North Africa 1942 photos - any comments?

[Franek Grabowski]

Any comments on those photos?
http://www.pobrien.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/WW2photos.html

[ChrisMAg2]

Hhhmmmmmmmm,
except, that photo #102 has a wrong caption, I wouldn't know what you want hear.

[Dave Wadman]

Franek,

Isn't the burning ship (second row from bottom, second picture from left) the Graf Spee?

Dave

[Franek Grabowski]

Yes, indeed Graf burning off Montevideo. What comments I would like to hear? Well, are those photos known or not? I think at least some of them are official shots for press. Identity of aircraft is also welcome.

[Brian]

Hi Franek

The Hurricane on the trailer poses problems for me - not that I am particularly genned up on Hurricanes in North Africa - in that it appears to be Z4893 - only that serial wasn't allocated as far as I can determine. I cannot identify the unit either from the code letters M?:T. Obviously this doesn't help at all - surely someone has an answer?

Cheers
Brian

[sjmacke]

It is hard to tell, really need a bigger scan but I would suggest that the Hurricane serial is actually Z4693. This one is only recorded as 'ME' in the Air Britain listings.

I suspect that the unit coding may be ME*T, 'ME' being the codes used by 260 Sqn on Hurricanes and up to about May 1942 on their early Kittyhawks. The familiar 'HS' codes were only taken up after this.

One of the interesting aspects of the airwar in North Africa is that virtually all of the fighter Sqns that served there over the period 1941/42 changed their unit codes at some stage.

Major security breaches perhaps.

Steve Mackenzie

[Brian]

Thanks Steve - that makes sense.

Brian

[John Vasco]

1) 92 is a well-known shot of a 109F of III./JG 27 at Gambut.

2) 97 is a very well-known view of Bf 110, 3U+MS of 8./ZG 26.