[Larry]

Thanks guys for your replies.

With regard to the modifications to FAA Avengers, these were carried out on JZ149 (and possibly another) by the NARIU in order to prepare technical instruction leaflets for aircraft to be modified at bases overseas.

JZ149 was later shipped to Ceylon via HMS Rajah as a pattern aircraft and served with 756 NAS and later 857 NAS but after Meridian.

With regard to access and use of the 2nd seat behind the pilot, if the Observer could always access this from the fuselage then the question I need answering is what was in the 2nd 'cockpit' after the modifications that wasn't there before?

BTW - In FAA Avengers the typical crew consisted of three men, so I wonder where the Observers were sited when the Avengers dive bombed the Pladjoe oil refineries?