Geoffrey Sinclair

U-8 Operators manual https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x001631070&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021 U-21 Operators manual https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x004948957&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021 C-12 Operators manual https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x004971102&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021 U-3 Operators manual https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x004971100&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021 US Army aircraft painting and marking, 1986 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x002136582&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021

Avro 504K, 54 pages. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b318161&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021

N2848 Wellington Ic. Taken on Charge 6 August 1940, 48 MU 13 August, 21 OTU "B" 12 March 1941, 18 OTU "A" 7 May, 43 Group Deposit Account 5 June, 18 OTU "A" 10 September, Repaired on Site? 27 October, 18 OTU 12 November, Struck off Charge 6 February 1942. W.R. Chorley in Bomber Command Losses says the aircraft was on a night cross country exercise, 30/31 January 1942, the aircraft letter was G, no indication if it was carrying the unit codes of XW. It would have had the serial number N2848 painted on it. Encountered icing, one out of the six on board survived, later he was also the sole survivor when his aircraft was shot down. He returned in 1972 and placed a remembrance stone, 246 squadron Air Training Corps are reported to do a yearly visit. It should be a standard Ic in terms of equipment, camouflage and markings as of January 1942, the Ic was still in production at the time.

202 pages to consult for details. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021078814&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021

No information on squadron codes, some on serial number overlap. AH741 to 880 Tomahawk I, AH881 to 990 Tomahawk Ia,, AH991 to 999 Tomahawk Ib, AK100 to 570 Tomahawk Ib, AM370 to 519 Tomahawk Ib, AN218 to 517 Tomahawk Ib Serial numbers overlapping are therefore 218 to 369 AK or AN, 370 to 517 AK, AM or AN, 518 and 519 AK or AM Assuming I have all the destinations listed correctly, the distribution is, 29 lost at sea between AK218 and AK334, 101 arrived in UK but sent to Russia, between AK242 and AK364, 4 between AK225 and 279 retained in the UK, 100 were sent to China between AK466 and 570, AM375 and 519 (Including AM518 and 9 while 82 had numbers of 517 or less), 49 to Russia between AN469 to 517 Of the 152 duplicate numbers between 218 and 369, 134 (101+29+4) never went to the Middle East, all the AN made it but only AK248, AK249, AK254, AK312, AK346, AK348 to 355, AK365 to 369 Of the 148 triplicate numbers between 370 and 517, 131 (82+49) never went to the Middle East, that works out as follows, AK, AM, AN serials, for 10 numbers none to Middle East 31 numbers one to Middle East 39 numbers two to Middle East 68 numbers all three to Middle East. None, 472, 473, 478, 480, 487, 492, 501, 508, 514, 515 One, AN467, AN468, AK470, AM471, AK475, AK477, AM479, AM481, AK482, AK484, AM486, AK489, AK491, AM493, AK494, AK496 to 499, AM500, AK502, AK504, AK506, AM507, AK509 to 513, AK516, AK517 Two, AK and AN, 375, 381, 388, 395, 402, 409, 416, 423, 429, 431, 433, 435, 437, 439, 441, 443, 445, 447, 449, 451, 453, 455, 457, 458, 460, 462, 463, 465 Two AM and AN, 466 Two AK and AM, 469, 474, 476, 483, 485, 488, 490, 495, 503, 505

