RAF Lockheed 2B14 - what species of animal is this ?

[KRK4m]

Browsing through the serials of aircraft ordered by the RAF in 1935-45, I came across a strange item: 50 Lockheed 2B14s with serial numbers from P5571 to P5620.

Of course, the number 14 next to the manufacturer's name is automatically associated with Super Electra and Hudson, but the only Hudsons in the block of numbers starting with P are a few months earlier series of 50 a/c from P5116 to P5165. Moreover this was not the first batch of Hudsons for the RAF, as this honour went to a block of 200 from N7205 to N7404.

Would anyone be able to shed some light on what the UK-ordered Lockheed 2B14 was?

Cheers

Michael

[Peter Rozendal]

According to Air Arsenal North America (Phil butler, Midland Counties Publishing, 2004) this serial batch went to 50 Lockheed Hudsons that were re-serialled A16-1 to A16-50. The original British serials P5571-P5620 were cancelled.

 

Peter

[Icedtea]

9 hours ago, Peter Rozendal said:

According to Air Arsenal North America (Phil butler, Midland Counties Publishing, 2004) this serial batch went to 50 Lockheed Hudsons that were re-serialled A16-1 to A16-50. The original British serials P5571-P5620 were cancelled.

 

Peter

So those serials would indicate they went to the RAAF ?

[gingerbob]

Yes

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a16.htm

Edited December 13, 2022 by gingerbob

[ClaudioN]

Maybe engines were different, I seem to recall?

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

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.

[VH-USB]

Complete information on RAAF Hudsons can be found here...

RAAF HUDSONS PART 1 - The Lockheed File (adastron.com)

[Admiral Puff]

Ron Cuskelly's site (www.adastron.com) is an absolute gold mine of information for anything on all Lockheeds (not just Hudsons) operated in Australia.