Geoffrey Sinclair

Air Historical Branch, Aircraft Serial Registers, AM form 622 have 147 Hind entries marked as Trainer K4638, K4639, K4641, K4644, K4645, K4647, K4649, K4650, K4651, K5373, K5375, K5377, K5386, K5387, K5396, K5397, K5407, K5408, K5410, K5418, K5423, K5427, K5436, K5439, K5440, K5446, K5447, K5449, K5450, K5460, K5465, K5466, K5467, K5468, K5469, K5481, K5485, K5488, K5495, K5500, K5502, K5503, K5504, K5505, K5506, K5507, K5508, K5509, K5511, K5512, K5513, K5515, K5517, K5521, K5523, K5526, K5530, K5547, K5553, K5559, K6619, K6621, K6624, K6635, K6637, K6640, K6655, K6657, K6658, K6685, K6687, K6688, K6695, K6699, K6703, K6714, K6715, K6724, K6729, K6735, K6736, K6739, K6741, K6742, K6743, K6747, K6758, K6759, K6760, K6776, K6780, K6805, K6810, K6813, K6818, K6827, K6829, K6831, K6834, K6837, K6840, K6841, L7184, L7193, L7196, L7201 to 16, L7218 to 43 RAF production 20 aircraft from K4636 to K4655, 193 aircraft from K5368 to K5560, 244 aircraft from K6613 to K6856, 70 aircraft from L7174 to L7243

