Unknown Halifax II WDAF
 

From a long expired E-Bay auction. Crashed Halifax in Western Desert with German soldiers looking it over. Any clues as to its identity? T

he serial number looks like W769X, but the only candidate I could find is W7695, which ditched.

Re: Unknown Halifax II WDAF
 

Are you sure about the desert ? The soldier with helmet and coat don't look "tropical".

Re: Unknown Halifax II WDAF
 

Uhmm, could be. I thought the background was in the desert, but it could be a beach?

Re: Unknown Halifax II WDAF
 

Hello,
For information -

Air Brit RAF Aircraft W1000 - Z9999 has the following -

"W7695 - 10/OADU - Ran out of fuel and ditched 20 miles East of Alexandria on ferry flight from Gibraltar, bomb bay tanks blew up, 9.7.42".

While "RAF Bomber Losses in the Middle East & Mediterranean" Vol 1 has on page 160 -
9-10 Jul 1942 - 1 OADU - Halifax II W7695 "D"
Took off Gibraltar for Aqir, but unable to locate a landing ground crashed into the sea 32 Km East of Alexandria. All on board made their way to shore by dinghy. Two crew were injured." Also " Like W1178 she was part of the 10 Squadron Middle East Detachment".
Interestingly on page 159, W1178 "T" was lost on the 8th July 1942. Took off Gibraltar for Aqir but forced to turn back and on landing bounced, an undercarriage leg collapsing. The crew were unhurt, the a/c DBR".

Air Brit RAF Aircraft W10000 - Z9999 has -
"W1178 - 10/OADU - Bounced on landing and undercarriage leg collapsed, Gibraltar, 8.7.42; believed not repaired".

In one of the above photo's it does look like a "T" marked on the tail, but would the a/c in squadron letter be marked on the tail ? also the serial is clearly W769?

Could it be a possibility that at the time in question the paper work was not correct and the two a/c were recorded about face ?

THEN AGAIN -
The soldier in the "Trench coat", just to add that they may well have worn them in the Middle East.
Also has the serial number been confirmed as being W769? ? Could the number be W765? or W788?

My reason for this addition is that W7654 of 102 Squadron Missing ( Bremen) 26.6.42 presumed ditched on return, but she was coded "DY-Q". And W7886 of 35 Squadron crashed off the Danish coast on return from Berlin, 18.1.43. But she was coded "TL-C".

Alex