Geoffrey Sinclair

Is there any chance of more details on dates/units involved and/or higher resolution sections of the photographs, like the serial area? AH877 was on SS Trewellard on 5 November 1940 when the entire ship was cancelled by the Admiral Sheer, being a Tomahawk I it would not have been used by operational units, the code says GA = 112 squadron which flew Tomahawks June to December 1941. All the Tomahawk I and IIa went to Britain, as did the early IIb, with some IIa and IIb later exported. The IIb serials sent direct to the Middle East start at AK346, exported from the US in January 1941.

The documents I have only note metal/fabric wings as manufactured, not as altered. L1658, Merlin II makers number 573, W.D. number 117462, allotted 22-9-38 and delivered direct to 32Sq 28-9-36, 242Sq 24-2-40, 56Sq 23-5-40, 54MU 13-6-40, ATRG 15-6-40, 27MU 28-7-40, 5OTU 22-8-40, 13MU 8-12-40, 5MU 16-2-41, R-R 21-3-41, cv IIa DG622, 10 MU 28-6-41, 52 MU 18-7-41, Shipped Takoradi 6-8-41 on SS Ramsay, arrived Takoradi 27-9-41, flown out of Takoradi 10-41, reported on strength Middle East 14-10-41, Malta 1-2-42, Cat E 20-9-43. 107 MU modified 4 Hurricanes to PRU standards, then 103MU fitted extra fuel. 103MU received an order for 12 special Long Range PR Hurricanes, to carry the cameras and extra fuel but also full 8 machine gun armament and radio, but the order was reduced to 3. No serials given.

The SK code was used by 165 and 263 squadrons, so the above is not P8437, lots of presentation Spitfires to choose from, http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/gifts.html

P9437 reported by 65 squadron to have taken off at 04.20 and landed at 06.30 on 26 May 1940, F/O Welford The squadron narrative reports him as shot down by AA fire, baled out too low, he is buried in Britain, Minster (Thanet) Cemetery. AIR 81/576, Flying Officer J H Welford: report of death; Spitfire P9437 in air operations over the French coast, 26 May 1940. P8437 Reported to be a presentation aircraft, "MYMENSINGH I" 'Gifts of War' has it going to 57OTU on 28.2.43, whereas the online history says P8437 IIa 39MU 22-5-41 266S 29-6-41 123S 20-9-41 58OTU 11-3-42 52OTU 14-7-42 CB 23-6-43 Scottish Aviation CGS 7-9-43 CE 2-11-44

The US military reports early Hudson production under their idea of the Lockheed models, (/RAF or RAAF model) 251 Model B-14L/Mark I (RAF) 100 Model B-14S/Mark I (RAAF) 100 Model 214/Mark I 20 Model 414/Mark II 428 Model 414/Mark III 30 Model 414/Mark IV 409 Model 414/Mark V Then Lend Lease cut in, 52 A-28/Mark IVa 450 A-28A/Mark VI 396 A-29/Mark IIIa (plus 20 as PBO for the USN) 384 A-29A/Mark IIIa The pre war RAAF order of 50 (P5571-P5620/A16-1 to 50) was through the RAF to obtain the best price, the option for another 50 was taken up after outbreak of war (A16-51 to 100) the aircraft used Pratt and Whitney R-1830 SC3G and were called mark I by the RAAF, while the RAF mark I, II and III used the Wright R-1820, the RAF then used mark IV for 30 R-1830 SC3G aircraft originally ordered as the third batch for the RAAF and mark V for 380 RAF order Hudsons with R-1830 S3C4G, plus another 19 ex third batch RAAF order. The mark VI also had R-1830, but the -67.

KZ573, only mark IV reported with the RN in the aircraft cards, Merlin XX, 48MU 14-4-43 RNAS St.Merryn (temporary loan for 3 months) 12-6-43 RNAS Yeovilton 5MU 27-11-43 287Sq 14-1-44 Morrisons riw 22-3-45 22MU 2-5-45 AW/Golbn? 4-5-45, 22 MU 30-5-45, SOC scrap 14-5-47 NF721, Sea IIC, Merlin XX, 20 MU 14-5-43, RNAS 9-6-43. Talking to an old time computer person O was the letter O, a slash through the circle/oval meant zero.

