Ladies [plain Jane] Hawthorn, a complete-ish, late-'40's time capsule or a well kept earlier restoration?

[kram]

What do you seasoned and generous experts think?
A feeling of original finish persists, but so does my skepticism that parts are easily mixed or added [like its funky, odd Delta].
It came from favorable storage conditions, senior owned, and was an estate wall-hanger up until a few years ago.
I took a comfy 150- ft ride, but the ND brake needs some love. Cushy Troxel and fair Wards Riverside Mate pair on unmarked [nicely painted/striped rims] ... Yes, it's got ND hubs
And I've got less than $150 tied up in it
More photos possible...
THANK YOU ALL

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Maybe early 1950’s - brass badge, horizontal drop outs, seat post clamp?

 

[GTs58]

I think that's a pretty honest piece, other than the light.

Closest I could find with the same paint details, fender and carrier braces, truss rods and chain ring.

 

[kram]

Thanks Archie and Wiz.
i did notice the [possibly telling?] pretty unmistakable look at/around the rear dropouts; a decidedly "chunky" look to the tab-type lugging.That fender/rack bridge is pretty distinctive also.
And I was surprised to NOT find any headbadge timeline anywhere online. Probably didn't look hard enough.
That light, imho, is a poor excuse for a Delta. It's embossed underneath in tiny font: "Delta made in U.S.A." I guess it's newer. It's GOTTA GO.
If I can find one, even if a refinish is needed, would/should a tank fasten right in place?

QUESTION: Some early 50's examples I've found have a sort of boxie-shaped, yet a tad streamlined, chain-guard; definitely less Art Deco -ish. Any rule of thumb there, for identifying the decade/era of manufacture?

 

[kram]

The pedals are marked "METEOR 3N".

 

[TieDye]

Maybe early 1950’s - brass badge, horizontal drop outs, seat post clamp?

1949 to be exact.

 

[GTs58]

Clarification. This is not called a drop out, it's a rear fork end. If you can't loosen the axle nuts and pull the wheel forward and out of the fork end with chain still on the sprocket, it's not a drop out. There were a few manufacturers that were quite a bit behind the times in actually using a rear "drop out".

 

[rustjunkie]

 

[Adamtinkerer]

The blue & red M/W badge was new on '50 models, though there's evidence the lower end models used up older badge stock, at least on '47-'49 models.

 

[dvwoods65]

Nice bike. The light looks to be an Airliner, which was common on late 40s/early 50s Hawthornes. Been searching for one myself for my 47 Hawthorne so if you ever wish to sell it, let me know.