Hamsterman

Yes, I'm sure there are a number of perfectly rational explanations for the presence or absence or those serial numbers. My problem is that my desire for the information now doesn't match up with their rational then! 🤣 I do wonder if the record keepers of the day enjoyed their work. Some seem to have loved it based on the detail added to each entry. Others appear to have been less enthusiastic. It is fun to see how each record keep had their own style and challenges/vises. There is one that I've been looking at recently who always spells the word 'portrait' and 'protrait'. Another always seems to add additional 1s and 2s to USAAF serial numbers. With the latter, I think it's an error made when translating the number on the tail of an airplane with the acutall hyphenated serial number. For example, if 112857 was the serial number on the tail of the plane,, the actual serial number would be 41-12857, and the person would type it as 41-112857. At least they were consistent so I could figure it out....most of the time.

Thanks! I gave it a go and was able to find a few things but couldn't find serial numbers listed for the Air/Sea Rescue Flight during 1942 through the first half of 1943. The search continues! Cheers!

Yep, that's the story. The account of the HSL is eye opening. I have not seen that particular photo that you mentioned. Is that in Franks' book? I must have missed it. I'm also puzzled by the account of the Hudson. Neither of the other sources I read mention a Hudson and I can't figure out who the Hudson belonged to. Any ideas? Thanks!

Thanks! It's really a bit odd that the flight initially lists the aircraft involved in operations during 1941 but then all but stops listing specific aircraft again for 1942 and the first half of 1943. Once you get to September and the flight becomes 294 Squadron, they start listing serial numbers again but at the same time, Wellingtons "V", "W" and "E" are now longer listed with the squadron. Oh well, the search continues. Most of the information I've found about the ditched B-25s is for the Holmes crew. I was aware that Capt. Heinish also ditched but his crews rescue must have been much less exciting as there is only a scant account.

Hi all, Are any of you familiar with the RAF Air Sea Rescue Flight which was, as I understand it, the precursor to 294 Squadron? I'm researching the rescue of the crew of a downed 12th BG / 82nd BS that occurred between 3-6 January 1943. I've read a fair bit about the rescue of the downed crew and the ordeal suffered by the crew of the RAF HSL that was sent to retrieve them and am of the understanding that the Air Sea Rescue flight provided three Wellingtons and one Walrus for the rescue. I am hoping to determine the serial numbers of the Wellingtons and Walrus and, if possible, photos of any of those planes. The Wellingtons were coded "E", "V" and "W" if that helps. I've been able to find one photo of a Wellington coded "E" but it's labeled at 38 Squadron so I'm assuming those aren't the same planes. Thanks for any hope you might be able to offer. Cheers! Chris

Afternoon all! Are any of you familiar with the F-5s of the 12th Photo Recon Squadron that were based in Italy in the second half of WW2? I'm wondering if anyone knows definitively what color the tail numbers were? I've always interpreted the tail numbers as white; however, Italeri has released decals for a 12th PRS F-5E with yellow tail numbers. This first photo is from the website "The Jive Bomber". https://thejivebombers.com/2019/03/27/lightning-strikes-f-5s-p-38s/ The tail numbers do look less brilliant than the white on the tip of the vertical stabilizer and back half of the prop spinner but it that because it was yellow or because the noticeable engine exhaust has dirtied the white? This second photo is from the World War Photos P-38 gallery. https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/aircrafts-2-3/p-38-lightning/f-5e-of-the-3rd-photo-recon-group-at-florence-italy/ The tail number on 929 looks white to my eyes but I'm also trying to compare the numbers to the prop tips which look dark/black. It doesn't help that the prop spinner colors are different on the F-5s in this photo. Lastly, this photo is from the Lockheed P-38 Lightning FB page gallery. Again, I'm inclined to see the tail numbers on 287 as white. Incidentally, can anyone make out what's written on the engine nacelle? Looks like HOCSDAD but that doesn't make sense to me. I tried contacting the person that posted the photo but never received a response. Bummer. Anyone have an thoughts, either similar or different? Thanks. Cheers! Chris

True, “modify” was a poor choice of words as there are some significant changes. The sentiment was more surprise and disappointment that they didn’t do more from the Hudson/Ventura family since the last 1/48 Hudson offering was the Classic airframes kit.

I’m more of a 1/48 guy but don’t have the Classic Airframes kit so I imagine it will have to be 1/72. I’m surprised and disappointed that Revell didn’t modify their PV-1 kit to offer a Hudson given the number of countries that used the Hudson and all the various camo schemes. Wow, thanks! That’s very generous of you to offer.