Probable model designations PT-19 Ranger L-440-2, lower power engine PT-19A Ranger L-440-5, higher powered engine PT-19B Ranger L-440-5, higher powered engine, blind flying PT-23 Continental R-670 PT-23A Continental R-670, blind flying PT-26 PT-19 for Lend Lease, higher power engine PT-26A Fleet built PT-19A PT-26B Fleet built PT-19B Cornell I RAF/RCAF designation for Fairchild built PT-26. Cornell II RAF/RCAF designation for Fleet built models Aeronica 477 PT-19A (8 in May/June 1943, then September 1943 to April 1944), 143 PT-19B (June to October 1943), 375 PT-23 (October 1942 to September 1943), total 995 St. Louis 44 PT-19A (November 1943 to February 1944), 200 PT-23 (December 1942 to October 1943), 106 PT-23A (October 1943 to February 1944), total 250 Howard 200 PT-23, (December 1942 to September 1943 then the final 3 in December), 150 PT-23A (September 1943 to January 1944), total 350. However PT-23 42-49261 crashed on a test flight and was omitted from production reports and contract listing, making the official total 199 PT-23, overall 349. Fairchild, 40 M-62A (36 for Norway August 1940 to November 1941, 4 for Ecuador in December 1941), 25 M-62B (for Chile April to July 1941), 270 PT-19 (April 1940 to March 1941), 3,176 PT-19A (2,699 February 1941 to April 1943, 212 October and November 1943, 265 February to April 1944), 774 PT-19B (April to October 1943), 1 XPT-23 (June 1942), 2 PT-23 (October 1942), 670 PT-26 (400 April 1942 to April 1943, 270 December 1943 to February 1944), total 4,958. An additional 5 aircraft with serials 42-14708 to 14712 are reported as PT-19A gifted to the USAAF by Fairchild, they have blank USAAF Delivery Log entries and do not appear in the production reports. Fleet 586 Cornell II (251 built July 1942 to July 1943 [only 9 to end October 1942], RCAF 10524 crashed before delivery and is omitted from the production reports, 335 (listed as cancelled PT-26A by the USAAF) January to June 1944) financed by Canada, remainder of production US Financed, 93 PT-23 (December 1942 to April 1943), 807 PT-26A (March 1943 to January 1944), 250 PT-26B (July says Canada, August says US to February 1944), total 1,736 counting RCAF 10524. The above means the earliest the photograph was taken is mid 1942. The first batch of Fairchild built PT-26 were 42-14299 to 14498 = FH651 to FH850, 42-15330 to 15478 = FH851 to FH999 and 42-15479 to 15529 = FJ650 to FJ700, the second batch were 44-19288 to 19557 = EW341 to EW610, making production in USAAF but not RAF serial order. Production from Fleet could have RAF serial only, RCAF serial only, a USAAF serial only, an RAF and a USAAF serial, an RAF, an RCAF and a USAAF serial. The USAAF allocated 1,750 serials of which 500 were cancelled, the RAF 1,757 serials of which 365 were cancelled, the RCAF 1,165 serials of which 918 were used. The RCAF also operated 498 RAF serial versions, giving a total of 1,566 counting RCAF 10524 and 1,565 if it is omitted. RCAF serials used, 251 aircraft from 10500 to 10750, 30 aircraft from 10766 to 10795, 107 aircraft from 10801 to 10907, 290 aircraft from 14381 to 14670, 65 aircraft from 15001 to 15065, 25 aircraft from 15141 to 15165, 25 aircraft from 15191 to 15215, 25 aircraft from 15241 to 15265, 25 aircraft from 15291 to 15315, 25 aircraft from 15341 to 15365, 50 aircraft from 16601 to 16650 Fleet production. RCAF order, 251 Cornell II aircraft, RCAF 10500 to 10750. USAAF Contract AC-30110 417 PT-26A aircraft, 42-65585 to 66001. RAF FV100 to FV516. RCAF 15001 to 15417. Built Mar 43 to Jan 44 218 PT-26A aircraft, 42-66002 to 66219, USAAF order cancelled but built as RAF FV517 to FV734. Built Mar 44 on? 165 PT-26A aircraft, 42-66220 to 66384. RAF FV735 to FV899. Cancelled USAAF Contract AC-30109 93 PT-23 aircraft, 42-70864 to 70956. Built Dec 42 to Apr 43 290 PT-26A aircraft, 42-70957 to 71246. RAF FT542 to FT831. RCAF 14381 to 14670. Built May to Oct 43 50 PT-26A aircraft, 42-71247 to 71296. RAF FW881 to FW930. RCAF 16601 to 16650. Built in Nov 43 50 PT-26A aircraft, 42-71297 to 71346. RAF FW931 to FW980. Built in Dec 43 19 PT-26A aircraft, 42-71347 to 71365, USAAF order cancelled but built as RAF FW981 to FW999. Built Mar, Apr 44 98 PT-26A aircraft, 42-71366 to 71463, USAAF order cancelled but built as RAF FX100 to FX197. Built Apr to Jun 44 USAAF Contract AC-40057 157 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36248 to 36404. RAF FZ198 to FZ354. RCAF 10751 to 10907. Built May to Dec 43 73 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36405 to 36477. RAF FZ355 to FZ427. Built Dec 43 to Jan 44 20 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36478 to 36497. RAF FZ699 to FZ718. Built in Jan 44 100 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36498 to 36597. RAF FZ448 to FZ547. Cancelled Unknown order number: 100 Cornell II aircraft, RAF FZ874 to FZ973. Cancelled Fleet received 4 different orders and at times was delivering against all 4 orders while building each in its serial order. However the PT-26A from AC-30110 were being delivered from start to finish of PT-26A production, with those from AC-30109 delivered from May 1943 to end of production in parallel with those from AC-30110, each month’s production was a mixture from both orders. And this may have continued for the second Cornell II batch, comprising the 218 from AC-30110 and the 19+98 from AC-30109. Little Norway transfers (PT-26 built by Fairchild, PT-26B by Fleet.) 10 PT-26 aircraft, 42-14358 to 62 and 42-14414 to 18 (USAAF Delivery Logs do not mention Norway in entries for the second group), FH710-14 direct, 766-70 via RCAF. 1st Group in August 1942, 2nd group accepted by US in September 1942, transferred from RCAF 1 October. 20 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36248 to 62, 36293 to 7, FZ198-212, 243-7, RCAF 10751 to 65, 10796 to 10800, first group in August, second in September 1943. 1 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36477, FZ427, via USAAF? Accepted 18 January 1944, “Britain to AAF, AAF to Little Norway 28 June 1944” 6 PT-26B aircraft, 43-36484, 86, 87, 91, 92, 97, FZ705, 07, 08, 12, 13, 18. Accepted in January 1944, Little Norway 28 June 1944. 11 PT-26 aircraft 44-19288, 289, 290, 292, 295, 496, 504, 512, 516, 528, 534, EW341, 342, 343, 345, 348, 549, 557, 565, 569, 581, 587, accepted December 1943 and January 1944, first 5 via RCAF on 13 July 1944, no date of transfer for the others available, their RAF Serial Register entries are blank. Fleet production of PT-26A by order each month. PT-26A Orders cut from 507 on 30109 and 800 on 30110 to 390 and 417 respectively in Jan 1944. Cont. No. \ 30109 \ 30110 Mar-43 \ 0 \ 12 Apr-43 \ 0 \ 21 May-43 \ 40 \ 32 Jun-43 \ 50 \ 40 Jul-43 \ 49 \ 50 Aug-43 \ 51 \ 50 Sep-43 \ 50 \ 50 Oct-43 \ 50 \ 50 Nov-43 \ 50 \ 50 Dec-43 \ 50 \ 56 Jan-44 \ 0 \ 6 Total \ 390 \ 417