Now all people have to do is define what is the start. The change over to Hawker using stressed skin wings involved three related aircraft, Hurricane, Henley and Hotspur, with the Hurricane by choice third. The Tornado and Typhoon came later. February 1935 Hurricane prototype order, K5083, Specification F.36/34 Operational requirement 16. 10-Jul-35 Investigation into the construction of metal stressed skin outer wings commenced. Apr-37 Experimental metal wing of Hawker type. R.A.E. tests successful. December 1937 Hurricane production begun. Apr-39 Flight Tests of Hurricane I L1877 with metal stressed skin wings. The Contract Cards report N2426, the 86th aircraft of the second order from Hawker was the last to be delivered with fabric wings (until some in mid 1940), taken on charge 14 November 1939. A number of the L serial aircraft are marked as having metal wings, the "prototype" L1877 (332nd aircraft in the order), next is L2026 to 2028 (481st to 483rd aircraft in the order) and interestingly two of these were sold to Turkey. Henley prototype order in 1935, K5115, Specification F.9/35 Operational requirement 20. 10 March 1937 Henley prototype first flight with fabric wings. 20 August 1937 Henley prototype first flight with metal wings October 1938 Henley production begun. Hotspur prototype order in 1935, K8309, Specification P.4/34 Operational requirement 13. The Defiant prototype was K8310. Also had stressed skin wings, lower priority project 14 June 1938, Hotspur prototype first flight, never brought up to operational standard. Hawker did some design work on a fighter using the Vulture or Sabre in 1937. The P5219, P5224 Tornado/ P5212, P5216 Typhoon prototypes contract was issued in 1938 based on specification F.18/37, Operational requirement 51, by which stage it was understood the wings would be metal stressed skin. Initial Production orders L1547 - L2146 Hawker Hurricane I, 600 from Hawker, contract 527112/36 L3243 - L3642 Hawker Henley TT.III, 400 from Gloster, contract 540805/36 L3643 - L4031 Hawker Hotspur, 389 from A.V. Roe, contract 527115/36 R7936 / R8197 Hawker Tornado, 200 from A.V. Roe, contract 12148/39 R8198 / R8231 Hawker Typhoon IA/IB, 15 from Hawker, contract 12148/39 R8630 / R8981 Hawker Typhoon IB, 250 from Gloster, contract 12148/39 Notes from the "Hurricane Biography" "Although production of the Hurricane was not unduly delayed there were nevertheless some important technical difficulties which had to be overcome after production had commenced. The chief of these were the difficulty of discovering a way of correcting the dangerous tendency of the Hurricane in a spin; the setbacks encountered over the development of the stressed skin all metal wing and the alterations necessitated by the installing of a Merlin II engine instead of a Merlin I. Fortunately these problems were of such a nature that the type could be used in service before modifications were incorporated in the production line. Because of this, early deliveries were not prejudiced but the Hurricane had not, strictly speaking, completed its development until they were overcome." "As regards the second difficulty, that of the stressed skin all metal wing (File No. 522507/36), the prototype had fabric wings, but it had always been hoped that production aircraft would have the new stressed skin wings. In these wings the metal covering was made a part of the weight bearing aerial structure. The importance if the stressed skin lay in its weight saving capacity. Fabric covered wings had already reached the limit of weight allowed and the stressed skin wings saved no less than 70 pounds. Investigations by the firms into this question had been started as early as July 1935. When the production specification was drawn up however it was decided that the Hurricane should in the first place be fitted with fabric covered wings, which would be interchangeable with metal ones. At this stage the technical state of the stressed skin wings was still experimental and not progressed further than the design stage. The position was aggravated by the fact that Hawkers were working on two other monoplanes for the Air Ministry at the same time, the P.4/34 [Henley] and the F.9/35 [Hotspur], both of which were expected to have metal wings. The construction was the same in each case, the difference being in the armament. In June 1936 it was estimated that the test wing would be ready by September but "stiffness" problems arose which involved a new design and it was necessary to earmark a special group of men in the drawing office for metal wing development. In December it was agreed that the P.4/34 should be fitted with the first pair of metal wings. This decision naturally reacted adversely on the Hurricane and in October 1937 it was considered that the new wings could not come in before the 301st aircraft. It was not until March 1939 that the first pair of production stressed skin wings were received from Glosters and fitted to production aircraft at Brooklands. Shortly afterwards flight tests were completed and the wings were cleared for operational use." Tempest II, Centaurus V engine, 8,915 pounds tare weight, 41 feet wingspan, length 34 feet 5 inches. Sea Fury XI, Centaurus XII or XV engine, 9,240 pounds tare weight, 38 feet 4.75 inch wingspan, length 34 feet 8 inches. So a changed fuselage and a shortened wing centre section. A question, any WWII design actually have monocoque around the engine, versus a skin over the rather strong structure needed to support the weight of the engine, having the advantage of being able to totally remove the panels for access?

