680 Squadron RAF in the Mediterranean in 1944

[leyreynolds]

This unit was equipped with Spitfire XI's and Mosquito XVI's but according to the log book of RAAF pilot, Bud Tingwell, also had at least one Hurricane II hack. Does anyone have details of serial and code please?

[Guest]

Alan Lake's "Flying Units of the RAF" lists 680 Sqn as having 3 Hurricanes:

 

Hurricane X - AG153

Hurricane IIB - Z5132 (James J Halley's "The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force" lists this as a Hurricane I)

Hurricane IIC - HV295

 

No mention of any codes though.

 

Hope that's of some use.

[Seahawk]

JDR Rawlings' Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF lists 680 Sq as operating the following Hurricane Is and IIs between the squadron's redesignation from 2 PRU in Feb 43 until 1945:

 

P2915, V6738, V7404, W9225, W9242, Z4604, Z5132, AG153, BN354, BP510, BP652, HV295, HV479, HW663, LD204.

 

No codes given for any of them, in fact only two codes given (both for Mosquitoes) for the whole of the 680 Sq entry.

[leyreynolds]

Thanks to you both. A Hurricane from 680Sqn has just moved up my build list.

 

Ley

[leyreynolds]

One other point - I assume a Day Fighter Scheme would be likely as the colours?

[Guest]

Without a photo, possibly.  Their PR aircraft would naturally be in the relevant scheme, but given the theatre they operated in, the hacks are likely to be in a desert scheme.

[100 Squadron]

I have a photo of my grandfather who was in 680 squadron stood next to a hurricane at Cairo but unsure how to upload his photo here.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, 100 Squadron said:

but unsure how to upload his photo here.

Needs to be hosted somewhere online,   eg Flickr, 

see 

I'm a bit of a Hurricane fan,  email it and I'll upload it if you wish,   ipmstroysmith 'at' gmail dot com  if you wish. 

[Andy Fletcher]

Initially PR Hurricanes operated by 2 PRU and 680 Sqn were camouflaged with the unit's unique Royal/Bosun blue scheme. By the time Tingwell flew with 680 Sqn (from early 1944 onwards) the unit's aircraft were camouflaged standard PRU blue. As to what colour any hack would have been it is difficult to say. If it was an old PR Hurricane it was probably PRU blue but if it was a fighter variant it would probably have been standard day fighter scheme for the theatre.

[Andy Fletcher]

On 2/15/2018 at 8:18 AM, leyreynolds said:

This unit was equipped with Spitfire XI's and Mosquito XVI's but according to the log book of RAAF pilot, Bud Tingwell, also had at least one Hurricane II hack. Does anyone have details of serial and code please?

 

Do you have access to a copy of Tingwell's log book? What date(s) are given for him flying the Hurricane. I can look in the ORB as I recall it is quite good for listing the serials of aircraft being received/despatched from/to maintenance etc, even non-operational types.

Edited August 29, 2022 by Andy Fletcher
Typo

[Andy Fletcher]

I have had a quick look through the 680 Sqn ORB.

 

23Jan44: Tingwell arrived from 74 OTU.

31 Jan44: 4 Hurricane I and 0 Hurricane II listed as being on strength (no serials)

29Feb44: 2 Hurricane I and 4 Hurricane II listed as being on strength.

 

During Feb the unit received the following Hurricane IIs from 135 MU: BP510, HV479, HW663, LD204.