From Royal Air Force Training and Support Units. Air Stores Parks: Formed to handle equipment and spare parts for front line squadrons, often on a mobile basis. They sometimes operated near or alongside Repair and Salvage Units. The numbering system included Equipment Parks. 2 Air Stores Park, formed 27 August 1939 Henlow, for Air Component BEF (seems numbers 1 to 7 ASP were formed and sent to France) 12 September Southampton, 16 September Yvetot, 19 September Auchel, 2 October Fefatz, ORB reported lost, by 4 May 1940 at Ferfay, disbanded at Halton on 31 May. Fefatz does not come up on a search of French place names, Auchel and Ferfay are close together. All 7 ASP disbanded May/June 1940. 1 to 4 reformed and sent to Middle East in June 1942 but effectively disbanded by/around the end of the year. 20 ASP was part of the force sent to Norway in 1940. Lots of ASP overseas, while the units for 2nd Tactical Air Force had various numbers between 401 and 431.

Avro, Lancaster I October 1941 to April 1943, September 1944 to March 1945 and Lancaster III December 1942 to October 1945 Metropolitan Vickers, Lancaster I January 1942 to April 1943, 5 in July then September 1943 to August 1945 and Lancaster III April to September 1943, plus 3 in November. Vickers Castle Bromwich, Lancaster I November 1943 to August 1945 Vickers Chester, Lancaster I June 1944 to September 1945. Armstrong Whitworth, Lancaster II August 1942 to March 1944, Lancaster I November 1943 to March 1945, June 1945 to January 1946, plus 1 in June 1946 and Lancaster III March to June 1945 Austin, Lancaster I March 1944 to April 1945, Lancaster VII April to December 1945. So Armstrong Whitworth built mark I and II in parallel for a while but only Avro really did so for mark I and III And of course the Merlins in both the mark I and III changed over time.

L2047, 27MU 28-7-39 43Sq 23-11-39 87Sq 23-11-39 2ASP 29-2-40 73Sq 18-6-40 15Sq 6-9-40 CB FA 25-10-40 1CRU 30-10-40

From RAF Squadrons by Jefford. RCAF Spitfire Squadrons at Digby. 401 YO Spitfire II from September 1941, depart 20 October. 402 AE Arrive 21 March 1943, swapping Spitfire IX for V. Depart 7 August, return 19 September, depart 19 December, return 2 January 1944, depart 12 February. 411 DB Arrive 30 March 1942, Spitfire V, apart from some temporary moves stayed until 22 March 1943. 412 VZ Formed 30 June 1941, Spitfire II, departed 20 October 1941. 416 DN Arrive 7 June 1943, swapping Spitfire IX for V. Depart 9 August, return 2 October, Spitfire IX January 1944, depart 12 February 1944 421 AU Formed 6 April 1942, Spitfire V, departed 3 May 1942. 441 9G Formed 8 February 1944 (ex 125 Sqn RCAF), Spitfire V, Spitfire IX in March, departed 18 March 1944. 442 Y2 Formed 8 February 1944 (ex 14 Sqn RCAF), Spitfire V, Spitfire IX in March, departed 18 March 1944. 443 2I Formed 8 February 1944 (ex 127 Sqn RCAF), Spitfire V, Spitfire IX in March, departed 18 March 1944. RCAF documents https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_135766 401 C-12264 page 1601, C-12265, C-12266 402 C-12266 page 762, C-12267 411 C-12278 page 1284, C-12279 412 C-12279 page 515 (C-12280 not on site) 416 C-12287, C-12288 421 C-12294 page 1330, C-12295 441 C-12318 page ??, C-12319 442 C-12319 page 1235, C-12320 443 C-12320 page 1192 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search British archives, which should have copies as well.

No photographs, just some production dates. The final 100 Lancaster II were between LL617 and LL739. LL636 was taken on charge 12 November 1943. There were 107 mark II built November 1943 to March 1944. The first Armstrong Whitworth mark I were built in November 1943, starting with serial LL740, with 116 mark I built to end March 1944, which would be to around serial LL891, given this parallel production perhaps a photograph of an early LL serial mark I might give clues.

