Fw190 DVC-P

This single seater is coded DV + C-P, could these be the initials of a double barrelled officer? It is my favourite shot in the collection!

This must be Sqn Ldr D.V.C. ‘Digger’ Cotes-Preedy’s aircraft. Having commanded 56 Sqn (Tempests) until Feb 45 he went to 83 Group Control Centre for 4 months and then to 616 Sqn (Meteor F.3) at Lubeck, June to August 1945.

485 and 486 Sqn Typhoons

485 Sqn was equipped with Spitfires of various marks from its formation but in February 1945 was temporarily withdrawn from 135 Wing at Gilze-Rijen to re-equip with Tempests at Predannack. Unfortunately not enough Tempests were available and a number of Typhoons (total 7) were loaned by 84 Group Support Unit to help in the conversion. Some of these (possibly all) were Typhoon FR.IBs – the fighter reconnaissance version which was surplus to requirements. Serials were EJ900, 904, 975, EK252, 347, 492, 512; it is doubtful if unit codes were carried. Conversion was abandoned mid-April 1945 and the unit received Spitfires again.

486 Sqn began exchanging its Hurricanes for Typhoons at the end of July 1942 and operated this type until April 1944 when replaced by Tempests. During this period it used 95 different Typhoon aircraft. You’ll find a complete list (with codes for many of them) in Paul Sortehaug’s ‘Wild Winds’, published 1998, ISBN 1-877139-09-2.

‘Canadian’ Typhoon

Cranswick,

I was mistaken in my recollection of it being a 1A, but the link below is the photo I recall. It seems to be an assumption on the part of the author.

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/v2/equip/hst/typhoon-eng.asp

Thanks for that Ian. The Typhoon is R8762, which was at A&AEE Boscombe Down from November 1942 to January 1943, for trials with 44-gallon drop tanks – where it was photographed.

Interesting to note the fresh paintwork on the nose – where the (Nov 42) short-lived white nose marking has been painted out. So have the associated black stripes under the wings – but the black/white stripes which should have replaced them have not yet put in an appearance.

So you were correct – ‘Canada’ was a bit of an assumption!

Typhoon in Canada; I don’t think so

There is a picture of a Typhoon 1A on the Canadian Forces website, it claims that the photo was “probably taken in Ontario”. I have also found a reference that says there was one flying out of Rockcliffe Ontario in the early 40’s, and another claiming a Typhoon crashed in Quebec as a result of a failed PCU. I have not found any records that can back this up though.

Ian

I do not know of any record of a Typhoon going to Canada and I have been through all 3317 movement cards (Form 78) and any other records on individual aircraft. One to to Russia, 3 to N Africa. The 3 RCAF sqns in UK/NW Europe used RAF aircraft. And the one to USA (thank goodness) mentioned earlier.

Have been unable to locate the photo you mention Ian – can you post a link?

Typhoon NF details

Yes, it was fitted with a 4-blader, as photos taken at RAE prove, however as this was before Hawker carried out trials with the Tempest tailplane on the Typhoon (Sept 43) I doubt if the larger one was fitted to R7881.

As for the ‘experimental night fighter scheme’ … I believe the only mention of this is in ‘Profile 81’ published in the mid-60s, where a photo of R7881 was printed with a caption stating the colour scheme was ‘Middle Stone and Extra Dark Sea Green’, although the photo looks suspiciously like Medium Sea Grey and Dark Green – the standard scheme of the time. I recently came across a print of the original Hawker drawing for the Typhoon night fighter and it does stipulate the latter pair of colours.

I have to say I have come to treat Mason’s captions with circumspection, as they have proved error-prone. For example, in his book on the Typhoon he states the Typhoon NF’s radar equipment was carried in the LR tanks beneath the wings. In fact (as it clearly states in the RAE report) the radar Tx/Rx and modulator were positioned in the space made by removing the port wing main fuel tank; the LR tanks were carried permanently to make up for the loss of fuel capacity.

Typhoon R7881

The photo was taken at Langley; it is a print off Hawker neg no.TYG15 and the buildings in the background appear in other Hawker photos.

It is very likely the photo was taken on or soon after 17 September 1942 when the aircraft was delivered to Langley for conversion to nightfighter. It had been built by Gloster (as were 3300 out of 3317 Typhoons) and delivered to 44 MU Edzell on 13 July 42. It was then transferred to 24 MU Stoke Heath (Ternhill) “for TI of Special Installation” (possibly the fitting of the radar equipment minus the aerials? 24 MU was a repair depot) and on to 51 MU, Lichfield (the main Typhoon MU) 14 September. Lettice Curtis, ATA flew it from Lichfield to White Waltham 16 September and it was reported at Langley the next day.

R7881 spent the winter at Langley where the fitting of the AI VI was completed and it was painted in the then current NF sceme of Medium Sea Grey with Dark Green disruptive pattern. It went to RAE Farnborough for trials in April 43 and on to FIU Ford in June. It was with FIU for a year, then flown to 3 Tactical Exercise Unit at Honiley (they were short of Typhoons). By 21 September 1944 it was with Marshall at Cambridge where it was rebuilt and redelivered to 51MU in May 1945. Scrapped there, September 1946.

Hawker contenders

I think they had to increase radiator and oil cooler size too, so there may have been a bit of cowling change, not absolute on that though.

The Tempest VI was essentially a V but with radiator and oil cooler in the inboard LEs. Plus a ground running filter behind the chin radiator fairing. No change to the nose contours. One of the Tempest VI sqns in the ME tangled with FAA Sea Furies during an exercise and claimed to have trounced them – but then you are bringing pilots and tactics into the equation …

The RAF Fury with the Sabre VII would be my contender for low and medium altitude. 3000hp+, 485 mph. All the bugs out of the Sabre. I once asked Frank Murphy, who had flown Hurricanes and Typhoons operationally, and all following Hawker types through to the Hunter, as a test pilot, which was his favourite. Fury with Sabre VII.