That would be cool! Then I wouldn't have to come up with my own. I'm still in the preliminary stages of this one and haven't looked but do you know if you can get a sheet that just has generic RAAF code letters and serial numbers in sky blue and MSG?

Hi Peter, This is absolutely fantastic and made my day! Thank you so very much. You are not the first person to recommend David Vincent's book so I'll be looking for that. I generally try and see if my local library can connect me with a book first and I just haven't had the time to pop in and ask them. I also followed Tim's advice and sent an email to Ron but haven't heard anything yet. I am a sucker for planes with cameras. I equally love groups that are less well covered (which can be a problem when it comes to information) so for me, that photo of A16-112 was gold. I was guessing the first two letters were "MA" but past that I wasn't sure so I was glad to read that both you and David Vincent were able to make out the "RG" that follows. I'll likely make an educated guess at the name when I get around to building that plane. Do you have an educated guess as to the color of the name? To my eyes it looks darker than both the store reference number and code letters as well as the white in the roundel and fin flash so I was going to guess yellow. That photo of A16-130 in the three color camo is also very attractive. I have it listed as SU-H but black codes on a natural metal fuselage. I'm assuming your photo was before the paint was striped so presumably SU-H in MSG or Sky Blue? Correct me if I'm wrong but SU was the prefix code for all survey flight planes. I'll shoot you a PM and we can talk about those other planes. Cheers! Chris LOL! Yours and mine both.

Late war RAAF is also not my area of expertise so I could be wrong, and am in fact, wrong. I was basing my guess of sky blue on some RAAF markings documents I found in this thread over at the ww2aircraft.net forum. https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/raaf-markings-and-codes.9351/ I originally found the sky blue reference in the 1943 specifications document but there is another PDF in that thread, also shown below, from a 1944 specifications document that calls for medium sea grey codes (which I believe to include squadron codes and aircraft registration numbers) against foliage green camo schemes. But, it's entirely possible this was superseded by another document that I haven't seen calling for white markings. Cheers!

Morning all (depending on your longitude), Are any of you familiar with the Lockheed Hudson(s) used by the RAAF Survey flight from mid-1944 to mid-1946? I found this one picture of Hudson A16-112, coded SU-P. The plane carried a 6" trimetrogon setup in the nose. I'm trying to determine what is written on the fuselage under the pilots side window in the attached photo. It's obscured by the prop spinner. Any guesses or photos that might shed light on the mystery text? Camo looks like overall foliage green. I'm guessing SU-P codes in sky blue, not sure about the serial number, white or sky blue. I was thinking of trying to add this to my ever growing list of Lockheed Hudsons/Venturas that I want to build. I've tried searching google and archives photos for these planes but I'm hitting a dead end. The folks at Aussie Modeler didn't have much and suggested I try here so I thought I'd throw out the question to you fine folks. Thanks for any suggestions. Cheers! Chris Image found here: http://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2017/10/09/lockheed-hudson-a16-112-the-tojo-busters/

Looks like this thread hasn't been active for quite some time but thought it might be interesting to share this photo which I found on Brian Spurr's Facebook page dedicated to his father's WWII service. https://www.facebook.com/brian.peter.spurr/media_set?set=a.10155217058756901&type=3 The photo shows a Lockheed L-10 Electra named "Cloudy Joe". According to the caption on Brian's page, "It seems the factory serial of this aircraft is 1124 and it carried registrations YU-SBB and AX701. It was involved in a Operation Pike to photograph the Iraq oil fields." What's peculiar (at least to me) is that the book that was mentioned earlier in this thread, Operation Pike: Britain Versus the Soviet Union, 1939-1941, refers to a customized twin-engine Lockheed 12A aircraft, equipped with extra fuel tanks and standard 5" RAF aerial cameras (one mounted vertically and two mounted at 40-degree angles. It also refers to a Lockheed Super Electra 14 named "Cloudy Joe", but no L-10 Electra. In the photos of G-AGAR posted above, I don't see the name "Cloudy Joe" painted on the plane, only on the L-10 Electra. That said, if the name was painted in white on G-AGAR, it probably wouldn't be visible. So, was the 12A Electra a mis-recognition of the L-10 Electra in this photo or was the L-10 Electra also involved in Op. Pike? Was more than one plane christened "Cloudy Joe"? Cheers!

Thanks for the suggestion. I've been doing just that and trying to go month by month. So far, a lot of serial numbers and no codes for 682 Sqn.

Well bummer. Thanks for checking.