Amelia and friends

[Ric Gillespie]

I think most likely air vents.

I think you'r right.  The Harney Drawings have them labeled as "air vents."  To save weight, NR16020 did not have the full cabin ventilation system installed in the airline version.

[Tim Collins]

Interesting "History International" screen capture. Note the "glow" from the lav window against the aft bulk head, and what appears to be a the 330 circumferential.  What would be the dark shadow to the left above the sloping thing (back rest/lid to the hopper?

[Jay Burkett]

Air vent?  Maybe.  Possibly field fabricated.  It doesn't look like sheet-metal.  The edges are not very regular or distinct.  Stryofoam did not come about until 1941, so, that is not likely.

Whatever it is it is shiny.  Note the reflection from the flash.  I'm still betting that the material is cellophane tape.  A gasper of sorts could have been fabricated out of cardboard and tape.  I resized one of the last posted photos and it does look somewhat like a rectangular vent facing forward.

Any idea of what the linings were made of?  It kind of looks like the cloth head liners that used to be installed in cars up until about the late '70s.  I could also make an argument for cloth covered birch plywood.  The perlorus bracket looks to be attached with screws below and hooked over the lining on the top.  This makes me think that the lining is somewhat rigid.

If it is a vent there would be some sort of opening in the liner.  There is no distorsion in in the lining that I can see.

It is odd that everything else in that photo is sharp and identifiable.

What ever it is the "large" window would have forced it to be removed.

Again, this is just a thought experiment where I'm trying to make sense of all of the great information that is presented.

Everybody have a great day!

[Jerry Germann]

Ric , mentions that air vents are noted in the Harney drawings, and they do appear to be drawn in similar design to the one we see in the photos. ( see attachment). I don't believe there was a similar air vent over the added large lavatory window that would have to be removed. As far as why the object appears to change shape ( to me) in several photos, I am just guessing , but was  wondering if something was attached over the original ( sand casted aluminum piece?*) to provide a more atheistically appealing appearance, and that may have proved fragile.

* My guess by appearance in Amelia alone photo, posted by Ric.

P.S. Does anyone know the purpose of the little ball near Earhart's feet?