Additions and corrections to my earlier message From the Serial Registers, ET1014 ET1015 ET1016 Middle East 30 June 1942, Cat E 22 Oct 1942 (Australian Archives, P/O Garth Angus Neill MIA) ET1017 Middle East 4 July 1942, Cat E 30 Sep 1942 ET1018 Middle East 2 July 1942, Cat E 8 Dec 1942 ET1019 Middle East 29 June 1942 ET1020 Middle East 23 June 1942, Cat E 15 Jul 1942 ET1021 Middle East 3 July 1942, Cat E 2 Apr 1943 ET1022 Middle East 2 July 1942 (Australian Archives, F/Sgt Geoffrey Cook Swinbourne killed, airframe had 356 flying hours, high speed impact) ET1023 Middle East 18 June 1942, Cat E 24 Aug 1942 ET1024 Middle East 28 June 1942, Cat E 27 Sep 1942 ET1025 Middle East 4 July 1942, Lost at Sea 1 Jun 1943 ET1026 Middle East 2 July 1942 ET1027 Middle East 2 July 1942 ET1028 ET1029 Middle East 11 July 1942, Cat E 21 Sep 1942 (Australian Archives, lost on 29 August, P/O Neil Hartley Shillabeer Killed) EV114 to 126, Middle East June 1942, SOC 1 Jan 1947 EV127 to 129, Middle East 14 or 16 May 1942, all marked "in transit", all SOC 1 Jan 1944 EV130 EV131 New Zealand 21 May 1942. From Shores et. al. ET1018 4 SAAF Sqn 4 Nov 1942, 2/Lt. L.D. Sparg PoW, AK711 also lost that day plus damaged/crash landed, ET789, AK633, ET244 ET1025 lost with 2 Sqn SAAF ET1029 lost 29 Aug 1942. 450 squadron unit history mentions July/August/September 1942, ET1013 (typo?, 1 mention), 1018, 1022, 1029, while ET1016, ET1017 (16 Jul), ET1025 were with 3 Squadron On another topic late model P-40 deliveries to South Africa?

Production Spitfire XII October 1942 to September 1943 Spitfire F.VIII November 1942 to September 1943, then 20 in November. Spitfire LF.VIII from May 1943 Spitfire F.XIV from October 1943 Spitfire PR.XIX 22 from April to June 1944, then from October 1944. Spitfire F.21 1 in April 1944 then from July 1944 June 1943 Rotol produces its first 5 blade propellers and 5 blade spinners, then a pause in production until September. From the 1946 Janes, Merlin gearing 0.42 or 0.477 to 1. Griffon gearing II, III, XII, 61 0.451 to 1 IV, 65, 66 0.510 to 1 (and VI?) Propeller diameter, from Morgan and Shacklady VIII, IX, XIV 10 feet 9 inches XII, XIX 10 feet 5 inches XIV 10 feet 4 or 5 inches F.24 11 feet 10 inches

296 IID, with 44 January to April 1942, the remainder August 1942 to February 1943. All up 209 built to end November 1942, Hurricane IV production started in December 1942, 524 built by end April 1944. HW683, HW747 were the first production mark IV, then from KW792. 43 IID serials identified as to USSR between HW866 and KX866 (the last IID), actually 46 handed over, 14 refused as having too many flying hours. 30 IV to USSR between LE748 and LF596 (the last IV)

No photographs. Air Arsenal North America notes serials up to around ET1029 were delivered, correct they should have been EV100 to 128, though some of the EV serials are reported to have been used. The Christopher Shores et al books note some of the serials when lost. The RAF Serial registers have entries for ET102 on charge in November 1944. ET1016 to ET1027, to Middle East mostly June and July 1942. EV114 to 128, to Middle East mostly May and June 1942 The first 14 aircraft of this anomaly were sent to the USSR. EV114 to EV126 all have a Taken on Charge Date, plus all are Struck Off Charge on 1 January 1947, essentially the entries can be ignored, their relevant ET record can be used, while the entry for ET1027 has no details of disposal and ET1028 is blank, so the EV entry can be used, that leaves EV129 Lost at Sea SOC 1 Jan 1944 and ET1029 Cat E 21 Sep 1942. Using the EV numbers, 114, 127 and 128 lost at sea, no loss information is available for 115, 119, 122 and 126. EV1025 is reported lost at sea on 1 June 1943, assumed to be after arrival in the Middle East. 450 squadron had ET1016, 1017, 1029.

