Sea Prince "side numbers"?

R&M, Have to say I like your thinking. I’d never looked at it that way but it makes sense to me.

Thanks again

Ok guys
Since I started this thread, I will step in now and do some explaining! As some of you know I work with my now 16 year old son Max on a range of projects, from our fast taxiable J.P-3A, a Beagke Pup cockpit section, an Auster fuselage and a Bede BD-5. Max is also a very keen instrument panel restorer / collector.
Max recently aquired a Sea Prince panel, with a number on it, which we wished to pin down, however, we also like to build up as much general data as we can for a project, it gives us a better feel for the whole thing, and anyway, it’s nice to look beyond just the panel, especialy for someone as young as Max.
One thing I learned a very long time ago about this furum, is that the depth of collective knowlege is amazing. So if I ask a very specific question, I get a very specific answer, however ask a more general question, and a whole wave of other information comes along.
I also realise that I am not the only one reading the answers, so although others may have little interest in my specific question, they may well find something much more interesting to read in the answer to the general question. So more people potentialy benefit from the work that goes into answering my question.
Anyway, as always, a very big thank you to all who have helped to unravell the mystery, and taken the time to find information for us.
Best wishes,
Ritch and Max Blood.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks all
As always you have done us proud. And yes, Dave was correct, we are trying to pin down an instrument panel that now belongs to my son, Max. Indeed, we pop off for a bit of a jolly, and when we get back, Dave has covered the whole topic for us!! I should go into hiding more often.
Thanks again everyone.
Best wishes,
Ritch and Max.

Sadly this Air-Britain page has yet to catch up with our own book. As with all fixed-wing aircraft worked on by RNAY Fleetlands it had to land at Lee-on-Solent (it being the nearest airfield to the non-runway equipped Fleetlands). However, unlike most of the other Naval aircraft worked on by the Yard the ‘Prince had no folding wing facility which rendered it simply too wide to fit through the relatively narrow towing route. Therefore our entries for Sea Princes read “Lee-on-Solent on RNAY Fleetlands charge”.

A much more in-depth (and accurate) list of Sea Prince histories can be found in “Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946”. [PLUG!]:D

That wasn’t the question – however a look at this site should get you somewhere near http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:JtKTy8kDlTEJ:www.ab-ix.co.uk/PER50%2520PRINCE%2520PEMBROKE.doc+percival+sea+prince+%27563%27&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=uk

This thread brings up the memory of the Sea Prince Stream. I worked at both Western radar Aberporth and London Mil radar later. I can recall sitting next to the controller and watching the six or seven blips on the screen very slowly follow the same course from Culdrose across South West England. If it felt slow to us , what was it like for the pilots? The only break from the routine was waiting for one to miss a turn point, but they were too good for that !

The Culdrose Station Flight aircraft was always 999 regardless of the airframe

Not exactly true. CU St Flt operated many different types with codes in the 900-series, but not necessarily always ‘999/CU’. In fact, the only Sea Prince they operated with the code (‘999/CU’) was C.1 (short-nosed) variant WF137 which is now, sadly, rotting away at Lasham. The only other Sea Prince used, briefly, by Stn Flt was C.2 WM756 but which did not carry a Stn Flt code.

WP321 was 570 with 750 at Culdrose when withdrawn from service. This has been corrupted at sometime during its “civilian” life to 750 one assumes for 750 Sqn which it wears today. The Culdrose Station Flight aircraft was always 999 regardless of the airframe

A good example of code change within the unit, WF133 was 567 at one stage, and ended up as 573, as stated above, which is the code WP320 wore in the mid ’70s.
Culdrose station flight had a SP near the end of their service aswel.

Ritch/Max
750 Squadron Sea Princes: WP313/CU-568,WF118/569,WP309/570,WF131/571,WP308/572,WF133/573,WM739/574,WF122/575,WF125/576,WP314/577,WM735/578. These were the last in use by the Squadron,around 1979/80.
WP321 was used by the RN Sydenham Flight till the late seventies and WF120 and WM738 were broken up there in 1978.

Oops apologies, I did say I was away from my sources – the definative publication I reckon.

That is the squadron and individual aircraft identity code, a comprehensive list is in Putnums Fleet Air Arm Squadrons.

Think you actually mean Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd’s “Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm” by Ray Sturtivant and Theo Ballance. Also try Air-Britain’s “Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946” by Ray Sturtivant, Mick Burrow and……erm…..me! 😀

That is the squadron and individual aircraft identity code, a comprehensive list is in Air Britains Fleet Air Arm Squadrons. Bare in mind that a particular aircraft wouldn’t always keep the same code throughout its life, the FAA were especially good at that.
Originally (post ’45) the numbers actually all denoted something, example 3=3 seats, however that was changed by the late ’50s I believe.
Generally the late Sea Princes were operated by 750 Sqn and were alloted codes in the 570 numerical area, examples 567 to 577. WF122 was 390 while with 831 sqn and coded 575 while with 750.
I’m away from my references at the mo. so can’t help you more yet.