Does anyone have Serials,lettering or Markings of Al. Deere's MK V or MK IX ?

Firstname instead of initials

And yes, there was at least on other in addition to ‘AL’ …. Wg Cdr G.W.Northcott of 126 Wing had ‘JEFF’ marked on his Spit IX and XIV aircraft in 1945/5.

Haabjorn’s “BO-G”

Although Wg Cdr Erik Haabjorn is recorded as flying “BO-G” in one of the Typhoon squadron’s ORBs, I think it more likely that this was a corruption of ‘BD-?’ which was Wg Cdr Billy Drake’s aircraft at the same time. No lavatorial jokes please.

Thanks for that.

But was Deere’s the only one with a first name rather than initials?

Dave,

It would seem so.

There were a few personalised aircraft that weren’t initials.

Some examples:-

‘BOG’ on W/C Haabjoern’s Typhoon.

‘OK-1’ & ‘OK-2’ on AVM Park’s Hurricanes

‘ZZ’, ‘ZZII’, ‘ZZIII’ & ‘ZZ4’ on W/C Gillam’s Typhoons and Tempests.

Mark

I was aware of the Wing Commander thing, I simply worded it badly, sorry. Most of the best known examples were aircraft flown by aces is all i meant.

But was Deere’s the only one with a first name rather than initials?

Personal Codes

Upward of 350 individual RAF aircraft, mostly fighters from the 1940/50’s, are recorded as being personalised with code letters of the principal pilot’s initials.

This was a practice accorded to the rank of Wing Commander and above although there are one or two exceptions.

Mark

OOpsie…

Serves me right for speed reading….:rolleyes: I stand corrected Dave..;)

Unless I have it wrong I think it was a privilege that came on assuming Wing Commander rank.

Right.

Rolf Arne Berg of Norway was not an ace but a Wing Commander and had RAB on his plane.

Yes, as did many aces and top officers

I don’t think it was necessary to be an ‘ace’.

Unless I have it wrong I think it was a privilege that came on assuming Wing Commander rank.

Moggy

Clive Caldwell and Bobbie Gibbs both had personal aircraft serials.

Yes, as did many aces and top officers, such as D-B for Douglas Bader, J-EJ for Johnny Hohnson, J-MC for Johnny Checkets, D-S for Des Scott, etc.

The question was their first name, ie their christian name, written on the plane. I doubt that CLIVE or BOBBIE were their codes, were they? 🙂

AL must be almsot unique as a code being the pilot’s first name I’d think.

Did any other pilots get to put their first name on their aircraft as their code letters like Al did?

I guess you’d need a pretty short name to qualify?

Moggy

Coupla aussies…

Clive Caldwell and Bobbie Gibbs both had personal aircraft serials.

Did any other pilots get to put their first name on their aircraft as their code letters like Al did?

Thanks for your help, cheers, MP.

http://wp.scn.ru/ru/ww2/f/52/9/11/190

http://www.integration.co.nz/spitfirepv270/