It is BB and CB, Citizen Band, not Before Christ. As far as the Ministry of Aircraft Production is concerned IIE production ended in October 1942, the final 14 IIB production in November 1942 (ignoring the imports from Canada, many to most of the 1942 and 1943 imports were converted to IIC.), mark IV production began in December. The RAF recorded the version/mark number information in 3 different locations, the contract cards, the form 622 Serial Registers, both dealing with the aircraft as built, then the form 78 Aircraft Card for the individual aircraft, which could be later modified. The only place the Hurricane IIE appears is on the form 78. Indicating Hawker was probably not aware. If researchers like Halley were aware the IIE designation was not official it would be a simple decision to list the aircraft as IIB. Add the Ministry of Aircraft Production was not aware of the 1941 production marked IIE and then decided to use the designation just as the RAF decided to stop. In 1941 Langley built all except the final 7 IIE Hurricanes, which come from the Brooklands batch of 10 in late March/early April 1941 of BP295, BP297, BP299, BP301, BP316, BP318, BP320, marked as IIE, then BP322, BP324 and BP326 marked as IIB (Bomber). BP320 is the end of use for IIE. The next IIB (Bomber) batch is BP437 to BP446 at Langley in late April/early May. Brooklands takes until late July/early August to build HV362 to HV369. In the end Langley built 103 IIBB and 98 IIE, Brooklands 20 IIBB and 7 IIE according to the form 78 cards. The IICB split is 10 Brooklands, 30 Langley, and that is probably due to in early September Brooklands was building its last IIBB, HW193, HW194, HW195, HW205, HW206, HW207, HW232, HW233, HW234, leading straight into the IICB batch HW238 to HW247. Langley then built a final 30 IIBB mid September to mid October 1942, plus 30 IICB mid to late October. If the RAF census is correct only 270 Hurricanes left the factory with wing racks, the rest were added by the RAF, while the extra B for aircraft fitted with wing racks is unique to the Hurricane but so far it only appears on the RAF census, the aircraft cards noting the conversion to bomber. At face value it implies the Spitfires and Typhoons at least had factory fitted racks but any such fittings or conversions were not considered noteworthy, while the 1941/42 Hurricane designations continued to be used. The Hurricane aircraft cards are generally marked as bomber, not just another B added and the census could be an abbreviation, the question for me is why the RAF decided to differentiate the Hurricane like this but not other types. Agreed in 1940/42 the RAF felt the need to come up with more complex descriptions for the various versions of different aircraft, the series I and II for Hurricanes and Halifaxes for example, before settling on the prefix designations, but then there is no differentiation between the Spitfire IX and XIV C versus E wing versions in the production reports. As an aside 21 of the IIBB conversions were part of a special shipment for Mombasa, 19 later transferred to the Admiralty. When it comes to Francis Mason the impression I gain is he did not have a full understanding of production, the comments in his 2001 edition includes the statement that over 400 Hurricanes Struck off Charge during the Battle of Britain were in fact repaired, while Hawker is supposed to have produced over 150 Hurricanes from spare and cannibalised parts, Gloster a similar number. His Canadian production information is way off. His individual aircraft listings do include some listed as "IIE (sic)", without an explanation of what the IIE is.

