RCAF Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain

Iain,

Thanks for this.

The assumptions on it being 607 sqaudron were from two points:-

The codes being AF:U
The photo came from Canada near where W H Whitty lived after return to Canada.

I must admit that I had not thought about the posibility that it could be the AFDU. I am aware that they also used AF as some of the IWM photos are incorrectly captioned as 607 squadron (They were MkII spitfires if I remember correctly from when I visited the IWM).

Perhaps we need to further look at the location to see if this ties in with Northolt.

Unfortunately the source in Canada has no information on the photograph.

Hurricane Photo

I have been researching the L-SERIAL Hurricanes for a number of years.

What proof is there for this Hurricane having served with 607 Squadron, is it because of the code AF-U.

If so may i just mention that the codes AF were also used by the Air Fighting Development Unit from 1940 to 1945.

I have some references to Hurricane L1684 having served with the A.F.D.U. so this could well be this Aircraft.

F/O B.L.Duckenfield later G/C.(ex 501 sqd B of B)
Flew L1684 3 times on the 1st October 1940 when the Unit was Stationed at Northolt.

SGT R.J.W.Brown later W/C. (ex 111 Sqd B of B)
Flew Hurricane AF-U 4 times during February 1941 the unit was by then Stationed at Duxford.

Hope this info may help

Best wishes
Iain

Robert,

Thanks for the dates, saved me looking them up .

Just a point on markings. Some of the photographs I have seen of other squadrons show the red carried accross the tail rather than as a straight bar as on AF:U.

These are generally attributed to June-Aug 1940 i.e before 607 moved to Tangmere. Was this pretty standard as I do not think any of the few photographs that I have for that period for 607 squadron show the red across the fin

According to Robertson’s ‘Camouflage and Markings 1907-54’ After the fin stripes used in France, fin flashes were non-standard between June/ December 1940. After this they became standard 24” X 27”. It was fairly common on some squadrons to have both narrow ones and those across the fin: 607 Squadron had both. Blackadder’s Hurricane had the flash across the fin dated August 16, 1940 and later at Tangmere. AF-U, in the pic, has a non-standard, more narrow one. Some 607 Squadron Hurricanes carried the squadron crest on the white part of the fin flash, Blackadder’s carried the aircraft code letter: ‘F’ in white on the red part of the flash. All really non-standard.

Best Wishes.

Robert,

Thanks for the dates, saved me looking them up .

Just a point on markings. Some of the photographs I have seen of other squadrons show the red carried accross the tail rather than as a straight bar as on AF:U.

These are generally attributed to June-Aug 1940 i.e before 607 moved to Tangmere. Was this pretty standard as I do not think any of the few photographs that I have for that period for 607 squadron show the red across the fin

Sorry to confuse, I mean date for the photograph if it is at Bicester

September 8, 1940 if going to Tangmere: C October 9, 1940 if coming back.

Best Wishes.

Sorry to confuse, I mean date for the photograph if it is at Bicester

which would also give a confirmed date
Depends what date you’re looking for. Camouflage and markings alone date this photograph of a Hurricane to between June and October 1940. Pilots who also flew it date it to Battle of Britain period.
Whether L1884 was the same Hurricane as the ‘slip wing’ Hurricane is another matter entirely.

Best Wishes.

Thanks for the comments Notheagle.

I know we have communicated on this and thought I would open it up to the Forum as I now have doubts about RCAF 321 being L1884.

I passed the photograph to Andy Saunders who has much knowledge of Tangmere and thinks it probably is Tangmere, I had not consdered that it may be Bicester and will have another look to see if it ties in with Bicester which would also give a confirmed date.

Hi Dave,
I think we have had this conversation before. The Huricane in the pic: I have blown this up and the letter can only be ‘L’ with first digit as ‘1’ second digit has a rounded bottom and can only be 5, 6,8 or 9. L 1584 was with various squadrons until it was shot down, July 14, 1940. L 1684 was converted to Mk11A in 1940 while L 1984 crashed January 29, 1940 which leaves L 1884.
This Hurricane, L 1884, was sent to Canada, March 1939 and numbered 321. It was returned mid 1940 to RAF and retained its original number L 1884. However, all photos I have seen show the Hillsen Hurricane numbered as 312 which I find strange. How come its number was changed while still in service with the RAF?
This Hurricane while with 607 Squadron was coded ‘U’ and flown by both Will Whitty and Dudley Craig during the Battle of Britain period. Sadly, both used the letter rather than the number so there is no concrete proof that L 1884 and AF-U are one and the same only gut feeling which makes it about 90%. No real evidence that the photo was taken at Tangmere either, unless someone can identify it. In September 1940, this aircraft stopped off at Bicester on its way to Tangmere, could be there. Last recorded flight with 607 Squadron was Dudley Craig, October 7, 1940, three days before 607 left Tangmere.

Best Wishes.
Robert.

L1884

Sorry to open an old thread bt thought this might be of interest.

It is taken at Tangmere in September 1940 and arrived with me via Canada.

The aircraft is most pobably L1884 serving with 607 Squadron.

This is suposed to be the aircraft that was 321 with the Canadians. Does this mean that the aircraft returned to there RAF serials when they came back to the UK.

Also the aircraft is noted as becoming the slip wing Hurricane. This confuses me as all the references refer to this as RCAF 321 and never by its RAF Serial.

Is it possible that L1884 was not RCAF 321 ?

Doe anyone have any confirmation that the serial tie up currently accepted is correct. Could RCAF 321 have actually been the pattern aircaft L1848 ?

Thanks for that.

‘323’ (ex ‘L1886’), in which Sgt Jack Hammerton lost his life whilst serving with No 615 Sqn RAF on the 6th November 1940, is the aircraft I’m really interested in, as we have relics from this Hurricane in our museum, and Jack is also one of the RAF airmen who lost his life close to the museum, and whom we will be raising a memorial in due course.

Geoff.

I know 323 came back (crashed Nov 40 IIRC). The first batch of 40 from CCF were P5170 to P5209 shipped over feb to Aug 40.

L1759 (ex 310), L1760 (311), L1761 (312), L1762 (313), L1763 (314), L1878 (315), L1879 (316), L1880 (317), L1881 (318), L1882 (319), L1883 (320), L1884 (321 – later became slip wing hurri), L1885 (322), L1886 (323), L1887 (324), L1888 (325), L1890 (326), L2021 (327), L2022 (328), L2023 (329), L2144 (330 – lost at sea in transit), L1848 was despatched as a pattern aircraft 2/3/39 and L2144 despatched 28/9/39 as sample for Canadian production.
info from Mason’s excellent Hawker Aircraft since 1920 Putnam!