa says:

Uneven sized fins points toward downrigger, not projectile

xeokym replied:

It makes it dart back and forth somewhat while trawling off the back of a moving boat.

Fit-Meeting-5866 replied:

Yes, former non-nuclear munitions here. If it was a test round (non-explosive) it would likely not have the long top fin. I have seen testing bomblets that have a similar design, but they have equally sized fins.

r/whatisthisthing - Can anyone identify this metal object found in a 1950s garage? It looks like some sort of military shell but there are no markings.

wayfarerer says:

A hydro tech you say?! Thought I might find another one of us here in the comments. It did remind me of a hydrology bomb as well but distinctly different from the typical Rickly designs. Tell me then on the topic of boats, what is your allegiance – Sontek, RDI, or other?

Substantial_Run5435 says:

 I’m pretty confident it’s a downrigger weight. It’s made of copper or some other nonferrous metal and while I haven’t been able to find any that are the exact same, I’ve found some similar looking ones

seanmonaghan1968 says:

I used to own something like this that was part of a system to measure boat speed. It was dragged behind the sailing boat and the onboatd counter shows speed as a little propeller turned. Sadly my house was robbed 🙁

vivaaprimavera says:

Military? By any chance that can be “something” that was tested in a wind tunnel? I know that the odds are very slim but do you have any idea of what he did in the service?

Substantial_Run5435 says:

No clue, this neighborhood was built just after WW2 and catered to veterans and I found some other things in the garage that make me believe he served in his early life. I’m assuming the man who owned the house has passed away and his wife is still alive but is in assisted living on the other side of the country, so I can’t really ask.

jeffersonairmattress says:

Yep- it’s a deep trawling plane. I have a lead one that was painted metallic purple. downrigger cable through with a rubber snubber in the larger bottom hole and swivel top and bottom.

fuk

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