Hurricane & Battle photos, France 1940.

[paulmcmillan]

Playing with contrast and shadows with the Huricane I only see P2976

[paulmcmillan]

How about P2967 on 20.8.40 in North Sea, and P2769 (SOC 30.9.40 'with 79 Sqn') for loss 27.9.40 - both with 242 Sqn

[paulmcmillan]

No bites on this....

P2976 lost in France while with 73 Sqn

How about P2967 on 20.8.40 in North Sea (lost off Winterton while on Patrol Mid P J Patterson FAA killed (missing) with 242 Sqn), and P2769 (SOC 30.9.40 'with 79 Sqn') for the loss 27.9.40 "F/O M G Homer DFC killed, shot down by Bf109's over Sittinbourne Kent"

What could also be confusing is that P2796 was with 73 Sqn! this was lost 11th September Sgt HG Webster safe. Aircraft crashed over Sheppey and exacavated in 1976

Paul

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Paul,

P2976. I agree with your conclusion for this Hurricane fate.

P2967. Also agree with that, see my original post.

P2769. I think you have got it ! This looks right to me too as the 242 Squadron Hurricane lost on 27 September 1940.
I have seen no evidence that this machine ever flew with 79 Squadron. The reference to 79 Squadron must be incorrect, perhaps a simple administrative error at the height of the Battle of Britain ? This serial number is not mentioned in 12 Days in May, relatively few 242 Squadron aircraft were. It seems a good bet now that it survived the French campaign and continued in service with 242 Squadron until September 27th. I don't know how well-kept the 242 Squadron ORB was in 1940. However there are many experts on the Battle of Britain who may have other ideas ?

Regards,

Martin.

[Martin Gleeson]

Hands up ! I got it wrong.

A clearer image has most certainly appeared in Ed West's latest offering of E-Bay photo links. See 'Photos + 10-19' on the sister Luftwaffe forum and the follow-up comments by Mark Sheppard.

It is P2676 , not P2976 as I thought. What a fabulous photo too. Now we have a new riddle to sort out !

Regards,

Martin.

[paulmcmillan]

Now if only they had taken a clearer photo of GB-O on the next railway track as well! - Prehaps we could have ID's that as well!

[markjsheppard]

Martin

Unfortunately my Mac is off to be looked at and I am not in work until next week.

When I spent 5 years researching Hurricane P3351 in New Zealand I managed to ID a number of Hurricanes just to establish that P3351 was coded K.

In your email.

I am inclined to believe this Hurricane, P2976, belonged to 73 Squadron. It is worth noting in Don Minterne's extensive listing of 73 Squadron Hurricanes from 1938 to October 1940 that he does not seem to have a TP-C or C before July 1940. This raises the serious possibility in my mind that the C in this photo could be a 73 Squadron aircraft, along with the probability that it was found in the Reims area. July 1940. This raises the serious possibility in my mind that the C in this photo could be a 73 Squadron aircraft, along with the probability that it was found in the I am inclined to believe this Hurricane, P2976, belonged to 73 Squadron. It is worth noting in Don Minterne's extensive listing of 73 Squadron Hurricanes from 1938 to October 1940 that he does not seem to have a TP-C or C before Reims area.

Hurricane P3034 flew in June/July 1940 with 73 Sqn and was coded C. It was damaged at the end of July at Prestwick. P2953 was coded L. I have 18 Hurricanes and serials with 73 Sqn and that flew back to Tangmere on the 18th June. I willlook next week. Also P2975 did also belong to 73 Sqn.

regards

Mark

[hanshauprich]

In another German Forum I saw the photo from an Hurricane coded GZ.X
from the Serial No. only ...533 is seen as an Luftwaffen officer standing at front. The plane looks very intact!!! Any infos about it? Thanks.

[Peter Cornwell]

Well at least there is no longer any doubt as to the correct serial of that intriguing Hurricane. As for my source for recording P2676 as that abandoned by P/O Gower of No.229 Squadron on May 18, 1940, I can only refer readers to my introductory comments on p7 of The Battle of France Then & Now.

[Larry]

Just a thought - for any given batch of Hurricanes say for example in the P2535 to P3984 range that you are interested in - are there any records of when aircraft were completed by the factory - without looking at the individual RAF record card for the serial?

It would help a lot if you could say for certain when approximately aircraft were ready instead of working with a wide range such as Nov 1939 - to July 1940 for the above. Did the Hurricance get produced at a steady rate. If this was at a rate of 100 plus per month for this batch you can assume P29 may have been ready towards March 1940 and perhaps not sent to France as 1) RAF Losses in March 1940 were small and 2) by the time the s*** hit the fan in May 1940 it was too late to send many replacements.

Also regarding Hurricances with serials P29... etc I do not see many used in France so I do believe that 79 Sqn had Hurricances built well before March - May - no doubt with a much lower number serial - say P2576. And don't forget it's easy to make a 5 into 9 in photos.

Just a theory! Don't be too hard on me!