AMDP = Air Member for Development and Production. Other AMDP Whitley mid 1939 to mid 1940 include K9016, N1345, N1346, N1349, N1350, N1420, N1467, N1468, N1478, N1481 and P4949 N1370 was aircraft F in December 1939 and J in February 1940 according to the squadron records. Agreed N1370 is a good candidate, despite no match to the date. The next stop would be the published histories of the Royal Aircraft Establishment and then the archives, including for 32 MU. P4949 Taken On Charge 6 April 1940, 5 MU date deleted, AMDP 25 Apr, 38 MU 30 Aug, AMDP De Havilland 30 Sep, SOC 4 Dec 43. The contract card indicates it was ferried from the production line by a De Havilland Pilot, for use in propeller trials.

There is the assumption the reported dates and units are on the aircraft cards. So far earliest mention of 502 Sqn found, N1392, 9 MU 8 Nov 39, 502 Sqn 4 Sep 40 Production for Coastal Command effectively begins with the following, note not all went through 32 MU. P5010, 32 MU 5 Sep 40, 502 Sqn 7 Oct P5041, 32 MU 5 Sep 40, 502 Sqn 10 Jan 41 P5045, 6 MU 21 Jun 40, 502 Sqn 3 Sep. P5050, 32 MU 22 Aug 40, 502 Sqn 28 Sep P5051, 2, 4, 9, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 To go looking through the 34 I, 46 II, 80 III, 33 IV, 7 IVa and the early mark V, https://www.lancasterbombers.net/form-78-aircraft-movement-cards/

No information on painting. Mosquito VIII, 2 in November 1942, 1 in December, 1 in February and 1 in March 1943. Serials DK324, DZ342, 364, 404, 424. B.IX production started in April 1943, PR.IX in May 1943. Sharp and Bowyer consider the VIII to be mark IV converted on the production line to use 2 stage Merlin 61 versus the Merlin 72/73 and 76/77 used in the mark IX while the XVI had the pressure cabin. When it comes to the early PR types, The 10 of the first 12 Mosquito accepted were considered PR.I, 27 PR.IV delivered October 1942 to February 1943.

The Beaufighter TF.X pilot notes mention a 200 gallon under fuselage tank plus long range tanks in wings capacity 24+29+29+50 gallons. The Ministry of Aircraft production reports do not list any Beaufighter drop tanks, they do list Mosquito ones.

