RAF B26 Marauder and odd Hurricane code

Thanks Peter and Geoff.

Martin, yes that is the same photo, thanks. However it is very interesting to see clearly in your shot it has two toned upper colours – in the magazine I have it looks completely one toned, the lighter colour. It must have something to do with the wartime printing.

Steve, I’m not sure if again it might be the printing of my copy that is playing tricks with the Hurricane. On looking at it, yes the exhaust may have eaten away the bottom of the J making it look like a I. I agree with that. However I am not so sure about the / being a Z. Your explanation sounds plausable but I cannot see how the diagonal stroke could reflect so dark, and the horizontal strokes apparently so light that they completely disappear. This makes no sense because the horizontal strokes of the BP code are clearly visable, so it is not a trick of the light. Perhaps it used to be a Z and has been made into a / by a clever censor, but I don’t know why. Maybe it was a / for some other reason. After all I have seen a Spitfire coded with a ? before.

Hurricane…6 Sqn BP188??

All–

There are some familiar flying shots of 6 Sqn Hurricanes in the desert, one of which is BP188. 6 Sqn’s code was JV; BP188 was aircraft Z. I’m looking at one of the pix in Frank Mason’s Hurricane book. The bottom of the “J” is almost smudged-out by exhaust stains; the “JV” is a pale colour while the “Z” is very dark and noticeably glossy. With the Hurri’s rear-fuselage contours and the bright sunlight in this shot, depending on the angle, I could see the horizontal strokes of the “Z” disappearing against the light-hued camo, leaving a “slash”. In fact even in this shot the upper bar of the “Z” is only just visible, with a bright splotch of glare at the top of the diagonal…Could the mystery shot be another angle of the same aircraft, maybe from the same sequence?

BTW, that Marauder unit had three aircraft with similar nose art and names beginning with “Dominion”. IIRC they were “Dominion Thunderer”, “Dominion Uproar” and “Dominion Revenge”. Would be lovely to see one of ’em on the circuit…

S.

There were only two IIDs in the BP180 – 189 batch. BP183 is listed in Air-Britain as being used by 7 Sqn SAAF & 73 OTU, To Turkey 1/7/43, returned, SOC 12/9/45. BP188 was used only by 6 sqn & was SOC 24/7/45.

‘Combat Codes’ gives ‘IV’ as being used by the Uppper Heyford station flight, 1944/45.

Geoff.

Here’s a colour profile from page 110 of “The History of the Royal Air Force”.
It shows FK375 of No 14 Sqn in August 1942.First used for bombing operations, they were later used for minelaying and shipping reconnaissance.

Ha !

found the photo in question

source: http://www.loscom.org.uk/sqns/14sqn/history14.html

Martin

From page 87 of the same book.

Scan from page 144 of “Lend-lease aircraft in WW2” by Arthur Pearcy.

Thanks Martin. Another look under better light shows it most certainly is a K, it looked like an X due to the angle. So yes it is FK375.

I’m amased at how many the RAF used, I’ve never seen any reference to the type in the RAF before.

I really like the Marauder, partly due to its fine looks but also because it’s one of those planes you hear little about, so when you do its a nice surprise.

Hello Dave

52 B-26As were delivered to the Royal Air Force under the name Marauder Mk. I. Their RAF serials were FK109 to FK160. The first three Marauder Mk. Is for the RAF were ferried across the Atlantic late in 1941. Most of them went to the Middle East in 1942 for service in Egypt in an attempt to defend the Suez Canal against the advance of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps.

The Marauder Mk. IA was the designation given to nineteen B-26Bs which had been delivered to the RAF. Their RAF serials were FK362/FK380. FK372 and FK380 crashed in the USA before delivery.

The RAF received 123 B-26C-30-MOs under the designation Marauder Mk. II. Serials were FB400 through FB522. 100 of them (FB418 through FB517) were delivered to the South African Air Force, and formed the initial equipment of Nos. 12, 21, 24, 25, and 30 Squadrons. As part of the Desert Air Force, they supported the Allied force in the invasion of Italy.

British Lend-Lease contracts included 100 B-26F-2, 100 B-26F-6, 75 B-26G-11 and 75 B-26G-21 aircraft in 1944 as the Marauder Mk. III. RAF serials were HD402 to HD751. These aircraft re-equipped Nos. 14 and 39 Squadrons of the RAF and Nos. 12, 21, 24, 25 and 30 Squadrons of the South African Air Force. As part of the Desert Air Force, the South African units supported the Allied forces invading Italy.

Therefore I would say your Marauder is FK375, a Marauder IA

no idea on the Hurricane, though.

Cordially
Martin