The Hurricane mark IIE, this is an update based on looking at the form 78 aircraft cards, it corrects an assumption made in the original report, that the IIE missing from the monthly production reports were built after September 1942, in fact they were built in or before March 1942. The IIE was NOT an early mark IV, it was a factory delivered fighter bomber version of the IIB and IIC, called IIBB and IIBC by the RAF. A memo in AIR 20/4572 dated 30 August 1942 notes the mark IIE is the Hurribomber with sixty built to end June 1942, but a signal to the Middle East dated 31 October 1942 states the IIE is not an official designation, but had been used at times for IIB and IIC fighter bombers. There are one hundred and sixty eight mark IIE in the monthly production reports from March to October 1942, with mark IV production starting in December. In October 1943 the cumulative mark IIE total is adjusted from one hundred and sixty eight to two hundred and seventy. The designation mark IIE does not appear in the RAF aircraft census, instead in February 1943 it reports two hundred and sixty eight mark IIBB (the second B is for bomber) had been ordered with two hundred and twenty nine delivered, plus others that had been converted. Then in June 1943 the census is amended to one hundred and sixty eight IIBB ordered and delivered, agreeing with the monthly production reports. In November 1943 the census adjusts the figures to two hundred and thirty IIBB and forty IICB ordered and delivered, agreeing with the production reports adjusted mark IIE total. As can be seen from the above it took a while before an official IIE production total was settled. Looking at the Form 78 Aircraft Cards there are one hundred and five Hurricanes listed as IIE between BE221 and BP320, with the first ninety eight having Taken On Charge dates of September to early December 1941, the final seven, all BP serials, in March and April 1942. This means the RAF reports IIE production finished at the time the Ministry of Aircraft Production reports it began. It also means the IIE production started four months before the mark IID, around the time the mark IID prototype was undergoing initial tests. The aircraft census as of June 1944 reports a nett (that is conversions to less conversions from) sixty six Hurricanes converted to IIBB. The Aircraft Cards have two hundred and ninety two Hawker IIE or IIBB and four Austin IIBB, all of these listed as IIBB in the Serial Registers. The comments on the Aircraft Cards give sixty eight conversions to IIBB. To agree with the official figures two of those marked conversions were actually built as. The June 1944 census has forty Hurricanes built as and a nett three thousand one hundred and thirty two conversions to IICB. The Aircraft Cards have forty Hurricanes marked as being built as IICB, in four groups of 10 serials, 1) HW238 to 247, 2) HW551 to 560, 3) HW571, HW572, (blackout block), HW596 to 603, 4) HW614 to 623, Taken on Charge in September and October 1942, the official end of IIE production. This means the one hundred and sixty eight IIE in the monthly production reports are actually one hundred and twenty eight IIB and forty IIC, making the Hawker built totals two thousand and eleven IIB and four thousand seven hundred and fifty one IIC. The ninety eight IIE from the aircraft cards to early December 1941, the seven in March and April 1942 and the one hundred and sixty eight March to October 1942 in the production reports total two hundred and seventy three, indicating three of the seven March and April 1942 IIE from the aircraft cards are counted in the production reports.

600 would be an over count The 178 in Britain or en route and 18 in the Middle East were definitely in existence. The 59 to the Admiralty, 19 to other powers and the 7 that were census queries may or may not still exist, the RAF did not know. For example as of end January 1944 the RN reports having 141 Spitfire I, II and V, the RAF says 153 I, II and V had been transferred. Similarly the 176 conversions to other types may or may not still exist, probably most did not, and were no longer mark I in any case. The 89 instructional airframes would be in various states and unflyable.

Spitfire shipments to Sudan http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/ships-Misc.html Official mark I production 1,552, including the high speed Spitfire (which became a PR.III), 1 for France, 2 for Turkey plus X4708 which crashed on test and was not delivered. End February 1943, the RAF reports it received 1,548 Spitfire I of which 177 were converted to other types, 317 were in Britain or en route, 18 were in the Middle East, 81 were instructional airframes, 910 had been lost at home, 20 lost in transit, 17 to the Admiralty, 12 to other powers and 4 were census queries. End June 1944, the RAF reports it received 1,548 Spitfire I of which 176 were converted to other types, 178 were in Britain or en route, 18 were in the Middle East, 89 were instructional airframes, 974 had been lost at home, 20 lost in transit, 8 lost overseas, 59 to the Admiralty, 19 to other powers and 7 were census queries.

Turkish Spitfires. P9566, P9567. "These aircraft signalled for delivery 13th June 1940 under contract 980385 equipped to standard required by Turkey", note dated 30 November 1946. It is unlikely they had a two blade fixed pitch propeller. Also P9553 to P9565, "Returned to RAF ex Turkish commitment ZA 522 6/7 SB593." P9553 to P9567 delivered around a month later than P9550 to P9552. 1 Middle East Training School formed on 5 April 1942, using mostly Hurricanes, Tomahawks and Kittyhawks. Exports of Spitfire fighters began in February 1942, firstly to Malta, then the Middle East and Australia. Exports of mark I Spitfires for training purposes began in November, to Sudan.

