MM532 mosquito - reference request

[adafor]

Does anyone have a copy of "Mosquito Squadrons of the RAF" by Chas Boyer? If so, could you confirm that it lists mosquito MM532 of 488(NZ) Squadron as ME-U. It would also be useful if you could let me know if this reference is text or a photo.

Thanks in advance.

[bearoutwest]

488 Sqn record is covered over pages 112-113 of my copy. There are no photos of 488 Sqn RNZAF Mosquitoes. The list of 'Aircraft examples flown' on page 113 includes:
MM532, 'U'.

Alternately, "Fighter Squadrons of the R.A.F." by John Rawlings, indicates that D.H. Mosquito XIII operated between Oct 1943 and Oct 1944, include:
MM532 as ME U.
(There is one photo of a Mosquito Mk XII - HK197, ME-F; none of MM532 or any ME-U labelled aircraft.)

Regards, ...geoff

[Graham Boak]

This is going to nag at me, for I have seen a recent reference with a number of photos of 488 Sq Mosquitoes. It didn't include the ME.G I was looking for, so I didn't make note, but there was some internet correspondence - possibly on the Key Historic site?

Other sources you could try are the Osprey Fighter Mosquitoes book, the Guideline fighter Mosquitoes book (though mainly concerned with camouflage and markings) and perhaps the Kite Publishing book - which I don't think is the Chas Bowyer one you are referring to?

[Kutscha]

A data list of Mosquito serial numbers I have has:

MM532 NFXIII 304FTU/256S SOC 22.2.45

This might be an error or omission as other serial numbers list multiple squadrons.

[Graham Boak]

Here's the internet reference I was thinking of, but I think there is a paper source too that I haven't recalled (yet).
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showt...t=488+Squadron

Addition: The service listing above was in the appropriate Air Britain serial book, it was not the only example with limited service. Mosquito night fighters often passed through other hands as the radars or engines were upgraded, but perhaps the Mk.XIIIs were considered good enough to last?

Warpaint Special No 3 does give ME.F HK187 and ME.R MM466, but only in profile form. There is also a photo and profile of an ME.P, but sadly a Mk.XXX.

[bearoutwest]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

......I've long wanted to do a model of a 488 Sq. Mosquito, one coded ME.G (my wife Meg likes Mosquitos too) but I've never been able to find the appropriate serial. If you ever do find an appropriate photo, or logbook reference, I'd be very grateful.

Graham, I noticed this comment from you in your referenced thread. I can't help you with any 488 RNZAF Squadron serials for ME-G aircraft, but 487 RNZAF Squadron (flying Mosquito Mk VI FB with Bomber Command, and involved in the Amiens Raid) had EG squadron codes. Aircraft M (i.e. M-EG, viewed from port side profile) had serial number SZ985.

Again references from both Chaz Bowyer/Mosq Sqn of the RAF and John Rawlings/Bomber Squadrons of the RAF. Unfortunately, no photos of that aircraft in either book.

Apologies to OP for slight thread drift.

Regards, ...geoff

[Graham Boak]

Thanks Geoff: I have that one in hand. Or rather, still in box. Mosquitos are a popular subject in this household because of the number of A.GB (that's me).

I've a feeling that the paper reference was a magazine article, and I've been through my recent Aeroplanes without finding it. This suggests it was in Flypast, for I don't keep those after reading. You might like to try posting the question on the Key publishing website, where posters are more likely to have such information to hand. You could ask the editorial team - but I can't be sure they are the "guilty" parties.

[adafor]

Originally Posted by bearoutwest

There is one photo of a Mosquito Mk XII - HK197, ME-F

Regards, ...geoff

Geoff - Do you think you could upload a scan of this image? Very interested as I do not have a record of HK197 being allocated to 488 Squadron, but a photo would change that....

Thanks in advance - Adam

[bearoutwest]

Adam,

If I've managed it correctly, I should have attached a photo and caption of HK197 ME-F, and a list of Mosquito ID's for 488 Sqn RNZAF. All are from John Rawlings' book Fighter Squadrons of the R.A.F. (Caption says it's HK197 ME-F, but I have to take it at face value...I can't actually make out the 'F' or the serial in the photo.)

Merry Christmas.
...geoff

[adafor]

Thanks for taking the time to scan and post these images Geoff. I actually have an "original" print of the same photo in approx 11" x 9" size. On my copy, you can clearly read the serial as HK137, and the code is not visible. My grandfather has recorded HK137 as ME-O. It would seem that this is an incorrectly identified aircraft, which has lead the historians astray!

A crop of my image attached for reference.