Sure about the serials, and any idea when the trial nacelles were installed? DG296 mark V built by Rootes, Merlin XX, 48 MU 12 December 1942, 1664 CU 2 July 1943, 431 Squadron 1 September 1943, 1664 CU 2 September 1943, 1666 CU 20 September 1944 48 MU Hooton Park 4 January 1945, Struck Off Charge 1 November. LV795 mark III built by Hadley Page, direct to 78 squadron 14 January 1944, Category AC 8 May, Handley Page repair in works 19 May, Struck off charge 9 June. Listed as category E 19 May in Serial Registers. According to AVIA 46/112 the Halifax Biography. The two related Merlin powered proposed improvements to the Halifax. “Halifax II series II. This mark was the aircraft in which the engine nacelles were lowered relative to the wing, a modification which was expected to improve the performance. The engine was to be the high altitude Merlin 61. One prototype was built and when flight tested in April/May 1943 showed a worthwhile gain in performance. This development however had no practical application because in February 1943 it was decided to change over entirely to Hercules engine for all Halifax aircraft on account of the uncertainty of Merlin production. …. In the summer of 1941 Rolls Royce produced the Merlin 60 high altitude engine and Handley Page’s suggested that a new version of the Halifax should be developed with the following modifications, 1) Equipped with the Merlin 60 high altitude engine. 2) Span of 104 feet instead of 99 feet. 3) Redesigned the bomb bay which would enable 4000 and 8000 pound bombs to be carried without special carriers so that the bomb bay doors would close for the 4000 pound bombs and very nearly close when 8000 pound bombs were carried. This aircraft was known as the Halifax IV and although the Ministry of Aircraft Production agreed that a prototype should be built and a contract was issued in September 1942, the project did not get very far and was later abandoned, as a result of the decision taken to change over entirely to Hercules engine for all Halifax aircraft. This decision was taken in February 1943 mainly on account of the uncertainty of the Merlin production.” The above resulted in, HR756 a mark II series I, fitted with Merlin 22, taken on charge 8 April 1943, about 2 to 3 weeks after the serials just before it, Controller of Research and Development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Rolls Royce 24 June 1943, 44 MU 6 May 1944, Bomb Ballistics Unit 21 June 1944, Category AC flying accident 17 April 1945, Repaired on Site, 60 MU 26 April 1945, BBU 11 June 1945, Controller of Research and Development at the BBU 30 August, Struck Off Charge 24 January 1946. The rest is about the mark II and V series Ia, which appeared in a similar time frame to the proposed series II and mark IV, and where different references have different ideas on the definition and how many were built. The prototype Ia HR679, first flew in December 1942. Controller of Research and Development at the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment 22 January 1943, Controller of Research and Development at R? Maledon? 12 August 1943, 25 Maintenance Unit 23 September then stayed in storage at various MU until converted to scrap 9 October 1946. AVIA 46/112 Halifax Biography. April 1942 complaints about performance mostly about having to fly with bomb bay doors partly open when carrying the bigger bombs. A new design bomb bay doors interfered with H2S operation, so the design was dropped. August 1942, more complaints about performance. Changes were front turret removed and replaced retrospectively by a metal faring and in production by a perspex nose, the 4 gun mid upper turret and astrodome were lowered. Improved dampers fitted and various drag producing items modified. "These changes were eventually associated with the designation Halifax II Series Ia, though in point of fact this was really applied to a change of radiator which took place at about the same time. First production deliveries of the Series Ia took place in February 1943. Merlin XXs were still fitted…" Also around this time Merlin 22 engines began to be fitted on some lines. February 1943, the four gun upper turret starts to be fitted to production aircraft, after a decision made in May 1942. No mention of when the rectangular fins were introduced but I understand it was later and plenty of aircraft were retrofitted. Looking at the Ministry of Aircraft Production Monthly Statistical Bulletins the radiator production table actually separates Halifax series I and Ia radiator production, see below. Also Merlin 22 production, Derby built 1,486 mid 1942 to end August 1943, Crewe 1,387 October 1942 to end January 1944, Glasgow 2,164 April to end November 1943, Ford 3,593 July 1943 to October 1944, total 8,630, engines also fitted to Lancasters. A quick look at the individual aircraft cards shows, Handley Page mark II serials, HR660 in December 1942 seems to be the first Merlin 22, some later serials with Merlin XX. The first serial with Ia marked on its card is HR841 in May 1943, then HR845, HR847, HR855, as time goes on more cards are marked Ia London Aircraft Production mark II looks like they begin fitting Merlin 22 with BB329 in March 1943, JN882 the first Ia in July 1943, JN884 no series information, JN885 on seem to be series Ia. English Electric mark II still fitted with Merlin XX to end production in October 1943, none of the cards checked were marked Ia. Fairey mark V began fitting Merlin 22 with DK235 in June 1943 and it appears to be a clean change over, with DK244 in July the first card marked Ia, but some later cards have no series information. Rootes V, Engines Merlin, usually no mark number. First series Ia LK890 in July 1943, again not all cards marked. From this the 5 production lines the switch to series Ia was 1 in May 1943, 3 in July, 1 unknown when assuming the early series Ia cards are properly annotated. Rather later than the AIR 46/112 states. Conclusion it really is the radiator that defines whether a Halifax II was series I or Ia leading to the possibility some flew as hybrids. So far the aircraft cards report series Ia from May/July 1943. The following table is series I and Ia radiator production. The third column is Halifax II and V production for the month times 4, showing how many radiators were needed. Series I radiators may be in "others" column June to August 1944, All Halifax Series Ia radiators are in others column in September. Month \\ I \\ Ia \\ II/V production x4 Jul-42 \\ 1194 \\ 0 \\ 248 Aug-42 \\ 1377 \\ 0 \\ 292 Sep-42 \\ 1627 \\ 0 \\ 316 Oct-42 \\ 1632 \\ 0 \\ 436 Nov-42 \\ 1367 \\ 0 \\ 396 Dec-42 \\ 1397 \\ 16 \\ 408 Jan-43 \\ 1046 \\ 32 \\ 484 Feb-43 \\ 945 \\ 98 \\ 548 Mar-43 \\ 1022 \\ 100 \\ 612 Apr-43 \\ 964 \\ 96 \\ 620 May-43 \\ 803 \\ 222 \\ 720 Jun-43 \\ 640 \\ 284 \\ 636 Jul-43 \\ 710 \\ 365 \\ 624 Aug-43 \\ 623 \\ 486 \\ 524 Sep-43 \\ 462 \\ 481 \\ 604 Oct-43 \\ 240 \\ 536 \\ 480 Nov-43 \\ 335 \\ 355 \\ 340 Dec-43 \\ 327 \\ 393 \\ 324 Jan-44 \\ 293 \\ 366 \\ 260 Feb-44 \\ 438 \\ 336 \\ 252 Mar-44 \\ 277 \\ 359 \\ 236 Apr-44 \\ 100 \\ 284 \\ 268 May-44 \\ 348 \\ 258 \\ 204 Jun-44 \\ n/a \\ 158 \\ 144 Jul-44 \\ n/a \\ 166 \\ 76 Aug-44 \\ n/a \\ 154 \\ 0 There is the need to stock the supply and maintenance systems and probably early series Ia radiator production was warehoused for a time before being released to the factories. Mathematically if you release all the series Ia radiators built so far to the factories in May 1943 you still cannot make all production for the month series Ia, you have to wait until June. It takes until October before series Ia radiator production exceeds the number needed to equip all new Halifax production for the month. Conclusion the change over to series Ia was in Q2 and Q3 1943 even assuming English Electric never changed. Another point on the idea Handley page built series Ia from mid December 1942 onwards. Handley Page production to end June 1943 requires 584 series Ia radiators, 342 were built. Devoting every series Ia radiator to Handley Page built Halifaxes, it takes until July before there is enough to equip the December 1942 to July 1943 output. If Handley Page really did built 299 series Ia a lot of them waited for weeks for their radiators. It is going to take looking at the individual aircraft cards to come up with an estimate of the series split and English Electric either never changed over or did not mark the cards. General Reconnaissance versions, 58 squadron received Halifax II from December 1942, Halifax III in March 1945. 502 squadron Halifax II from February 1943, Halifax III in February 1945. Weather reconnaissance versions, 517 squadron formed from 1404 flight in August 1943, Halifax V in November 1943, Halifax III in March 1945, 518 formed with Halifax V in July 1943, Halifax VI in March 1946. The Ministry of Aircraft Production Monthly Statistical Bulletins do not record any 4 blade propeller production for Halifax until January 1944, but then say 242 made for the month, out of the planned 250.