Looks like HE634 was delivered direct to 199 squadron and lasted 3 months. Aircraft card https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Wellington/HE634-HE746/mobile/index.html Loss card https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Loss_Cards/1943/May_43/May_43_Pt7/files/mobile/index.html#18 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search Searching for 199 squadron in 1943, files available for download, then reading the May 1943 files between the watermarks, The squadron record book says the aircraft letter was S. The crew on its final mission flew it on 13th May, but a different crew flew it on the 23rd and yet another crew on the 25th, final mission on the 27th.

Timeline, using the official designations, To give an idea of what "early part of the Mk. IX’s operational career," means. Supermarine, October 1941 first Vc, February 1942 last Vb, June 1942 first F.IX, September 1942 last Vc, November 1942 first F.VIII, February 1943 first LF.IX, May 1943 first LF.VIII, June 1943 last mark IX. Vickers, June 1942 first Vc (1 aircraft, next 5 in August), December 1942 last Vb, February 1943 first F.IX, August 1943 first LF.IX (ignoring production of 1 in April and 1 in June) October 1943 last Vc and F.IX Westland, first Vc April 1942, last Vb June 1942. The RAF aircraft census starts using the Spitfire F, HF and LF designations in May 1943. The Ministry of Aircraft Production put out monthly production reports, from March 1942 onwards at least. No doubt they do not exactly match to when the RAF made designation changes to Spitfires, but they give an idea of the timetable. First mention of F designation, F.VB in December 1942, the last production. The F designation does not appear again until March 1943, when all Spitfires in production receive it, Vc, VII, VIII, IX and XII. In April 1943 the HF and LF designations appear. F.Vc, F.VII, HF.VII, F.VIII, LF.VIII, F.IX, LF.IX and F.XII. The F and HF VII appear in May but then become F.VII in June while April and May VII production is given as a single figure, not broken down into F and HF. Before December 1942 the reconnaissance version Spitfires were designated P.R.U. III and IV. In December 1942 the PR designation is used, the first PR.IX were built in November 1942 but the MAP reports miss them. None of the production reports use IXc or IXe, or XIVc and XIVe.

Mustang IV = either P-51D (Hamilton Standard) or P-51K (Aeroproducts) propeller. According to the USAAF deliveries for Britain were 30 P-51D August/September 1944, 593 P-51K October 1944 to March 1945, 251 P-51D March to June 1945. 619 Mark IV were imported into Britain September 1944 to May 1945, 72 into North Africa November 1944 to February 1945 and 177 into India March to September 1945. RAF Squadrons by Jefford, mark IV operators, squadrons, 19 from April 1945 to March 1946 64 from August 1945 to May 1946 65 from March 1945 to May 1946 93 from January to December 1946 112 from February 1945 to December 1946 122 from May to August 1945 126 from August 1945 to March 1946 154 February and March 1945 213 from February 1945 to February 1947 234 from March to August 1945 249 from June to August 1945 250 from August 1945 to December 1946 260 from June to August 1945 303 from August 1945 to November 1946 611 from March to August 1945 For 442 squadron aircraft it reports only Mustang III on strength March to August 1945 when it was disbanded, that is a mistake for Mustang IV. https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12319/1570 Post war RCAF Mustang IV 9221 to 9300 and 9551 to 9600, of these 30 in June 1947 the rest arrived from October 1950 to March 1951.

As of June/July 1945, Main Wheels, Tempest, Fury, Sea Fury, Hornet, Firebrand, Firefly, Barracuda V - A.H.8208 Firebrand, Sea Hornet - A.H.8379 Main tyres Typhoon, Barracuda I to III, Firefly - 11.25-12 Tempest, Fury, Sea Fury - 30x9.00-15 Hornet, Sea Hornet, Meteor, Firebrand, Barracuda V, Firefly - 32x10.00-15 Tail Wheels, Hornet, Sea Hornet, Vampire -A.H.8055 Firefly - A.H. 8244 or Palmer 837 Typhoon, Tempest, Fury, Sea Fury - A.H.5007 Tail tyres Typhoon, Tempest, Fury, Sea Fury - 5.50-4 T.C. Welkin, Barracuda, Firebrand, Horsa II - 7.25-6 Hornet, Sea Hornet, Vampire, Barracuda - 6.50-5.5 Brake Units Tempest, Fury, Sea Fury, Meteor, Hornet, Sea Hornet, Firebrand, Barracuda V, Firefly - A.H.8209/1