Hurricane IID and IV were built as such, the cannons could be removed. The BP188 images are from when with 6 Squadron, code letter Z. BP188 was taken on Charge on 1 April 1942. 46 Squadron was sent to the Middle East in May 1941 but its aircrew were diverted to Malta. It was reestablished as a flying unit in Egypt a year later, May 1942, flying Beaufighters. Tropical filters say Middle East, no code letters on the 4th Hurricane from the camera. No obvious match for a squadron with "46" as part of its number. Possibly later as part of a training unit?

A quick look on Spitfire XII propellers. Ministry of Aircraft Production. Constant Speed Unit GRF/2B, shared with Firefly and Spitfire XIV. Propeller Rotol Hydraulic 4 Blade, R4/4, B5/1. The The Firefly used Rotol Hydraulic 3 Blade RS5/19. No model numbers for Spinners or Blades. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/130516-propeller-types-for-spitfire-xii-and-24 Not XII, but Morgan and Shacklady, Spitfire the History Griffon III Griffon IV Rotol R13/4F5/5 Dural blades (first 6 aircraft), then Jablo blades Griffon IIB Rotol XH/54D-RM-55 Griffon VI Rotol R13/4F5/6

I suppose the first point is what were the autopilot arrangements of British built Beaufighters, plenty of references about the Sperry in the mark 21, nothing else found so far. Beaufort V, Appendix A equipment, Automatic controls, about two pages of components, starting Item 136C, Reference 37K/8, Automatic controls, three axes Mk. IV, air compressor, engine driven. Type E Mk. I. There is no Appendix A Automatic controls section for the Beaufort VIII. A letter between the Department of Air and Department of Aircraft Production dated 30 March 1943 lays out the Beaufighter requirements. Deletion of wing guns, US or UK torpedo, provision for wing bomb racks, rockets to be decided later, fuel tanks to replace wing guns but be easily removable were the armament specifications. Instruments "As this aircraft intended for a fairly long range with only a crew of 2, the installation of a Sperry automatic pilot (A3 or A4 depending on availability) is a definite requirement." The final paragraph of the letter states "One very important change given above is the fitting of an automatic pilot and it is desired now to particularly stress the need for design to be initiated immediately, so that there shall be no alteration to the present intended manufacturing schedule." The first Australian built Beaufighter was officially delivered in May 1944. The official list of major modifications done is Wing guns, two 0.5 inch replacing the 0.303 ones Cannons, Pneumatic cocking control. Torpedo equipment deleted. Wing bomb installations added Rear gun of greater range installed Fuel controls repositioned and extensive modifications. Sperry Autopilot, redesign carried out to enable installation if required. Tail wheel fitted with anti shimmy device Fabricated nacelle doors replaced by pressed metal doors. Ball bearings revised and many alternatives substituted. Electrical installation redesigned to meet RAAF requirements. Radio replaced by Australian made equipment for general purpose operation, other changes made. Mark 21, with 1,000 pounds of bombs and flame damping exhausts fitted, 700 gallons of fuel gave 570 sea miles range, 900 gallons gave 780 sea miles, including 30 gallons for warm up, taxying and climb, 120 gallons for 30 minutes cruising over the target area and 100 gallons reserve. The Beaufighter I, II and VI are reported to have a fuel capacity of 550 gallons, their long range versions replace the wing guns with a 66 gallon fuel tank in each wing in the I and VI, 36 gallons in the mark II.

