Hi all, does anyone know of a tie-up listing of the 3-digit fleet numbers (e.g. 314, 327, and so on)to the actual aircraft serials for this unit whilst at Sutton Bridge in 1940 please? I’m just working through the unit’s ORB whilst fleshing out details of incidents and I’ve started to see a few ‘fleet numbers’ used, which isn’t helpful without a listing!
Regards
G.
By: BCAR-Research - 29th January 2015 at 22:31
Ross, thanks for the offer – we’ve been working from microfilms of the RAFM WW2 F1180s for the project, and a few of these 3-digit numbers were recorded on there. I’ve just managed to solve the mystery though (after a few hours of head-scratching and coffee-drinking) – these 3-digit numbers are the RCAF serials for Hurricanes that were shipped to Canada in 1939 and returned to the RAF when 1(F) sqn RCAF re-equipped over here in 1940 prior to becoming 401sqn.
I managed to solve the mystery thanks to a post by Bill Walker whilst I was looking to see if I could get a match on a Hurricane that S/Ldr Niedzwiecki was killed in on 18/Aug/40.
Here’s the link to Bill’s site: http://www.rwrwalker.ca/RCAF_301_350_detailed.htm
Regards
G.
By: Ross_McNeill - 29th January 2015 at 22:23
Scratch that idea.
Just had a look at Nov 1940 – the fleet numbers in the ORB are what has been recorded on the F1180
eg 7/11 F1180 has Hurricane 315 Sgt H H Jennings 754910
No full aircraft serial given
Regards
Ross
By: Ross_McNeill - 29th January 2015 at 21:46
We can come at it from another direction.
If a F1180 survives then it will give a serial and pilot name for an incident causing FA for Cat A to E
Float a few dates for pilots and I’ll see what matches.
Regards
Ross
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January 29, 2015 at 7:56 pm