21-Feb-35 Contract from Air Ministry for one High Speed Monoplane, K5083, to design submitted 4th September 1934, known as F.36.34 Single Seat Fighter. As it was a P.V. machine it was not built to any specifications, but machine corresponds closely to F.5.34 and F.10/35 day and night fighters. 6-Nov-35 First flight of prototype K5083 at Brooklands. Watts two-bladed, fixed pitch (wood) airscrew fitted. 7-Feb-36 Prototype K5083 delivered to R.A.F. at Martlesham Heath. All-up weight now 5,670 pounds. Mar-36 Production Drawings commenced. Apr-36 Performance and handling trials completed. Jun-36 Spare set of wings with 8 guns sent to Brooklands for armament trials and R.A.F. display. 8-Jun-36 Production Drawings for fuselage issued to shops. Jul-36 Hurricane K5083 exhibited at R.A.F. Air Pageant at Hendon. 20-Jul-36 Air Ministry Specification No. 15/36 issued, covering above production contract. Aug-36 Eight gun wing trials. Dec-36 It was decided to install the "Merlin II" engine since the "Merlin I" was not being put into production. Owing to difference in the cylinder blocks, the cowling shape and fairing lines were considerably altered. Other units affected were the air intake, airscrew, engine controls, engine mounting, hand starter gear, header tank and header tank mounting. Note - There is no doubt that this engine change slowed up production contract very much more than was at first anticipated. 2-Feb-37 Air Ministry conference held on production and prototype fuselages to decide on variations in production from experimental aircraft. 19-Apr-37 The first Merlin II was installed on the first production Hurricane L1547. 8-Sep-37 First production Hurricane L1547 was transported to Brooklands. Dry weight of engine 1,355 pounds. 12-Oct-37 First flight of first production Hurricane I L1547. K5083, apart from the various test flights, 29-May-37 Empire air Day aerobatics display. August to October 1937, photography for "Shadow of the Wing", later "Test Pilot", movie. RAF card. 10-Dec-37 taken on charge at A&AEE, Merlin C number 17. 23-Dec-37 at RAE 1-Mar-38 taken on charge of RAE. 4-May-38 Air Member for Research and Development at Hawkers. 14-Jan-39 2 School of Technical Training. Notes, armament work, research handling trials, Modification and repair to radiator. RAF Serial Registers, Became 1211M, officially Struck off Charge 15 May 1939.

The Hurricane IV units in India were using rockets, so the weapon was present but like the others I have not seen any evidence the RAF P-47 units used them. Ewen's photographs show the conflict between the rocket mountings being trialled and the shell casing ejection slots. First USAAF use of rockets in northern Europe was on 17 July 1944 (the same day as the first use of napalm) the 9th Air Force says its P-47 used 13,783 rockets during the war, plus 344 jettisoned, the P-61 units used 273 rockets plus 2 jettisoned. The RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force says it used 15,759 rockets in June 1944 alone.

The short answer is no, as the USN did its own ordering and impressing of Fairchild Model 24. The USN production reports do cover some but not all purchases for the USCG, I suspect only the armed aircraft. There were the 2 J2K-1 and 2 J2K-2 for the Coast Guard, I think in March and May 1937 respectively, with Ranger engines. Next the USN accepted 3 GK-1/UC-61 in December 1940. Then 10 GK-1 ex civil types impressed July to October 1942, all with R-500 engines. The RAAF Fairchild 24 were all ex civil types. The ADF serials A32-4 entry cannot be correct, no Ranger engined UC-61 were around in 1943, c/n 407 was a UC-61A, 43-14443 becoming RAF FS518 according to Air Arsenal North America, the USAAF delivery logs say accepted 30 January 1943, shipped on 24 March 1943. The RAF Serial Registers say it was taken on charge 31 August 1943, India, Struck Off Charge 26 April 1945. The RAAF says it received A32-4 on 15 March 1943, before c/n 407 was shipped from the US. It seems the aircraft was a personal one of RG Casey, first Australian Ambassador to the US, shipped to Australia, https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/fairchild-24/fairchild-24.htm https://australienstudien.org/ZfA/2007-8 21-22/ZfA_21_22-2008_28-35_Bridge.pdf

