Documentation in airplanes

[Kutscha]

What sort of documentation pertaining to an a/c was allowed to be carried in the a/c?

[Revi16]

Most likely nothing. I can't recall any photo/report where aircraft specific paperwork was in the aircraft. Perhaps a Pilot Manual/Handbook in a bomber/transport, maintenance logs would be kept at the unit level. You wouldn't want any type of paperwork falling into enemy hands.

[Kutscha]

That would be my thoughts as well Revi16.

Would the Betreibsdatentafeln be in a fighter?

[markjsheppard]

The Bell P39 now at Buffalo had the maintenance logs but only as it was transferring from one airfield to another. This was how we established its flights/flight times.

http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis.../sheppard/p39/

An Fw190A of JG54 was on a transfer flight from repair with new pilot back to unit when it crashed. This also had documentation on maintenance, engine changes etc.

Generally for combat missions, they would not have this type of paper work.

regards

Mark

[Joe Potter]

Ju 88A-4 (1665) M2+HL of 3/Küstenfliegergruppe 106 crashed 05.08.1942, the crew were identified from the aircraft code letters in the maintenance record book found in the wreckage.

[Nick Beale]

I once saw in the National Archives a few small data cards found in crashed aircraft. I think they had the Werk Nummer, radio call sign and dates filled in for overhauls or inspections.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, all

The main documentation for German aircraft, Lebenslaufakten, was not in the aircraft but in the hands of the Halter (unit responsible for the aircraft, whivh could be a frontline unit, a repair unit etc). I am currently researching this, my findings so far indicate that for the frontline units these were kept on Gruppe level, not Staffel level (there will always be discrepancies, especially due to some of the ad hoc structures and unit combinations).

Regards,
Andreas B

[retje]

Hi,

At Airport Deelen I excavate once Kartenrahmen with Schaltpläne (Schematics) of a Bf 110.
On the Kartenrahmen is the Werk-Nr. of the a/c painted.

A college and dear Belgian friend once excavate a crashed Bf 110 (Nightfighter) and found a lot of documents in the a/c like Maps- and even Staffel assignments.


Picture source: “Messerschmitt Bf 110 C, D and E: An Illustrated Study”, by John Vasco and Fernando Estanislau.

Regards,
René

[Chris Goss]

RAF aircraft carried a Travelling Form 700 should they divert and have to be topped up

[Andy Saunders]

Many wrecks have been recovered with surprising document finds; lists of airfields, codes etc. Whatever the rules they were certainly broken. Often!