Mustang Ia of F/O Alan Ronan Brodrick (2 Squadron)

[Stein Meum]

Hello James,

Yes, please! I've got many serials from the Sqn ORB, and a check on your father's flights recorded in the ORB will reveal the serial numbers. Possibly, I might get a few serial/codeletter tie-ups for T-J.

E-mail: steimeum (at) online (dot) no

TIA
Stein

[JamesBrodrick]

Hi Paul,

I don't quite know what I'm looking for, but I have scanned the log book pages and I can email them to you if you want.

- James

[Phil L.]

Hello there,

I 've come across this interesting thread, doing myself some researches on the 168 Sqn and with some answers still to find out.

On 31.10.43, a Norwegian, Jan G. von TANGEN was KIA over France during a recce sortie. It was his first sortie and was flying FD554. Does anyone know his Norwegian service number starting with 'N'.

Furthermore, I am also facing to a lack of individual letters for the Mustangs flown between 1942 and 1944 and would be interesting in getting some.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance provided.

Phil

Hi I am new to the group and found that you were looking for info on FD554.
Although in the early stages I have been asked by a local mayor here in Brittany to find out the story of FD554. We are making a memorial here to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the crash and are putting together a profile of the pilot, the circumstances and his background. We have traced relatives in Norway and will be keeping them advised of the outcome.
Research on the net suggests it was lost 6 miles SW of Dol on a photo reconaisance flight.
I can confirm that the crash site is over 20 miles west of the suggested area. Furthermore local knowledge suggests that the pilot jettisoned 3 bombs before crashing. This suggests that he was armed up. I do not know if this was usual for reconaisance.
It is early days yet and I hope to be visiting the exact site within the next month. Whether anything remains of the aircraft remains to be seen. It may have come down in one piece and of course would have been salvaged by the Luftwaffe.
Hopefully we can piece together a comprehensive detail for our local history here and any assistance or information would be gratefully appreciated.
Kindest regards
Dave

[Col Ford]

Dave,

FD554 was a Mustang Mk.IA configured for use as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Its armament was 4 x 20mm Hispano cannon and its single F.24 reconnaissance camera - its most powerful weapon was the reconnaissance photographs and information it could bring back for analysis. The aircraft could not carry bombs, therefore any witness reports associated with the crash site you are investigating which indicates bombs may mean a different aircraft, not FD554. If you can find any parts from the crashed aircraft, that might help confirm the type and if it is in fact FD554.

Regards,