The problem is there were essentially no UC-61 with a Ranger engine in USAAF service in WW2, the C-61 series were mostly for Britain. Warner Radial UC-61, Argus mark I, 161 made August 1941 to July 1942, 161 RAF serials issued, 7 reported lost at sea, EV727 to 747/41-38791 to 38811, 21 aircraft, to USAAF in December 1941, first 10 of these sent to Panama. UC-61A, Argus mark II, 509 made, December 1942 to March 1944, 3 to Mexico and 1 to Brazil, 364 RAF serials issued, of which 2 reported lost at sea, rest of order to USAAF. The RAF reports FS618 to France, the USAAF thinks it was 43-14618, which would be FS605 according to Air Arsenal North America. The June 1944 RAF census reports 2 Argus I/II to France, 2 to other powers and 4 to USAAF. RAF Serial Registers have Mark I FS802 (but lost 2 months later in September 1942), HM173 to USAAF mark II FK326 to USAAF, FS618, FS661 to French. Ranger Inline UC-61K, Argus mark III, 306 made, April to October 1944, final deliveries made in November, final arrival reported in March 1945, 306 RAF serials issued, all arrived, none listed as transferred to USAAF. (USAAF Serials 43-14917 to 15032 and 44-83036 to 83225) Total production 976, Total RAF serials allocated 831, as of 31 August 1945 the RAF reports receiving 810 Argus, of which 580 were still in service with the plan to return all of them by the end of the year or write them off. The British import report has 798 arrivals, UK 115 I, 42 II, 80 III, India 106 II and 30 III, Middle East/North Africa 16 I, 213 II, 196 III, total 131 I, 361 II and 306 III. The USAAF reports it impressed 1 UC-61C 42-70862, 3 UC-61E 42-78041, 42-88637, 42-94139 and 2 UC-61F 42-88613, 42-97419 with the Ranger 6-410-B1 engine, plus 1 UC-61J 42-107276 with the Ranger 6-390-D3 engine.

