Hi
I was thinking about including in our project one of the Hurricane which operated from Iceland during 07-12/1941. Not only for the unusual place from where they operated but also for the wavy dividing line between the upper and under colors camouflage. They also carried the individual aircraft code letter in black under the nose.
Please observe the following picture
Reference: Aircam Aviation Series – Hawker Hurricane Mk I/IV in Royal Air Force & Foreign service N°24
I looked in the The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988 by Air Britain book and I found in the (page 171) the serial Z4045.
I checked this serial number on the Hawker Hurricane book by Manson (page 227) and said: N 1423 Flt a Kaldadarnes, Iceland 07/1941.
I found the same comments for the following aircrafts: Z4631, Z4702, Z4607,
So far that is all which I could find about the serial numbers. The real problem is that I cannot match the serial numbers with the code letters.
Does someone have the serial number and the code letter of at least one of these Hurricane?.
The reference of the pictures mentions that the Hurricane were Mk IIa but the Hawker Hurricane book by Manson said that they were Mk I. By seeing the pictures the spinner / propeller appears to be the Rotol 11” 3” (Jablo) type so I think that they converted to a Mk IIa version. Is it correct?
As per what I understand they were finished in Dark Earth – Dark Green and Sky. Fuselage band in Sky and Spinner probably in Sky but by seeing the pictures could be also in Sky Blue depending on the aircraft. The serial numbers appears to be 8 inch high in black.
I hope someone could bring some light to this issue.
Many thanks in advance
Kind regards
Santiago
By: galdri - 18th February 2009 at 19:33
I need to correct the information I gave above. I´ve been in contact with Iceland´s premier WW2 Air Historian, Mr. Ragnar Ragnarsson, as I had a feeling he might have some info. And he had! Mr. Ragnarsson had copies of the original IWM´s photographs. The photos are IWM ref. CS63 and CS64. Mr. Ragnarsson was able to read two serials for sure. “K” is Z4575 and “D” (or “O” depending how you read the rectangular sign on the nose) is Z4048. He was not able to get conclusive serials for the other aircraft in the photograph.
Regarding the colours for the aircraft, I can not comment.
By: diamant - 18th February 2009 at 11:17
Hello Sigurjon
Thank you very much.
I am speechless and really impressed. Thank you very much for your very detail response.
As per what you wrote we will do the Hurrricane Z4631 as “D”.
I think that I figure it out the pattern of the Z4631 which could be “A”?
Just to be sure, but were these Hurricane finished in Dark Earth – Dark Green with Sky undersurfaces?
Many thanks
Santiago
By: galdri - 17th February 2009 at 23:45
Oh and by the way, this picture is not taken at Kaldadarnes. It is taken in Reykjavik, and in the background is Mount Esja. It has snow on it´s slopes which to me would suggest the picture is taken autumn /winter 1941 In the background is Wellington of 221 squadron also based at Reykjavik.
By: galdri - 17th February 2009 at 23:19
I´ve been researching these very aircraft for some years now, and sadly, I think I can not tell you very much more than you know already. But this is what I know, mostly taken from an exelent book called Flugsaga Íslands í stríði og friði by Eggert Norðdahl.
1423 fighter flight came into being on the 10th of June 1941 when six aircraft arrived. They were Mk.II´s Z4575, Z4607, Z4617, Z4631, Z4639 and (Mk.I) Z4702. Pilots and Officers were from 98 squadron, and the flight was under administrative control of 98 squadron.
On the 15th of July, 1423 fighter flight became independent, when 98 squadron was disbanded. After that, it adobted the unofficial name “Air Defence Iceland”.
Later, or on the 26th of July, four more Hurricanes arrived. They were Z4037, Z4045, Z4048 and Z4049. That made a total of 10 Hurricanes for 1423 fighter flight. Two were supposed to be based at Kaldadarnes on readiness, and six were to be on readiness in Reykjavik. Two were to act as spares.
On the 23rd of September, 1423 fighter flight had it´s only casaulty in Iceland. Z4617 and Z4607 were scrambled from Reykjavik to intercept a German recce. Z4607 was last seen climbing into clouds, and crashed into the slopes of Mount Esja to the north east of Reykjavik at 09:45. The pilot, Sgt. H.A. Werrells was killed.
1423 fighter flight was disbanded in Descember 1941, and the remaining Hurricanes were shipped to the UK on the 22nd of Descember.
The in your post is probably the only known pictrue from 1423 fighter flight, and it is also reproduced in the book I quote above, although in slightly better quality. Stating the obvious, I would go so far as to say that the Hurricanes have no unit codes (98 squadron Battles didn´t have them either while they were here) The known individual aircraft letters are only known from this photograph and are “J” “F” “D” and “K” After much scrutiny af the picture in said book, I would venture as far as saying Z4631 could be “D”. I can not be sure, however. In the book the picture is credited to the Imperial War Museum, so maybe they have a higher resolution copy available to read the serials. For the other six aircraft we will probably never have a clue:(
All the best,
Sigurjon
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February 17, 2009 at 2:18 pm