3 Squadron Tempests 1944

[Chris Thomas]

Originally Posted by Tom Semenza

According to Chris Shores "Aces High, Vol. 2," JN817 was used by Beamont to down a V-1 on 19 June 44 and was coded "T" at the time. This Tempest was also used to down V-1s in June & July by Umbers, Moore, Rose and Slade-Betts, however no code is given when flown by these pilots. Therefore it is possible that JN817 was coded JF-T innitially and then recoded JF-H.

Also, Chris, in your posting you attribute the code "Y" to JN807. However in your excellent Osprey book on Typhoon and Tempest aces, there is a photo on page 54 showing P/O Whitman exiting JF-X which is stated to be JN807.

Regards,
Tom

Sometimes I wonder whether anyone else is bothered with what I write about codes/serials but then I get a response like this. Someone is interested .... and cross-checking! Excellent.

First JN817. Yes, at first sight JF-T recoded as JF-H looks possible. However I think it unlikely as I tried tying up codes from Beamont's log with ORB serials a long time ago and found the results unconvincing. In common with several other Wing Leader's logs I have researched I have come to the conclusion that Wingcos were not too fussy about such mundane detail .... Also I have checked 'Lefty' Whitman's log against the ORB and he frequently flew JF-T. It is quite clear from multiple log/ORB correlations that JF-T was JN745 (on 3 Sqn from 30 March 44) from 19 June 44 when he first flew it on an operation, until written off in a landing accident on 18 July 44. Its replacement 'T' was EJ582 which had arrived with 3 Sqn the previous day.

Whitman's log was also the basis of identifying JN807 as JF-X. He flew 'X' on three ops with serials from the ORB as follows. 12 June JN755, 18 June JN735, and 19 July JN807. However there was a further entry on 28 June which appeared in his log as 'Y' but the long stroke of the letter sloped the opposite way to the form he usually wrote - I took it to be a badly written 'X' - and therefore 'X' had possibly been JN735 or 755 and had been replaced by JN807. I guess my Osprey caption would have been more accurate as "JF-X believed to have been JN807" !! Especially since when preparing '2ndTAF Vol.1' (see p.115) a photo of JN807 apparently taken between 1 June 44 (when it arrived with 3 Sqn) and June 5 (when it would have been striped) came to light, clearly showing the codes 'JF-Y'.

It is possible JN807 started as 'Y' and was recoded 'X' and indeed the original photo of Whitman leaving the cockpit reveals what could be alteration the to paintwork behind the letter (hard edge to the camouflage as opposed to soft elsewhere). What we need now is a glimpse of Flt Sgt Bailey's log ('Y' was his aircraft) but I do not have access - but I think I know a man who does. More later maybe. Bet you can't wait.

Chris Thomas