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Originally Posted by mhuxt
Many thanks for that. Certainly both Air Britain and Mosquito say the Rangoon Mosquito on 2 November was DZ697, so that leaves DZ696 as the most likely aircraft for the later interception, though they say December, not October.
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I agree about the serials and dates of losses. What I meant was that Kuroe's recollection of the incident as being in October throws into doubt whether the "captured" Mossie episode involved DZ697 in November (perhaps more likely) or DZ696 in December.
I also realised that anyone reading my post and visiting the Mosquito website entry for 27 Sqn may have got mighty confused! I should have made it clear that after the initial Mossie trials period, 'A' flight of 27 Sqn converted to Mosquito VI at Agartala in December 1943 whilst 'B' flight remained on Beaufighters. As the trials missions were flown by attached crews the website is technically correct in stating the first 27 Sqn Mosquito mission was made by Nicholson on Christmas Day (He also broke his wrist in the Christmas Day "celebrations" that followed!).
The camouflage & markings issue remains a bit of a mystery. From photographs it appears that the Mosquito aircraft were delivered in the day fighter scheme and were gradually re-painted on unit to SEAC standards. I presume those II & VI modified as PR aircraft were re-painted in PRU Blue with SEAC roundels, making them an interesting hybrid - but I've not seen them illustrated this way.
The taxying photograph of HJ811 suggests that the Mossies were perhaps used on operations in the day fighter scheme before being re-painted?
We've dragged the Japanese thread a bit off-side but the early missions and appearance of Mossies in Burma remains something of a mystery, has not received much attention and is quite fascinating none the less!