About the review. The RAF was after a General Reconnaissance/Anti shipping aircraft, technically not a bomber. When the Bolingbroke was cancelled in December 1937 the order was changed to British built Beauforts in February 1938, this order was added to later in 1938 then cancelled in stages in 1939 and 1940. The idea of ordering 180 from Australia, 90 RAF, 90 RAAF, was proposed in the first half of 1939, the organisation to build them was launched on 1 July 1939, the RAF order was placed in 1939, the RAAF formal order was on 20 July 1940. Not sure about the "some saw combat use, the majority served in the training role" claim but I do not know if it applies to the first 50 or the first 90 aircraft. According to Stewart Wilson the mark VII, VA and VIII had the enlarged tail as built, Wiki claims the mark VI onwards, photographs of A9-66 and 71, both mark VI, show the larger tail. L4448, the pattern aircraft, shipped engineless from Britain in 1939, being first flown with twin wasps on 5 May 1941 had the larger tail fitted by early September while the first Australian production example flew on 22 August 1941. A cable dated 16 March 1942 reporting the changes made notes the 15% enlarged fin had been designed. The aircraft were basically built in RAAF serial order, which makes the mark VA designation odd. Mark, airframe, engine, propeller gun turret, serials, production V, Standard Australian, S3C4-G, Curtiss Electric, Mark 1E, A9-1 to 50, August 1941 to May 1942 VI, Standard Australian, S1C3-G, Curtiss Electric, Mark 1E, A9-51 to 90, May to August 1942 VII, Standard Australian Modified to suit RAAF requirements, S1C3-G, Hamilton Constant Speed, Mark 1E, A9-91 to 150, August to October 1942 VA, Standard Australian, S3C4-G, Hamilton Constant Speed, Mark 1E, A9-151 to 180, October to December 1942 VIII, Standard Australian Modified to suit RAAF requirements, S3C4-G, Curtiss Electric, Blenheim V, A9-181 to 700, November 1942 to August 1944. One document notes the possibility of mark VA and VII having De Havilland 3E50 propellers. (DH Australia reported to be building Curtiss propellers)

FK216 is marked on RAF charge 12 January 1943, Category E 12 January 1943, same day, the note probably reads in transit USA to Canada. The RCAF has no record of using it. I presume the loss is the reason for the paint question.

Appreciate a specific RCAF aircraft is being discussed, but some background. In order to avoid duplication and conflict each aircraft type under production in the US from 1940/41 onwards during WWII were assigned to either the USN or USAAF as the procuring agent, then distributed as required. So an aircraft was either army or navy. The Lockheed model 37, Ventura, B-34, PV-1, PV-2 and Harpoon is rather unique, it changed from being army to navy in December 1942, that is to end November 1942 production was officially Model 37, Ventura or B-34, after that, apart from a specific USAAF order, the aircraft were PV-1 or 2. Naturally the USN changed the paint specifications from those of the USAAF. The British placed orders for eight hundred and seventy five model 37 Ventura, of which two hundred received USAAF serials as the B-34. The USAAF also ordered eighteen modified versions as the RB-37. The rest were USN production assigned Bureau Numbers. Model 37 Ventura I, 300 built August 1941 to June 1942, AE, AF serials Model 37 Ventura II, 375 built May 1942 to September 1942, AJ serials B-34, 200 built September to November 1942, FD serials RB-37, 18 built January to April 1943 PV-1, 1,600 built December 1942 to May 1944, Ventura V, FN and later serials PV-2C, 30 built March to October 1944, Harpoon PV-2, 470 built October 1944 to December 1945, Harpoon PV-2D, 35 built July to December 1945, Harpoon So the Commonwealth air forces ended up with a mixture of, in US terms, B-34 and PV-1. All RCAF mark I and II operated under their RAF serials, most mark V under RCAF serials 2141 to 2277, except 20 FN and FP serials.