According to AVIA 46/112 the Halifax Biography. “In the summer of 1941 Rolls Royce produced the Merlin 60 high altitude engine and Handley Page’s suggested that a new version of the Halifax should be developed with the following modifications, 1) Equipped with the Merlin 60 high altitude engine. 2) Span of 104 feet instead of 99 feet. 3) Redesigned the bomb bay which would enable 4000 and 8000 pound bombs to be carried without special carriers so that the bomb bay doors would close for the 4000 pound bombs and very nearly close when 8000 pound bombs were carried. This aircraft was known as the Halifax IV and although the Ministry of Aircraft Production agreed that a prototype should be built and a contract was issued in September 1942, the project did not get very far and was later abandoned, as a result of the decision taken to change over entirely to Hercules engine for all Halifax aircraft. This decision was taken in February 1943 mainly on account of the uncertainty of the Merlin production.” Merlin 60 series were at a premium in 1942/43, remembering Spitfire V production did not end at Castle Bromwich until August 1943 and Westland in October. HR756 a mark II series I, fitted with Merlin 22, taken on charge 8 April 1943, about 2 to 3 weeks after the serials just before it, Controller of Research and Development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Rolls Royce 24 June 1943, 44 MU 6 May 1944, Bomb Ballistics Unit 21 June 1944, Category AC flying accident 17 April 1945, Repaired on Site, 60 MU 26 April 1945, BBU 11 June 1945, Controller of Research and Development at the BBU 30 August, Struck Off Charge 24 January 1946.

