Duz-All Flight Wrench

[Straightgrain]

Yesterday I went to an estate sale of a man who spent a number of years working on aircraft in the Air Force, there were both "USAF" marked tools and toolboxes. All tools not price marked (few were) went for $1 a piece regardless of size or type. Brands included Plomb, Proto, MAC, Snap-On, Indestro, Duro, Herbrand, None Better, Walden, Craftsman, and Husky, etc. I picked up a number of tools including the one shown here.

This tool was dual use, one side opened Dzu fasteners on aircraft cowlings and the other opened fuel caps. I'm estimating the age to be prior to 1967 because NAA (North American Aviation) was acquired by Rockwell in 1967 and became North American Rockwell.

 

[Provincial]

The spring is riveted to the back side of the framework. The stud is put through the removable panel (usually held by a grommet, but sometimes by flanging the hole, inserting the stud, then flattening out the flare to reduce the diameter of the hole), and held in by a reduced-diameter section under the head. The stud slips past the spring using the open slot, and a quarter turn ***** the spring tight and locks in the recess.



The small protrusion on the curved (T-shaped) part of the tool engages the slot in the stud like a screwdriver blade.

 

[Provincial]

The other side of the tool is designed to pry out the handle of a flush fuel cap similar to this:

There were many styles of handles for these, but the common part of the design was that you had to pry out the handle before you could turn it to release sealing pressure on the cap and remove it.

 

[Straightgrain]

I appreciate your input Provincial.

 

[GCS]

“I'm estimating the age to be prior to 1967 because NAA (North American Aviation) was acquired by Rockwell in 1967 and became North American Rockwell.”


I have one very similar I used in mid ‘80’s. U.S. Army Aviation. (doesn’t have the NAA stamp)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find, Straightgrain, and good research, too. Your logic (1955 to 1966) looks right to me.

 

[GCS]

Here’s my DUZ flight wrench.

We called the other a “Snoopy Tool” for obvious reason.

 

[Straightgrain]

Here’s my DUZ flight wrench.

We called the other a “Snoopy Tool” for obvious reason.

It looks like with a push of a button, the end that unlocks cowling fasteners rotates around providing you with a choice of two different slotted ends, which slotted end do you normally use more often?

 

[GCS]

"It looks like with a push of a button, the end that unlocks cowling fasteners rotates around providing you with a choice of two different slotted ends, which slotted end do you normally use more often?"


Correct.

Normally used the half moon end.

The half moon end fit the cowling Dzus fasteners better which had a wide slot. I can't remember what size they were.
The screw driver end was very thin, and usually used in harder to reach locations, smaller fasteners, or snapping open a stubborn latch.

Most of the wear on the flight wrench was from bouncing around in my on board tool box. I usually carried the Snoopy Tool on my person due to its smaller size.

 

[MR.X]

Not a Duz-All or traditional Snoopy Dzus (both of which I have multiple of) but related.....At first I couldn't connect the old Curtiss logo with a Phillips head as Curtiss had become Curtiss-Wright long before Phillip head screws were introduced, but a quick search showed a Curtiss Aircraft Division of Curtiss Wright much later than the Company name change and magazine Ads with the old school Curtiss logo as late as 1945. So that solves that, but I wonder why they put a Phillips driver on it in the first place other than to wear out some pockets?

 

[Provincial]

Are you sure it isn't a Reed & Prince bit? Many aircraft screws had that instead of Phillips/

 

[MR.X]

Are you sure it isn't a Reed & Prince bit? Many aircraft screws had that instead of Phillips/

Sure, I'm familiar with them and this does have a sharp point but that's even more to my point. It'll put a hole in your pocket and whereas I can easily imagine using the Dzus tool as I've done on access panels I'm unfamiliar with where that drive would be useful to anywhere near the same frequency that it would be more convenient than just using a standard one size fits all R&P with a shaft and handle. If you can give me examples, that's exactly why I posted on this thread. I saw that you had already commented here.

 

[MR.X]

Sure, I'm familiar with them and this does have a sharp point but that's even more to my point. It'll put a hole in your pocket and whereas I can easily imagine using the Dzus tool as I've done on access panels I'm unfamiliar with where that drive would be useful to anywhere near the same frequency that it would be more convenient than just using a standard one size fits all R&P with a shaft and handle. If you can give me examples, that's exactly why I posted on this thread. I saw that you had already commented here.

I’m seeing boxesof AN standard aircraft structural screws online and now I’m reading that “49%” LOL of American aircraft in WW2 used them. Higgins boats apparently used them. Interesting.

 

[WAS Jr]

Can’t help you with the Reed and Prince vs Phillips argument, but I’ve heard that the last American military aircraft to use flat blade screws was the Boeing P-26 of the mid thirties. The Smithsonian Air and Space museum restorers grew to loathe those screws when they restored their Peashooter in the early 90’s.
bill s

 

[cvairwerks]

Still have to have flat blades working on the F-35.....

 

[Provincial]

Still have to have flat blades working on the F-35.....

Probably not structural?

 

[cvairwerks]

Probably not structural?

Correct...1/4 turns in the cockpit, certain type of connector locks, some structure mounted connector bodies, brake bleeders and so on...

 

[MR.X]

Extras from a box in the basement.