delcampe photo

[joel husson]

hello,
hello, seen on the website "delcampe"
http://www.delcampe.fr/fr/collection...400281073.html
@+
Joel

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Code possible "LZ"
and serial number ending with Possible "345" or "645" or "845" ?
Alex

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Photo "possibly" depicts, No.242 Sqn Hurricane I P3485:LE-Y.

Col.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Col,
Aircraft letter is either "F"; "I"; "T" or "Y".
Serial numbers are -
1st number - either "3"; "6" or "8".
2nd number is "4".
3rd number is either "3"; "6" or "8".
4th number is "5".
Could be P2465 ?
Alex

[PMoz99]

Alex, I don't agree.
On my big screen, photo saved and magnified, the first number definitely appears curved. Also, the third number has the circle closed, so it is a 6 or an 8. The top left of the number appears to turn in, so it looks more like an 8 to me. The circle is also smaller than the 5, suggesting an 8 but not necessarily as I have seen pics where the circle of the 6 is also small.
The unusual roundel matches a profile I have of a 242Sq Hurricane; their squadron code LE, so that fits. The "L" is spaced from the next letter, so I am confident it is an L.
Unfortunately the black square hides the critical part of the second letter. The horizontal part looks thicker than the (presumed) L .... I am happy to accept it is an E.
I'd say the serial is either P3485 or possibly P3465, probably produced late March 1940 (best guess using production rate of 4 per day and assuming production was in serial number order)
A quick Google search reveals P3465 was lost on 15 Aug 1940 on a mission flown by Pilot J Cowley of 87 Sq. No info found on P3485.
Do we know the date the photo was taken?

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Hurricane I P3485 - 242 Sqn/Speke/Northolt/87 Sqn - Missing on ground-attack mission outside Dieppe 19.8.1942 (See: RAF A/C P1000 to R9999 /Halley/A-B,1996/30 - (not Z3485 as in ,"The Greatest Air Battle"/Franks/1992/134 & 230 - no Hurricane ever carried this serial!) - KIA 1029351 Sgt (Pilot) Ronald GIBSON RAFVR .

Col.

[Alex Smart]

Hello PMoz99,
I did not give any suggestion as to Squadron code, my suggestion was only for the "aircraft in squadron" letter .
You don't agree with my suggestion as to the numbers yet you go on to suggest yourself that indeed it could be a "6" or an "8" ?
I put forward that it may be P2465, which was at one time a 32 Sqdn a/c. Not P3465.

[PMoz99]

Sorry Alex, I did not mean to offend or imply you put forward more than you intended. I should have been clearer in my post. I will try to take more care in future.
What I was trying to bypass was that in your post you said the first number was a 3 or 6 or 8, but then speculated the serial could be P2xxx
I was simply stating that I did not agree it was P2465. My other observations were incidental.
My apologies.
Cheers!

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
No problem,
I am of the opinion that Col is right with "LE-Y".
Edited as had put LZ instead of LE earlier.
All the best
Alex

[Graham Boak]

The photograph can be dated to later than August 1940 by the dark (Night) underside of the port wing and the necessary light ring around the roundel. This rules out P3465, and the curved appearance of the first character rules out P2465. This seems to leave P3485.

August 1942 would be a very late date for a Mk.I to be flying combat missions over Western Europe. Or, indeed, anywhere other than Sea Hurricane Mk.Is on Operation Pedestal. Was it converted to a Mk.II?