No information on painting. As far as I know lots of work to convert from French to RAF standard. And as has been noted many were left in their crates for months while decisions were made about them. Not quite all ex French, there were some ex Norwegian, ex Iran and reported ex China, plus captured/defected Vichy French. According to the USAAF order F-273 for HK-75A-4 was split 216 France, 204 Britain, with acceptances for Britain beginning in May 1940 and ending in August, those for France ending in June. Exports for France ended in June, exports for Britain were 57 in July, 118 in August and 29 in September 1940, total 204. Exports for Norway were 15 in March and 10 in April 1940. The RAF Mohawk numbers are quite consistent in the eyes of those in London. According to the import report Mohawks arriving in UK, 32 in Jul-40, 37 in Aug-40, 117 in Sep-40 18 in Oct-40, total 204 According to Air Arsenal North America 5 of the Norwegian order of H-75A-6 made it to Britain, they appear to have been treated as Norwegian in the import report, they became AR630 to 34 and never left Britain, so 204 imports becomes 209 RAF serials. The following using British Military Aircraft Serials, by Robertson and dates from serial registers. 65 AR630 AR694, arrival dates start in August 1940 19 AX880 AX898, arrival dates around September 1940 20 BB918 BB937, ToC in 1940/early 1941 6 BB974 BB979, ToC in 1940/early 1941 20 BJ434 BJ453, ToC in 1940/early 1941 20 BJ531 BJ550, ToC in 1940/early 1941 20 BK569 BK588, ToC in 1940/early 1941 4 BK876 BK879, ToC in 1940/early 1941 4 BL220 BL223, entries ruled through in Serial Registers, "stet", ToC Nov/Dec 40, exported to Portugal, South Africa, South Africa, Middle East respectively. 9 BS730 BS738, ToC in 1940/early 1941 4 BS744 BS747, ToC in 1940/early 1941 15 BS784 BS798, ToC in 1940/early 1941 3 BT470 BT472, ToC in March 1941 Total 209 Exports from UK 8 in Nov-40 to Middle East Vessel damaged, 4 aircraft returned to UK, but re-exported, so assumed only 4 aircraft involved, exported twice -4 in Nov-40 to Middle East Vessel damaged, aircraft returned to UK 13 in Jan-41 to Middle East 2 in Jan-41 to South Africa 14 in Feb-41 to South Africa 4 in Apr-41 to South Africa 12 in May-41 to South Africa 12 in Jun-41 to South Africa 8 in Jul-41 to South Africa 11 in Aug-41 to Portugal 5 in Sep-41 to India 6 in Sep-41 to South Africa 3 in Oct-41 to India 5 in Oct-41 to Portugal 6 in Nov-41 to India 10 in Dec-41 to India 4 in Jan-42 to India 4 in Jan-42 to South Africa 1 in Feb-42 to India 35 in Apr-42 to India 11 in May-42 to India 10 in Jun-42 to India 1 in Jun-43 to India. Total 181, 86 India, 17 Middle East, 16 Portugal, 62 South Africa RAF census of February 1943 says 5 Mohawks in Britain, 21 Middle East, 55 South Africa, 63 India, total 144 effectives. 2 instructional, 22 lost in UK, 25 lost overseas, 16 transferred to other powers, total lost 65, grand total 209. As of June 1944 still a total of 209 Mohawks but only 6 still effective. I read this as of February 1943 5+22+2 = 29 in Britain, in June 1944 it is 2+25+1 = 28. 209 total - 28 Britain - 181 exports = 0 According to AIR 19/524 204 Mohawks were delivered to the RAF in Britain July 1940 to May 1941, 184 of these in 1940. In addition to the above Air Arsenal North America has 1 AX799 AX799, in Robertson, HK-75A-9, Pattern aircraft for Chinese production 4 HK823 HK826, only HK823 in Robertson, Ex French in Middle East, 2 went to SAAF, nothing in Serial Registers. 9 LA157 LA165, in Robertson, reported to be from the 10 HK-75A-9 sent to Iran March and April 1941, nothing in Serial Registers, 1 DR761 DR761, reported to be assembled in India from kits meant for China, up to 5 flown, nothing in Serial Registers, The China aircraft may have something to do with the import report having 8 Mohawk imports into India in January 1944 and 16 in February.

