Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Andreas

I don't have ORB too

From MAW1 and 451 Sqn ORB (available online):
In September and the first half of October 33 Sqn flew protection patrols for shipping to and from Tobruk, bomber escort and escort for Tac/R Hurricanes of 451 Sqn. All operations over Axis-held territory were roughly in Sidi Omar - Gambut - Bardia - Sollum area. Then nothing is mentioned in MAW about operations by 33 Sqn until November when it transferred to Giarabub. I presume the squadron was withdrawn from operations and received modified Hurricanes in the second half of October

Anyway, there are no corresponding losses of RAF fighter units on 26 September

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

The war diary of 5a Squadra notes nothing for 26 September.

For 2 October it notes the force landing of a Hurricane with engine failure on the advanced landing ground (campo di fortuna) El Hania. Pilot captured, plane damaged.

All the best

Andreas

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

A couple of mentions in German signals from July 1942 of captured Hurricane BP 176 here.

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

for the 26/09/1941 it was most probably F/Sgt Hawksley-Hill P.A. (POW)Hurricane Z4356, RAF Ta Kali loss in tranfert flight to Mersa Matruh

Regards
Phil

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Okay, I love it when thread necromancy delivers results. It looks as if Z4356 wasn't assigned to a unit, so that explains why she didn't show up in unit loss records. She was originally delivered in Operation RAILWAY from Ark Royal but then had to be repaired on Malta.



The plane has a bit of a history, and there are pictures of her, nosed over and under Axis guard.


http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...urricane-Z4356


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archiv...p?t-19337.html


http://www.ww2incolor.com/italian-fo...pezionato.html



All the best


Andreas

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Quite a welcome surprise Phil!

Since I am a curious individual, and this has been a mystery for the past 10 years or so, may I ask from where you located the information?
We can all see from the photo this aircraft was lost and from what I can see to the Italians as well. Are you thus putting 2 and 2 together or is there a document stating that Hawksley-Hill flew this aircraft and was lost the date in question?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Italian records says that the pilot captured in the aircraft which had force-landed on the 2nd October was an officer, while the pilot captured in force-landing on 26 September was an NCO. So PRU machine was indeed lost on 2nd October

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Hello Andrei,

Perhaps this may help re Z4356 .

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=Z4356

Alex

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Alex

Many thanks! Everything fits together now

Re: Hurricane captured at Derna 26.09.1941
 

Yes exactly , I have it in my data base but found détails on
http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...2081&id=C16484

Regards
Phil