Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay are two photos of Stearman PT-17 aircraft of the Chinese Elementary Flying Training School based in Lahore at :


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-ORIGI...kAAOSwKcxf42iG


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Thanks Clint

They got 150. First one I have seen with a Chinese serial number.
Pity we have no dates

What do you make of the line up and the first aircraft's number?
Last digit looks like a five to me....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Hi Stig,


The first aircraft in the line up I read as 85 and the next one back as 80. I can't say I have any idea about the significance of the numbers,but Lennart Andersson's A history of Chinese Aviation has a photo of a PT-17 with number 33 cowling and 216010 on the fuselage. Could the latter number be the 2 from the US year 42- and the remainder the individual aircraft serial so 42-16010. It appears to make sense. If so the number on the cowling is unrelated and thus both that photo and the machines on ebay show flying school numbers on the cowling.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Hi Clint

Yes I have his book as well, and the digits on the cowling seems unrelated to the serial number, ie No 33 was not the 33rd PT-17 delivered, unless they arrived into India very randomly. I also believe the photo in Lennart's book was taken either in USA or very shortly after arrival in India. I have another photo of a PT-17 without any digits on the cowling.

I know terribly little about the Chinese serial number system developed by the central Government in the 1930s, so it is rather pointless just to ramble about it here, but I believe we only see the last two/three digits of the true serial number in these photos.
Unfortunately I have no idea which number the Chinese used to identify their PT-17s with. Probably 17 or 75....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of what appears to be a Chinese Polikarpov R-1,though I could be mistaken


https://www.ebay.com/itm/25641729606...YAAOSwMZ1l0rrt



Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

I can't seem to attach screenshots - so perhaps google "Mukden captured Potez 25 used by IJAAF".
I think this could be a Po25, originally operated by the Manchurian warlord army/air force, and captured by the Japanese in 1931-33, then subsequently used by the IJAAF. The google search gave me a preview of the bookazine "Red Star vs Rising Sun" with a photo of the Potez with a distinct P 15 aircraft code. The 'P' has a very similar font to the OP's photo.

...geoff

Re: Photos Chinese Aircraft
 

Geoff, thanks for the response. You are correct. I used this link and it contains the same photo. A bit disapointing I hadn't remembered this.


https://cwlam2000-epizy-com.translat..._x_tr_sch=http


I've ordered myself a copy of the book.


Regards,


Clint