Interesting there were Tempest target tugs in 1944/45, presumably for anti V-1 units fast low level practice, given a big limitation on Typhoon and Tempest production as Sabre engine production, resulting in up to 400 Typhoons being reduced to spares in 1943 as there were not enough engines. A problem that persisted. A memo in AVIA 49/229 says 4 of January, 12 of February and 11 of March 1945 Tempest V production slaved to purgatory storage, less engines. In January 1945 there were 127 Tempest V in storage of which 2 lacked equipment, plus another 2 airframes. For Typhoons it was 289 in storage of which 37 lacked equipment, plus another 168 airframes. Peak monthly Typhoon production was actually 130 in December 1942, the average for 1943 was about 95 a month, built back up to 110 a month in the first half of 1944, then declining to around 70 by the end of the year and continuing to drop through 1945. 3 Tempest V in October 1943 then production from January 1944, building to a peak of 72 in November then declining. It means 826 Typhoons+Tempest V in the first half of 1944, 839 in the second half. Hawker started building Tempest II in November 1944, Bristol in February 1945. Hawker started building Tempest VI in June 1945. If the ability to carry drop tanks did happen at Tempest V production aircraft 51 there were 50 built to end March 1944, if carrying bombs was production aircraft 151 that is in June 1944, rockets at aircraft 351 would be in October 1944.

292 squadron listed as having Warwick I April 1944 to June 1945. List of Warwick I sent to ACSEA BV273 BV349 lost in transit to ACSEA BV357 16 Feb 44 BV390 2 Aug 44 BV394 6 Jun 44 BV395 1 Jun 44 BV399 30 Oct 44 BV418 2 Jul 44 BV452 21 Apr 44 BV453 9 May? 44 BV456 13 Apr 44 BV459 16 Nov 44 BV461 11 May 44 BV463 13 May? 44 BV465 10 May 44 BV467 8 Aug? 44 BV469 1 May 44 BV476 7 AUg 44 BV477 6 Sep 45 BV523 2 Aug 44 BV529 HF942 13 Nov 44 HF943 30 May 44 HF945 30 May 44 HF954 5 May 44 HF965 15 May 44 HF970 9 May 44 HF971 17 Jun 44 HF972 6 May 44 HF973 1 May 44 HG124 3 May 44 HG125 9 May 44 HG126 1 Jul 44 HG127 9 May 44 HG128 9 May 44 HG129 28 Jun 44 HG130 13 Sep 45 HG133 30 May? 44 HF966 listed as going to Mediterranean 19 April 1944.. BV232 landed in Portugal. The 292 squadron records are readable at the British National Archives site, sometimes letters, normally serials. BV452 H BV934? N HF970 Q HG125 X