I do not have similar data for the 8th Air Force which generally received newer models earlier than the 15th, my incomplete list of 8th Air Force loses has the last B-24D combat loss on 21 July 1944, 93rd BG, 409th Sqn. The D model with its transparent nose was preferred by the carpetbagger units. 15th Air Force B-24 Group, arrival date, first operation date 98th 1-Nov-43 already operational 376th 1-Nov-43 already operational 449th 8-Dec-43 8-Jan-44 450th 8-Dec-43 8-Jan-44 451st 8-Dec-43 30-Jan-44 454th 22-Jan-44 8-Feb-44 455th 22-Jan-44 12-Feb-44 456th 22-Jan-44 10-Feb-44 459th 22-Jan-44 2-Mar-44 460th 22-Jan-44 19-Mar-44 461st 4-Feb-44 2-Apr-44 465th 22-Feb-44 5-May-44 464th 9-Mar-44 30-Apr-44 485th 25-Mar-44 10-May-44 484th 29-Mar-44 29-Apr-44 The B-24D ended production in August 1943, while the G model started in March 1943 only 15 had been accepted to the end of September, production ended in May 1944 with 430 built. B-24H production started in June 1943, ended in May 1944, B-24J were produced between August 1943 and December 1944, B-24L between July 1944 and January 1945, B-24M between October 1944 and June 1945. The 15th Air Force used over half of all B-24G built. Table is date, D, G, H, J, L, M. 31-Oct-43 \\ 91 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 0 (98th, 376th) 28-Nov-43 \\ 80 \\ 0 \\ 0 \\ 12 \\ 0 \\ 0 449th, 450th, 451st arrive 26-Dec-43 \\ 70 \\ 0 \\ 55 \\ 14 \\ 0 \\ 0 J models with the 2 original groups, H models with the new arrivals. 454th, 455th, 456th, 459th, 460th arrive 30-Jan-44 \\ 58 \\ 0 \\ 375 \\ 25 \\ 0 \\ 0 J with old groups, H with new 461st arrive 6-Feb-44 \\ 54 \\ 0 \\ 429 \\ 27 \\ 0 \\ 0 All groups have some H models 465th arrive 27-Feb-44 \\ 41 \\ 3 \\ 447 \\ 27 \\ 0 \\ 0 464th, 484th, 485th arrive 1-Apr-44 \\ 48 \\ 25 \\ 617 \\ 88 \\ 0 \\ 0 29-Apr-44 \\ 29 \\ 70 \\ 581 \\ 90 \\ 0 \\ 0 As of 29 April only H models were fitted with radar and used as pathfinders, while most groups now have some G, H and J models. 3-Jun-44 \\ 17 \\ 184 \\ 618 \\ 117 \\ 0 \\ 0 24-Jun-44 \\ 3 \\ 202 \\ 609 \\ 117 \\ 0 \\ 0 1-Jul-44 \\ 3 \\ 203 \\ 620 \\ 117 \\ 0 \\ 0 First J model pathfinder. 27-Jul-44 \\ 3 \\ 220 \\ 429 \\ 197 \\ 0 \\ 0 2-Sep-44 \\ 0 \\ 156 \\ 329 \\ 464 \\ 0 \\ 0 30-Sep-44 \\ 0 \\ 125 \\ 251 \\ 561 \\ 0 \\ 0 21-Oct-44 \\ 0 \\ 94 \\ 207 \\ 586 \\ 0 \\ 0 20-Nov-44 \\ 0 \\ 70 \\ 156 \\ 500 \\ 34 \\ 0 As of 20 November most groups have 1 to 4 L models along with G, H and J's. 10-Dec-44 \\ 0 \\ 77 \\ 154 \\ 502 \\ 36 \\ 0 10-Jan-45 \\ 0 \\ 56 \\ 121 \\ 412 \\ 102 \\ 0 First L model pathfinder. 10-Feb-45 \\ 0 \\ 52 \\ 145 \\ 401 \\ 203 \\ 0 10-Mar-45 \\ 0 \\ 44 \\ 151 \\ 363 \\ 234 \\ 72 First M model pathfinder. All groups except the 455th have at least 1 M model, and all have at least 1 of each model in service. 31-Mar-45 \\ 0 \\ 38 \\ 129 \\ 345 \\ 217 \\ 137 30-Apr-45 \\ 0 \\ 22 \\ 75 \\ 216 \\ 177 \\ 105 As of 30 April the 98th and 376th groups had departed for the US while the 449th, 450th and 485th were non operational and had few aircraft assigned, the strength figures are for the remaining 10 groups. There is likely to have been an attempt to make the B-24 force initially uniform, all H models, given both the H and J were in full production in late 1943/early 1944. The uniformity quickly ended and for most of the time period from January 1944 on all groups flew at least one of each model in service (except the D which largely remained concentrated in the original 2 B-24 groups), and only the D model was fully retired. Of course the sheer number of B-24 models made it hard to standardise, from the start of D model production in January 1942 the months March to August 1942 with the D model, June 1944 with the J model and February to May 1945 with the M model were the only months only 1 model of the B-24 was in production. For the 15th Air Force G models only arrived in numbers as the production line was shutting down and around 6 months after full production began. It does look like the H model along with the G were meant as standard equipment, which explains why only a few J models arrived around 4 months after production began, but not in any numbers until August 1944, 2 months after the H had finished production and just as 3 of the production lines ceased building J model and the 2 others were winding down towards ceasing B-24 production in December. Only a month before the J model went out of production and around 5 months after production started did the L model arrive in the combat units. The M model was similar, first arrivals were after L model production ceased and around 5 months after M production began. The data shows the difficulties in translating aircraft production into front line strength in particular for the US given the distances from factory to combat unit, even for aircraft like the B-24 which could be flown rather than needing sea transport.