Convoy PQ-17 aircraft

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but where else ?

Convoy PQ-17 had several ships in it that were lost.
Some of them had aircraft in their cargo.
They were -

Earlston - 33 aircraft
Earl Byron - 15 aircraft
Paulus Potter - 15 aircraft
Hartlebury - 7 aircraft
River afton - 7 aircraft

Total 77 aircraft.

If as I suppose these aircraft were loaded in the UK then where would one find out if they were Bomber or fighter type aircraft ? records must have been made of the cargo each ship had.

Again if there are such lists then would it be possible to trace the actual aircraft by ship and serial number ?

Any info welcome.

Alex

[edwest]

Hello Alex,


I hope you find this helpful:


http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...p-39/index.htm



Ed

[Alex Smart]

Hello Ed,

Yes thanks, had not looked in on it.

So they assume about 20 to 25 Airacobras.

the rest could have included Hurricanes and/or Spitfires.

What of training aircraft, were any sent ?

Thanks again

Alex

[edwest]

From elsewhere on that previously mentioned site:


http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...anes/index.htm



Ed

[Alex Smart]

Hi Ed,

Thanks again,

200 aircraft a month up to July 1942, well I wonder where they all came from and just how many got through ?

I found on other sites, that for PQ-17, 297 aircraft were loaded and some 210 aircraft were lost. Leaves only 87 aircraft possibly reached Russia from the convoy.
Another site , I think "HMS Pozarica" notes that there were 210 Bombers lost.

So maybe the whole aircraft cargo's were just Bombers perhaps all from the USA some direct and some via the UK.When did the US start to send Bombers to the USSR ?

All for now

Alex

[edwest]

I think this book should answer it:


http://www.apali.fi/uk/rs4_uk.html



Ed

[Alex Smart]

hello Ed,

Thanks for the link re the Geust Book, I have it and it is a help but leaves much unanswered re the convoys and cargos.

Alex