P-400 dual identity numbers
 

On a P-400 two different serial numbers have been found - BW330 and BX149 on the rear fuselage ( not an easily replacable extremity). Does anyone have an idea why this maybe. Anyone have any information on either serial number?

TIA
Dave

Re: P-400 dual identity numbers
 

Air Britain Serials BA100 - BZ999 gives the following information :-

BX135 - 434
300 Bell Airacobra 1s
Diverted to USAAC (187) and Russia. No RAF service use.
In this publication I could not find that the serial BW330 was used.

British Military Aircraft Serials by Bruce Robertson gives the following :-

BX135 - 434
300 Bell 14 Airacobra 1
Majority taken over by USAAF and others shipped to Russia, at least 17 were lost at sea.
Once again no mention of BW330.

Regards
Peter Clare

Re: P-400 dual identity numbers
 

It is quite possible Bell initially painted the wrong RAF Number on it first.. It has happened before to others, such as Consolidated (Libs) and Curtiss (at one point they just continued on past a ??999 to ??1000) for P-40s. Also either Americans had problem with the concept of 'black out blocks' aor the British Purchasing team in the US had a problem with them.. Anyway a whole bunch of AANNN to BZ???? were pre-allocated to British Air Purchasing in the US for farming out to the US manufacturers.

There were BW??? serialed RAF ones.. onewithout looking them up any further.. The net (Baugher has up to BW183) and also has reference to BX149


"BX149 to USAAF. condemned Mar 23, 1943"


http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p39_5.html

Re: P-400 dual identity numbers
 

according to page 150 of :

Air Arsenal North America
aircraft for the allies 1938-1945
puchases and Lend-Lease
by Phil Butler and Dan Hagedorn
Midland publishing
ISBN 1-85780-163-6

contract A-1326 (205 aircraft) AP264-AP384 , BW100-BW183 mc/n 14-171 to 14-375

there is no mention of serials above BW183 as being an Airacobra MK 1
the following contract strangely starts with "BX"
it is very possible that BW330 IS a British aircraft , but NOT an Aeracobra

Re: P-400 dual identity numbers
 

Thanks gentlemen - goes someway to clarifying a confusing situation!

regards
Dave