BE112, IIb, 48MU 31-8-41 47MU 2-9-41 Russia (Spl, Operation Blake) 5-9-41 BH125, IIb/Trop, 20MU 15-12-41 Crosby 9-1-42 1PATP Liverpool ‘City of Perth’ 2-3-42 India 1-7-42 SOC 14-10-44 BH126, IIb, 5MU 27-12-41 82MU 28-1-42 Liverpool 'Katanga' 12-3-42 Takoradi 6-5-42 West Africa 5-42 ME 1-4-43 CE 20-9-45 BM995, IIb/Trop, 19MU 7-12-41 47MU 26-12-41 shipped 5-1-42 'Clan MacWhirter' India 1-5-42 SOC 31-8-44 BN125, IIc/Trop, 48MU 6-12-41 47MU 23-12-41 shipped 31-12-41 'Baron Herries' Takoradi ME 30-3-42 India 15-4-42 CE 8-11-43 HV774, IIb, 5MU 8-8-42 52MU 18-8-42 Glasgow ‘Canara’ 28-8-42 Karachi 18-10-42 SOC 31-8-44 HV950, IIc, 10MU 11-9-42 52MU 21-9-42 Ellesmere ‘Port Halifax’ 29-9-42 Karachi 16-11-42 CE 17-4-44

Warwick III to Air Command South East Asia, mostly November 1944 to January 1945, HG222, HG239, HG241, HG243 to HG247, HG249 to HG251, HG253, HG255, HG256, HG272, HG274, HG288 HG238 and HG273, ACSEA entry ruled through, UK written instead. Factory markings for SEA then changed?

The inconsistency with the report of a retrospective designation change for the first 300 or so F4U-1D, originally called F4U-1 (or 1A) then changed to -1D,, is it is contradicted by the delivery reports, which show they were called -1D from the start, or at least by early May 1944 when the April 1944 delivery report is dated and around 100 of the aircraft in question had been accepted. Airplane Serial Number Record, BuNo 50325 to 50359 = JT530 to JT564 F4U-1 (JT565 = BuNo 50460 and on F4U-1D) BuNo 50360 onwards F4U-1D 50571, 50613, listed to NZ, didn't arrive. 50612 for USN, but sent to NZ. NZ5397 was c/n 5702 BuNo 50455, not c/n 2870 BuNo 50405. BuNo 50433 was meant for NZ but swapped for BuNo 57549 The numbers in the production reports are consistent with BuNo 50325 to 50359 being the last F4U-1/-1A.

The problem is the production reports which have acceptances of F4U-1D beginning in April 1944 and whose totals indicate F4U-1D begin at 50360. However the USN report I gave earlier is not clear about the change over and was compiled some time afterwards, though its summary has F4U-1D beginning at 50360. Similarly the one monthly report I have with both USAAF and USN production is dated 12 July 1945 and is a print out of the monthly production statistics, but given the date it could have picked up the USN designation changes before the hard copy was made. Also the USN Airplane Serial Number Record sheet could have been altered. Given 50350 to 50359 were with the RN it would have been difficult for the USN to retrofit them, so leaving them as F4U-1 in any redesignation makes some sense. The delivery reports, SC-AP-12 Monthly US Airframe Factory Deliveries and Allocations, Statistical Control Division Office of Management Control AFMSC-28, however say only F4U-1 deliveries in March 1944 in a report dated 7 April, a mixture of F4U-1 and F4U-1D in April (167 to 69 versus acceptances of 156 to 73) in a report dated 10 May and all F4U-1D in May in a report dated 7 June. Then 1 F4U-1 in June and the rest F4U-1D, in a report dated 5 July, plus a note saying there was actually 1 F4U-1 (and 1 less -1D) delivered in May. If there were initially another 300 or so F4U-1 the change over to 1D has to occur in May at around 300 F4U-1 to 30 -1D, with April all F4U-1. The delivery reports indicate any retrospective designation change happened quickly enough they did not need major amendment, and there were only 73 acceptances in April, compared with the idea 300 were redesignated.