JJ's Girl (no login) from IP address 216.47.187.221
Hello Everyone,
Could somebody please tell me how I would be able to find out the number of a certain Halifax (the one that is painted beside the bullseye target), on the plane?
I do have the accident card, but it just says Halifax Mark 11.Serial number R9497.
Where should I start looking?
Thank you for your help.
I'm guessing that you are looking for the aircrafts individual identification letter as against a number. Unfortunately a large number of HCU aircraft either did not carry or did not record details of these letters.
The Unit letters for 1658 were TT or ZB but you could find that tracking the actual aircraft letter virually impossible. These are displayed to one side of the RAF roundel (your bullseye) with the code letter on the other side. The Operations Record book is your best bet as it is likely it will reference the loss (with or without the letter information). From the copies of 1658'S ORB that I have seen (not for the period in question) they do not record any aircraft information at all, just the number of hours flown by individual flights during the month in question. It is not possible therefore to try to track back to see what letters MAY have been carried.
If you were able to make contact with anybody else that was at Riccall at the time you have another avenue but here again there is a potential problem. Aircrew often just recorded the aircraft letter but not the aircraft Serial No. making a tie up impossible.
The aircraft movement card will also be of no use to you as it only gives details of moves and not letters carried.
Sorry this is so negative, but I think you are unlikely to find the details of the letter (but hope to be proved wrong)
If someone has a copy of the Halifax File, I beleive it will have the squadron codes which you are seeking. If you come up empty here (I know someone in here has the book because they helped me out in a similar manner a few years back) try the forum at rafcommands.com.
Hi
If you can give me the date of this acciddent I might be able to locate it in my copy of Aircraft Crash Log No 2 Handley Page Halifax
Regards
Harold Dummer.
Hi
I have looked at my book and the serial No of Halifax mentioned by Paul is as follows W7797 this crash is listed as 19 8 43 this is listed as colliding with DG420 at Copmanthorpe Killing seven
Regards Harold.
Hi
The two aircraft Nos I have listed are in two separate entries,both entries have the same dates 19 8 43 and also state same details of crash, is it worth getting acciddent card for Halifax W 7797 ?
Regards
Harold.
Hi
As you say my information is limited to aircraft crashes only giving date and location only,If some kind person on the site has acopy of W R Chorleys Bomber Command Losses for 1943 all the crews names are entered in there I unfortunately only have the copy for 1944. You should be able to borrow this book from your local library if all else fails
Kind Regards
Harold.
The aircraft in which Joseph John O'Brien lost his life was R9497 in the collision with DG420.
The ONLY Halifax from 1658 HCU lost on 5/12/42 was R9531 piloted by F/Sgt. D.C. Cameron RCAF and this crashed near S****horpe
In the case of the crash involving R9497, this aircraft crashed on what is now the site of the A64 road flyover.
Apparently the court of enquiry blamed the Pilot and Bomb Aimer of R9497 as it was considered 'inconceivable' that they had not seen the Rufforth based aircraft as they were flying 'down sun'.
