41sqn Spitfires on strength in September 1939?

[WV908]

Hi all,

  Does anyone have a list of the Spitfires that 41sqn had on strength in September 1939, hopefully with individual squadron codes? I can't seem to find anything backing up Eduard's PN-M being K9832 

 

Cheers,

  WV908

[Ossington 2]

Try a grind through the squadron records at TNA. First (and only) serial I've come across since the war started is Spitfire K9844, being damaged, in document AIR27/424. Specifically AIR27/424/3, Nov 39. Alas, no serial/code tie-up at that time.

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C2503059

 

 

[WV908]

Hi @Ossington 

 

Thanks for the link - I can only see the previews unfortunately as my attempts to sign up haven't worked. 

 

I have managed to find a photo of 41sqn's PN-M, but it is a very poor photo accompanied by a very vague caption that gives away no details of a serial or date, except between January and August 1939.

 

Cheers,

  WV908

[WV908]

To add more mystery, it would appear that the aircraft I'm looking for was one of two regular mounts of Sgt Ted Shipman, the other being EB-L N3126.

 

The first of Shipman's mounts, EB-M is captioned in a series of two 1939 photos here;

http://www.spitfiresocietyeastern.org.uk/form 57.html

 

It is mentioned that the aircraft has just recieved it's three blade prop and replacement canopy - with Eduard giving September 1939 for PN-M, it would be very reasonable to assume these are the same two aircraft. The problem? EB-M has no serial quoted either! 

 

Cheers,

  WV908

 

[WV908]

Going though available records, K series aircraft with 41sqn in 1939 (in delivery order) include;

 

K9831 (PN-A?) Crashed 30/01/39

K9832 (PN-B?) 

K9833 (PN-C?)

K9835 (PN-D?)

K9836 (PN-E?)

K9837 (PN-F?) Crashed 08/06/39

K9838 (PN-G?) Crashed 16/03/39

K9839 (PN-H?)

K9840 (PN-I?) 

K9842 (PN-J?)  Crashed 23/05/39

K9844 (PN-K?)  

K9845 (PN-L?) Crashed 03/04/39  

K9846 (PN-M?) Left 17/09/39

K9847 (PN-N?) 

K9848 (PN-O?) Crashed 20/04/39

K9849 (PN-P?) Crashed 14/09/39

K9850 (PN-Q?)  

K9843 (PN-A?) Crashed 30/11/39

K9855 (PN-R?) Crashed 04/11/39

K9890 (PN-S?) Three blade prop

K9856 (PN-T?) Crashed 27/04/39
K9991 (PN-G?) Three blade prop 

 

Going on the reckoning of, or rather taking a blind stab in the dark at the idea of the aircraft gaining the next-in-line code letter as they arrived and equally filling in a gap in the sequence for a lost aircraft, the above list can be arrived at.

 

This would mean it is likely that Eduard's PN-M is K9846, which had it's codes changed to EB-M, lost the two blade prop and early canopy and was flown as one of Sgt Ted Shipman's mounts before leaving the squadron on the 17th September 1939 to join 616 squadron. She sadly hit telephone wires on takeoff from Catterick on the night of 06/11/39, taking F/O Overall with her.

 

Unless concrete evidence can be found otherwise, I think this is what I'll go with. I have so far found four photos of this aircraft to work from. 

 

Cheers,

  WV908

[Peter Roberts]

Hard to tell from the photo in the link, but it does look like the serial has been painted over on 'M'. The serial was usually repainted on the fin, in 2" characters, but hard to see this in the photo.