Hi,
I have been discussing a picture that I’d seen before that claimed to be the bombed Supermarine Works (which I don’t believe). My scepticism centres around the aircraft in the picture …a Heinkel III, 2 Hawker Henleys and a Hawker Hurricane.
The Hurricane seems to me to have the best chance of identifying the date and location of the picture as the squadron insignia is visible KW-W
If I have understood things correctly KW = 615 Squadron who received Hurricane’s in April/May 1940, and who were relocated from Kenley to Scotland on 29th August. So I have presumed the aircraft was damaged during the Battle of Britain.
Unfortunately I can’t find out the serial number for KW-W nor what actually happened to it.
So I was hoping someone here might be able to help?
(Happy to do the digging if someone can point me in the right direction)
Cheers
Dave
By: DC Page - 5th April 2017 at 02:21
I’m not sure of the picture you’re referring to, but I have seen Hurricane Mk.I KW-W listed as L1829, although I don’t know if that’s accurate or not. L1829 is shown as being flown by P/O A.J.J. Truran on August 15, 1940 and he was able to return to Kenley with shrapnel wounds in one leg when L1829 was damaged by Bf 109s over Folkestone.
If this information turns out to be correct, then KW-W’s sister ship from 615 Squadron, L1592 KW-Z is hanging in the Science Museum at South Ken.
By: Philip Morten - 5th April 2017 at 00:34
I believe the photograph is in the Cunliffe-Owen works at Eastleigh rather than Supermarine, the original I saw was in a C-O album of the factory ( which eventually became Fords and has recently been demolished). From memory there are other photographs in the Solent Sky archive showing the He-111 before the bombing. Did Cunliffe-Owen do conversion work on the Henley?
Sign In
April 4, 2017 at 11:15 pm