I’d of Middle East HawkerHart/Audax

[BigWeeker]

Hello Forumites.
During 1942 162 Squadron, operating Wellingtons and Blenheims in the ME, had a Hart/Audax aircraft for communication purposes. In the ORB, that aircraft was described as a Hart, (or, it might have been the sub-variant, an Audax) with the serial number “106”. Does anybody have information as to the correct identity of that aircraft?
Many thanks
Andy BW

[Leendert]

Assuming that "106" forms the last part of the serial, then a Hart within the K2083-K2132 or an Audax within the K3055-K3145 range.

I'd go for the Audax, as more of these types still served in Egypt/ME in 1942.

Perhaps a forum member in the possession of the Air Britain books can check.

Regards,
Leendert

[Stig Jarlevik]

Checked the AB K-book but none of the indicated aircraft K2106 and/or K3106 fit.

Since the unit was stationed in Egypt (Shallufa/Bilbeis) in 1942 I thought it might have been a REAF serial number, but nothing I have fits either.
Having said that, large number of "Hart type" aircraft were delivered but reportedly kept their former RAF s/ns.

Seems I am back on square one again....

Cheers
Stig

[paulmcmillan]

I am sure this is an ex 4 FTS Aircraft - I seem to recall training schools had numbers painted on side of their aircraft

[BigWeeker]

Thank you everyone for your input. Interesting about the 4 FTS idea… As an aside, the squadron also had an ex Yugoslavian SM79K - AX702 during 1942…

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Might I suggest the the Hawker Hart involved could be K3028?

Hawker Hart I K3028 was delivered to the Southern Rhodesia Air Force on 24 May, 1940. It was initially serialled as SR6, later "106" (carried on the rear fuselage and rudder). You will find a photo of a similarly marked SRAF Hart ("104"), in Beryl Salt's, A Pride of Eagles, Covos Day Books, 2001, between pp.52-3.

Information on the SRAF Harts, can be viewed here:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=258449 - download.

Col.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Col

That is a very interesting thought!
Far too little is known about the fate of the six SR Harts. Two is reported as ending up in Kenya, but as far as I know, nothing is known about SR 6/106.

David Newnham has it as canx in 1939, which seems fuzzy enough for it to have ended up anywhere....even in Egypt....

Good thinking
Cheers
Stig

[BigWeeker]

Thanks everybody for all these comments. Regarding the SR aircraft, would it be likely/feasible for them to come back to RAF “ownership”? Wouldn’t the moves be indicated in the K File entries??
Andy

[Stig Jarlevik]

Indeed, the SRAU/SRAS Harts legal status would be interesting to know.

In the case of K3028 the official transfer date was 25 May 1940 and it was not SOC until 1 Dec 1943.
It could well be these aircraft ended up in a grey-zone, I don't know, but the SOC date is interesting, since it may imply that the date is Rhodesian and not RAF.

But the K-file gives no indication of what happened to this aircraft between the transfer date and its SOC date.

Cheers
Stig

PS: can you please give more exact dates when 162 used their '106'?

[BigWeeker]

Stig
Just going through the ORB and collating that info…..
Andy