Hurricane Z4356

[michele-palermo]

Any information about this aircraft?

[JohnE]

Could be this event (14/6-1941):

As the remainder reached Malta, one (Z4356) overshot the runway on arrival and hit a wall, although Sgt Robert Wilson (of 260 Sq.) was unhurt.

Source: Hurricanes over Malta.


/John

[michele-palermo]

Thanks.
The plane should have been repaired and sent to Africa. So probably it belonged to the 260 Sqn....

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
AB's W1000 to Z9999 has only
Z4356 - Malta - SoC 1.7.42

"Hurricanes over Malta" has it as Unallocated (page 297) and as described in earlier post with Sgt. Robert Wilson (page 112).


Alex

[michele-palermo]

It could be a mistake. The photo was taken in North Afrika around November 1941. The chap by the plane is an Italian offficer. Can you please tell me something about "AB's W1000 to Z9999"? I don't know about it. Thanks.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
AB's W1000 to Z9999 is for

Air Britain's publication "Royal Air Force Aircraft W1000 to Z9999". Which is one book of a series of some 20 odd books from "J1 to J9999 & WW1 Survivors" throught to "WA100 to WZ999".
Each book has lists of serial numbers of Royal Air Force Aircraft with brief detal of RAF use and known fate.

Also to elaborate on the entery in the book "Hurricanes over Malta"
Quote
"The Regia Aeronautica was conspicuous by its absence over the next few days, which proved fortuitous for the defenders as, on 14th June (1941), there was another delivery of Hurricanes. On this occasion Ark Royal was joined by the new fleet carrier HMS Victorious, which had on board 28 Hurricanes of desert-bound 238 Squadron. Ark Royal carried a further 20 such aircraft of 260 Squadron bound for the same destination, with Malta as the staging post. As the Hurricanes became airborne, Hudsons from Gibraltar arrived to navigate each batch of 12 to Malta. One Hurricane failed to take off, a second crashed into the sea, and a third suffered engine problems en route and was last seen heading for the North African coast, where it landed at Blida with fuel leakage problems; before he was taken prisoner the pilot set fire to his aircraft. As the remainder reached Malta, one (Z4356) overshot the runway on arrival and hit a wall, although Sgt. Robert Wilson was unhurt. However , a second (Z4317) spun in and crashed north-west of Lida, killing the pilot, Sgt. Robert MacPherson, also of 260 Squadron."

On page 295 it mentions that of all the Hurricanes delivered to Malta some 150 eventually flew out to North Africa, so it is quite possible that following its meeting with a wall in 1941 Z4356 was repaired and returned to service ending up in another accident in North Africa which is that shown in the photo. Then being SOC on 1st July 1942.

Alex

[Larry]

Are you sure they are Italians near the Hurricane in the photo? They look quite typical of RAF personnel. And what vehicle is it in the background - it looked like a Jeep in which case it is more likely to be 1942 as the earlier versions were quite rare in 1941

[michele-palermo]

Hi.
Thanks for the informations. Take a look at this other photo. Uniforms in Africa could be very similar. I wonder if that Hurricane went back to the 260 Sqn....

[stefaan]

Hi Michele.
Those are small scans. There are a few rank areas on shoulders that you should scan at 1200 dpi and see if you can make out any detail.
It may give you a clue.
The AB pulication states unit as Malta, but that does not mean it stayed in Malta.
I have found many entries in those publications that the units, and even date of loss is wrong.
Stefaan

[Brian]

Hi Michele

I must agree that the second photo certainly looks as though it was taken in North Africa. And that central figure is probably an Italian air force officer.

Please don't take my assertion that Z4356 was the aircraft that crashed on landing at Malta as gospel (Hurricanes over Malta). I have found many, many errors in the recording of serial numbers.

However, there remains the possibilty that Z4356 was damaged on arrival at Malta (but not the incident in your pictures), was repaired and then came to grief in North Africa, as already suggested.

Please don't shoot the chronicler!

Cheers
Brian