Maybe some other options that do not require all the detail changes. Sunderlands of 10 RAAF and 461 squadrons. ML839 MK.III Taken on RAF Charge 29/10/43, allocated to 10 Sqn on 08/12/43, coded RB-A, for conversion to mark V (R-1830 Twin Wasp replacing Pegasus XVIII engines) but not officially on strength, mentioned on 02/03/44 with work underway when a delegation of Ministry of Aircraft Production, Coastal Command, Short Brothers and Pratt & Whitney representatives visited the squadron to discuss the project. 16/03/44 Four engines and one propeller installed. The propellers are from Albemarles with 9 inches clipped off the blades and are fully feathering. Conversion now has priority over operational commitments. 5552 Fitter 2E Sgt G F Beattie is in charge of the installation. 04/05/44 First test flight, pilot Group Captain J Alexander OBE RAAF (Commanding Officer RAF Mount Batten) (The official mark V prototype ML765 was taken on charge by the RAF 31/03/44, counted as a mark III, though it has been reported it flew as a mark V in March.) 01/07/44 Loaned to 10 Sqn for local and training flights. 12/09/44 First operational sortie, captained by F/Lt S T Chilcott 12/10/44 Sank at moorings during gale. ML828 MK.III 27/10/44 10 Sqn coded RB-C 04/01/45 RAF Calshot for modifications 13/01/45 10 Sqn 15/06/45 to RAF Wig Bay Converted to Mk.5. To manufacturer 11/45 to be converted to Sandringham Model c/n #SH37C Mk5. On 15/07/46 became BOAC G-AHZE "Pevensey". In 1950 Qantas VH-EBZ "Pacific Explorer" used on Sydney-Noumea-Fiji run between 2/5/50 to 06/55. NJ193 Mk.III 03/45 461 Sqn coded UT-F (probably converted to mark V before arrival) 15/06/45 10 Sqn, coded RB-F (Reported to be a mark V when taken on strength) NJ253 MK.III 09/10/44 10 Sqn coded RB-B. 24/10/44 Slipway accident, Category AC damage, to 43 Group for repairs 08/11/44 10 Sqn 01/01/45 To RAF Calshot for modifications. 05/01/45 10 Sqn 15/05/45 43 Group for repairs 31/05/45 10 Sqn 15/06/45 To RAF Wig Bay Converted to Sandringham Mk5 #SH39C 01/11/45. Used by BOAC and named 'Pembroke' Withdrawn 1950. NJ255 MK.III 21/11/44 10 Sqn coded RB-G 20/02/45 RAF Calshot for modifications 28/02/45 10 Sqn 15/06/45 To RAF Wig Bay Sent to converted to Mk.5 1945. To manufacturer 11/45 to be converted to Sandringham Model c/n #SH34C Mk4. Became TEAL ZK-AMB "Australia". To Qantas 1950 as VH-EDX, then Ansett as VH-BRE "Pacific Chieftain" which was wrecked at Lord Howe Island in 07/63.

Sorting out the Blenheim and Bolingbroke differences has its problems. So Bristol type 142 Britain First evolved to be type 142M Blenheim I, Mercury VIII engines. Next comes the planned type 149, the 4 place General Reconnaissance aircraft based on the type 142 to fulfill specification 11/36 issued in July 1936 for an interim General Reconnaissance type, the stop gap until the M15/35 design arrived. Note the specification had requirements like watertight wing panels and longer range, the various additions estimated to add 720 pounds to the weight, most of which were not incorporated into the Blenheim IV. Mercury XI engines were specified. In order to provide the extra room and improve overall ergonomics the type 149 nose was extended by 35 inches versus the type 142M. K7072 flew in this configuration on 24 September 1937 by which time the name Bolingbroke had probably been assigned. A revised more conventional nose with windscreen in front of the pilot was flown in December 1937, the asymmetric nose by late June 1938. Along with the type 149 idea came the type 150, responding to specification M15/35 for a General Reconnaissance torpedo bomber, with enough room to carry the torpedo internally. Again Bristol was reworking the type 142M, this was rejected and the bigger 4 place type 152 proposal was instead ordered off the drawing board in 1936, to specification 10/36. Given the name Beaufort. The type 149 Bolingbroke was cancelled in December 1937. Bristol reassigned the type number to the improved Blenheim I, for which K7072 was the prototype, which became the Blenheim mark IV, incorporating changes like the longer nose and extra fuel. The first production Blenheim mark IV was delivered in January 1939. The RAAF had an order for Bolingbrokes which was changed to Beauforts. The RCAF wanted local production, already ordering 18 aircraft from Fairchild in October 1937. With the cancellation of the 4 place design the decision was made to go the new type 149 specification, keeping the Bolingbroke name, instead of Blenheim IV. It is reported the first 12 Canadian built Bolingbrokes were kits from Britain. K7072 arrived in Canada in February 1941, There were 17 Bolingbroke I built November 1939 to September 1940, plus a mark II in August 1940. Bolingbroke IV production began in April 1941, making changes like using US sourced instruments. So internal changes, plus for most of the run different engines to the Blenheim IV. Blenheim I Mercury VIII Blenheim IV Mercury XV Blenheim V/Bisley Mercury 25 or 30. Bolingbroke I, II and III Mercury VIII (17 I, 1 II, no production III) Bolingbroke IV Mercury XV (135 built) Bolingbroke IVW Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior SB4G (15 built) Bolingbroke IVC Wright Cyclone G3B (1 built) Bolingbroke IVT Mercury XX (457 built) RAF orders from Bristol for 150 Blenheim I, contract 435061/35 K7033 - K7182 434+134 Blenheim I/IV, contract 527111/36 L1097 - L1530 (434), L1531 - L1546 (16), L4817 - L4934 (118) (built as 500 I, 68 IV) 232 Blenheim IV, contract 774679/38 N6140 to N6242, P4825 to P4927 and P6885 to P6961 (less blackout blocks) Bristol construction number sequence, to give an idea of how Bristol saw the early orders, start / end / No / type / Note 7986 / 8135 / 150 / Blenheim I / RAF order 1 K7033 to K7182 8137 / 8166 / 30 / Blenheim I / 8137 to 8154 Finland (18), 8155 to 8166 Turkey (12) 8168 / 8301 / 134 / Bolingbroke I / cancelled (Related to L1531 to L1546, L4817 to L4934?) 8302 / 8379 / 78 / Beaufort I / RAF order 1 L4441 to L4518 8380 / 8813 / 434 / Blenheim I / RAF order 2, L1097 to L1530 (434) 8814 / 8815 / 2 / Blenheim I / Yugoslavia, pattern aircraft 8816 / 8849 / 34 / Blenheim I / RAF order 2, L1531 to L1546 (16), L4817 to L4834 (18) 8850 / 8917 / 68 / Blenheim IV / RAF order 2 L4835 to L4902 8918 / 8949 / 32 / Blenheim I / RAF order 2 L4903 to L4934 8950 / 9221 / 272 / Beaufort I / RAF order 2 L9790 to N1186 (less blackout blocks) 9222 / 9239 / 18 / Blenheim I / Turkey order 2 9240 / 9471 / 232 / Blenheim IV / RAF order 3, N6140 to N6242, P4825 to P4927 and P6885 to P6961 (less blackout blocks) (12 exported to Greece) Rootes switched to Blenheim mark IV production in September 1939, Avro in April 1940.

