re SG-31
According to
http://www.historicflying.com/for_sale.htm
RN201 is a high-back Mk XIV with Rolls Royce Griffon power. It was built at the Keevil dispersal factory in early 1945 and delivered to No. 9 MU at Cosford on 22 February that year. Once the war in Europe was over, RN201 emerged from store and was allocated to No 83 Group Support Unit in July and stayed with this unit until December 1945 when it was allocated to 350 (Belgian) Squadron at Fassberg. In May 1946 it was transferred back to the UK to No 29 MU High Ercall in Shropshire. It was subsequently sold to the Belgian Air Force in February 1948 under the serial number SG-31 and was used again by No 350 Squadron coded MN-L and later by No 3 Squadron as YL-B when it suffered a heavy landing in February 1950. The aircraft was declared as not worthy of repair to flying standard and was mounted on a pole with code GE-A at Beauchevain.
So it seems it was MN-L originally, but bore GE-A when retired at Beauvechain. The decision to use it in 350’s colours must have been later, but someone had the bright idea to code it MN-350 instead of MN-L.
Where did the idea of SG-3 come from? Well, I certainly recorded it as SG-3 in 1959, as did Scramble on the web in 1970 (http://www.scramble.nl/showreports.htm) But, as I said, if you look at my photo, above, of it almost head-on, there is a suggestion of perhaps a “1” after the SG-3 under the wing.
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