Hi Ian and others!

Just wondering if perhaps someone might know what mark of Halifax 1664 HCU would have been operating in June/July of 1944. I have beautiful photo of a crew standing in front of one with the merlin engines running, I am trying to pinpoint the exact mk.

I also have the same question for March and April of '44 at 1666 HCU.

One last question for Ian, if I have the A/C letters for a Halifax from an HCU is it possible to trace its serial #?

Cheers!
Matt

Hi Matt,

Tricky one the identification of a hally from it's code letter... Can you either post photo on forum here or send it to my regular email address & I wil have a looksee, might already have it on file??!!
TTFN
Ian
57 RESCUE

Sure thing Ian, I have another photo you can add to your database as well. What is your email address?

Hi Matt,
To fool the email collection robots that visit forums, you will need to delete the "NOSPAM" bit, but here it is in full:-
ian@NOSPAM57rescue.org
TTFN
Ian

Ian,

I fired you off an email with the pics, did you recieve it?

Hi Matt

My dad's logbook covers a time period shortly after what you are after May 7/44 to Oct 6/44 when he was at Wombleton Con Unit 1666. According to the summary when he left - he was flying Halifax II's

Some of the numbers of the craft that he flew in were
B - W-2234
G - BB-217
A - OT-582
J - W-7668

The others he didn't write down the Numbers.

Hope it helps!

Rick Beetham

Rick

I think you will find it is DT582 rather than OT

Eddie

Rick,

The crew I am researching only made 6 flights at 1666 HCU before moving to 431 squadron. All flights were made in 6 different a/c, you have provided me with 3 of the 6.

Thanks!

Matt

Hi Matt,
According to Chorley's Vol 8 HCU Losses, for the periods you are interested in 1664 HCU were losing MkVs, while 1666 HCU, in March'44 lost a couple of Lanc IIs, but Feb & April'44 lost mainly Hali Mk IIs.

Hope this helps,
Paul.

Flying Mk V's in April 1944 for sure, as I used to watch them! Later on they had some Mk.111's I believe.