As the USAAF recorded things, 1 XP-80 2 XP-80A 12 YP-80A 525 P-80A February 1945 to December 1946 1 F-14/P-80 152 F-14/FP-80A July 1946 to March 1947

The Forgotten Fleet by John Winton, interview on 16 July 1968 with Admiral Sir Charles Evans about when he was Commander (Air) on HMS Implacable. The Kittyhawk drop tanks were trialled by Lt. Cdr. Campbell Horsfall and the improvement in deck landing characteristics noted, no date is given but it is part of the build up to Operation Inmate, the strike by Implacable on Truk in May 1945 with a dump of the tanks discovered when Implacable was at Manus Island. "We were very sold on these tanks, But where to get them from? With a lot of signalling, we discovered there was a base for Kittyhawks in New Guinea. Quite a long way away. An Australian destroyer came in and I called on the captain, who was the same rank as I was. I asked him what he was doing here and he said he was not really quite sure, he had to stay at Manus for a few days. I talked him into going to New Guinea. Having just come out from England, we had some booze on board. So I gave him one case of Scotch and said take the other case and give it to the chap you are going to get the tanks from. He went off and when he came back his ship was full of these goddam fuel tanks. We transferred them to implacable and they were absolutely everywhere, in every passageway. Everywhere there were tanks. I have two in my after cabin and I think the captain had some in his. They lasted throughout the war. We flew Seafires on every strike and they made superb fighter bombers." The slipper tank is reported to be for ferry only, and unpopular as it was not easily jettisoned and caused "peculiar drag" during flight deck landing. The British began including drop tank production in the monthly reports in December 1943, and stopped in April 1945, a quick snapshot December 1943, tanks for British aircraft in Imperial gallons, for US aircraft in US gallons with an initial exception. Spitfire 30 gallon wood, metal and fibre, 90 gallon metal tanks in production, 45 and 170 gallon metal tanks on order. Seafire 30 gallon metal tanks in production. P-47 90 gallon paper and metal tanks in production. (Probably Imperial gallons) July 1944, Spitfire 30 gallon wood, 45 gallon wood, metal and fibre, 90 gallon metal, 170 gallon metal in production. Seafire 30 gallon metal tanks in production. P-47/P-51 108 gallon paper and metal tanks in production. P-47 150 gallon metal tanks in production. April 1945, Spitfire 90 gallon metal in production. Spitfire/Seafire 50 gallon metal tanks in production (First deliveries in December 1944) P-47/P-51 108 gallon paper and metal tanks in production. P-47 150 gallon metal tanks in production. P-47 215 gallon metal tanks in production. Roger Freeman in the Mighty Eighth War Diary notes the widespread early use of P-39 75 gallon tanks on P-47 and P-51. Also that the official size of the tanks was not always the same as the actual capacity. Along with, the steel 108 gallon tank for the P-47 only, paper for both P-47 and P-51, a US 110 gallon steel tank for P-51, a US 150 gallon steel tank for P-47, a US 200 gallon paper tank for the P-47 No information on the size of external tanks available for the P-40 and it clearly changed during the war. America's Hundred Thousand quotes maximum external fuel as 52 gallons (P-40C to E), 170 gallons (F, K, L, M, N-1) and 450 gallons (N-5 onwards)

A second for Dark Earth 225 Squadron formed in October 1939 with Lysander II, changed to mark III in September 1940 and retained these until June 1942. Flew Hurricane I January to June 1942, Hurricane IIC January to May 1942, Mustang I May to October 1942. Then was sent to Africa.

Both the RAF and Ministry of Aircraft Production say 4 mark XV were new builds, the RAF says 5 ordered, it seems the usual case of the reports omitting prototypes and/or development aircraft. However the 5th mark XV is associated with a report anomaly "Memo states this aircraft originally signalled as a mark XVI but is actually a pressure cabin to PR mark VIII standard, in fact it appears to be MP469 the mark XV prototype." British Aircraft Production Reports, for those who enjoy puzzles.

Dates assuming the aircraft were built in block number order B-17G-55-BO Provision for RC-103 radio (March 1944) B-17G-60-BO Deletion of provision for British Lorenz blind landing equipment (March 1944) (no information on if factory installed in earlier versions) B-17G-80-BO Group "B" parts for RC-103 radio. (June 1944) B-17G-55-DL (August 1944) B-17G-60-VE (August 1944) Lockheed and Douglas seem to have skipped the earlier approach system changes done at Boeing. Lorenz provided for from B-17F-15-DL (no information on if factory installed in earlier versions) Lorenz installed from B-17G-10-VE (no information on when provision was originally made) So it would seem the USAAF switched from the Lorenz system to its own one in the second half of 1944 to early 1945.

The P-47, like lots of Lend Lease equipment had to be paid for, lost or returned to US control after the war. Most RAF Thunderbolt squadrons disbanded in late 1945 or early 1946, the hold outs were 81 squadron to June 1946 and 60 squadron to November 1946. Strangely enough lots of RAF Thunderbolts seem to have gone missing, to be administratively struck off in 1948. As of 30 August 1945, 828 Thunderbolts had been received, 302 already lost, leaving 526 of which the plan was to return 362 by end 1945 and the remainder by end March 1946, where return usually meant scrapping. Report dated 24 November 1945. Seems that did not quite happen and another 16 Thunderbolts were written of 31 August 1945 to 30 September 1946.

For the specific serial A2-18 see http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a2.htm It was damaged in September 1941 and ended up at an RAF depot, never to return to RAAF control. The RAAF started the war with 21 Seagull V, out of the 24 ordered from 1934 (ordered in batches of 6, 6 and 12). I do not have specific evidence ruling out all yellow paint schemes in 1940 but there is no evidence the RAAF was using all yellow that year even for trainers. Also the reality is the Seagulls were considered front line aircraft until 1942 or later and the RAAF was short of them, requiring 5 for the RAN cruisers, plus the newly commissioned merchant cruisers, keeping 9 squadron at full strength (including the aircraft on the cruisers) to have a ready reserve and for training, plus the need for maintenance and attrition reserves. It was able to secure 2 Walrus from RAF Singapore in 1940 and ordered another 6 in 1941, receiving them in 1942.