RAF 65/122 Sqn Mustang MkIV,s 1945

[Zoran Petek]

Take-off of 65 Sqn's Mustangs at Peterhead. Nearest is KH822.
Later in 122 Sqn KH822 was flown by F/Lt C.T. Kingsborough-Cody on 13 May 45 (covering naval forces to Norway), and diverted to Banff.

[andy bird]

Have quite a bit on both as they escorted the Banff and Dallachy Strike Wings interviews, copies of log books along with a few images.

Regards

Andy Bird

[smokie]

Wow! Many Thanks Zoran Petek absolutely Wonderful!
Excellent Image of Mustangs with 108 Gal Paper Drop Tanks!.


Much Appriciated Thankyou! Keith

[smokie]

Hello Andy,


Well I am using Gordons Log Book as a guide and until very recently had no images at all of 122sqn or 65sqn Mustang MkIVa,s so am very light on the image front? I do have a few 122Sqn Mustang MkIII,s Images that If wanted I can send to you in exchange?


Especially looking for any Images of:


65sqn YT-F (Not the one that went in at sweden circa April 1945)



122Sqn MT*M,MT*X,MT*Y,MT*V,MT*Z,MT*T & MT*K
Also any of W/Cdr Peter Wickhams Mustang marked PW


Very many thanks! Keith.

[SteveB]

Keith

I think you sent me a personal message but I seem to have contrived to lose it...not sure how? Can you send the message again.

Zoran

I am sorry to say I think the artwork of MT*M is fiction. It is correct that KH642 was YT*M but there is no evidence that it went to 122 Sqn. KH642/YTM was involved in a forced landing at Peterhead on 16/4/45 and it was five months before it came back from repair.

I have got one Logbook entry that indicates that KH822 was YT*G which does seem to fit the shape we can see.

When squadrons swapped all their aircraft in the way that 65 and 122 Sqns did it is pretty common for all the aircraft to retain the same code letter and the new owners changed or simply modified the squadron codes.

Steve

[smokie]

Many Thanks Steve for the Info, real shame about the artwork for MT*M being incorrect though As they say one step forward two steps back!


Will re-send PM


Best Regards Keith

[Zoran Petek]

"A P-51 Mustang (QV-J, serial number KM193) of No. 19 Squadron, RAF takes off at Peterhead, flown by Squadron Leader Peter Hearne, 20 April 1945."
KM193 QV-J of 19 Sqn was first flown by S/Ldr Hearne in April 45, and also on the one of two last 19 Sqn's missions of the war, escort of Banff Strike Wing to Kattegat on 4 May 45 and landed at 18.15 hrs.
In the meantime No.122 Sqn arrived to Peterhead by train on the afternoon of 2 May 45, and 19 Sqn finally moved from Peterhead to Acklington with 18 Mustangs on 23 May 45.

Mustang squadrons at Peterhead, at one time or another, were Nos. 19, 65, 122, 234, 309, 315 and 611.

Mk IV/IVA Camouflage Schemes, Three patterns:
a) one as prescribed in the Technical Order (known as "TO" scheme"),
b) natural metal aircraft later repainted before delivery to units ("Loop" scheme),
c) scheme applied only by 159 MU in the Med to approx 20 Mustangs ("Firewall" scheme).
Also only in the Med Dark Earth was reported as used instead of Dark Grey on some early Mustang IIIs (249 Sqn, probably also 260 Sqn).

19 Sqn, Mustang IV/IVA:
KH655 Mk.IV QV-P, camo. Shown with both yellow/black and blue/white nose stripes. SOC 12.11.46.
KH658 Mk.IV SOC 22.1.47.
KH661 Mk.IV SOC 18.2.46.
KH664 Mk.IV QV-K Flew into high ground near Berwick 20.6.45.
KH674 Mk.IVA Lost 4.5.45. Collided with KH818 during escort and crashed off Denmark.
KH684 Mk.IV SOC 14.3.46.
KH698 Mk.IVA QV-Q SOC 26.6.47.
KH737
KH739
KH742 QV-A
KH756 QV-B
KH761 QV-T
KH778
KH818 QV-F, nat. metal. Lost 4.5.45.
KH847 QV-U
KH858
KH867 QV-S
KM108
KM118 QV-X, nat. metal, blue/white nose.
KM123
KM137 Lost 5.4.45.
KM152 QV-W
KM155 QV-V
KM178
KM193 QV-J, nat. metal
KM200 QV-P or R
KM225
KM254
KM272 QV-Y, QV-V Dooleybird, nat. metal, blue/white nose.


19 Sqn flew with 65 Sqn on 2 May 45 and despatched three sections:
Green
F/L Schrreff KH742
F/L Weighill KM108
F/L Maynard KH858
P/O Sparkes KH778
Tonic
W/C Wickham (listed as 65 Sqn, probably his personal 'PW')
F/L Doley (no serial in orb)
F/L Davidson KH818
F/S Edwards KH674
White
S/L Hearns KM193
F/O May KH867
F/L Clayton KH847
F/L Yearwood

12oclockforum's user Delmenhorst made the following list of
Coastal Command Strike Wings ops on May 4 1945:

Banff Strike Wing
No. 143 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘Y’ W/Cdr. C N Foxley-Norris & F/O P J Tuhill
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/Sgt. J V Collier & F/Sgt. R R Gardner
Mosquito VI ‘H’ F/Lt. H Graham & F/Sgt. L S Malkin
Mosquito VI ‘V’ F/O G G Symons & F/Sgt. L W Flintham
Mosquito VI ‘R’ S/Ldr. A G Deck & W/O P B McGregor
Mosquito VI ‘F’ F/Lt. E O Walsh & F/Sgt. E G Coker
Mosquito VI ‘N’ F/Lt. M Crocker & F/O R F Simmons
Mosquito VI ‘D’ S/Ldr. D C Pritchard & F/O A G Silcock
Mosquito VI ‘K’ S/Ldr. A G Sincott & F/O R J Webster
Mosquito VI ‘J’ F/Sgt. L R H Wigg & F/Sgt. R H Hawkins
Mosquito VI ‘T’ F/Lt. J Keohane & P/O A Fielding
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Sgt. G W Shewry & F/Sgt. J E Hornby
Mosquito VI ‘Q’ F/Lt. P L C Bradshaw & F/O B E Rose
No. 248 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘F’ W/Cdr. Jackson-Smith, DFC & F/Lt. E Gittens, DFC
Mosquito VI ‘B’ F/O A E J Burrows & F/O H Nicholson
Mosquito VI ‘H’ F/O S C Price & F/Sgt. W O’Brien
Mosquito VI ‘P’ F/Lt. L H Milsom & F/O R Holmes
Mosquito VI ‘N’ F/Lt. R D Luckwell & F/Lt. M L Coulstock
Mosquito VI ‘V’ S/Ldr. H H K Gunnis, DFC & F/O J M McCabe
Mosquito VI ‘S’ F/Lt. J G Cooper & F/Lt. G L P Palombi
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Lt. G N E Yeates, DFC & F/Lt. T C SCott, DFC
Mosquito VI ‘M’ Sgt. R E D Kelly & F/Sgt. J J Gallacher
No. 404 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘X’ W/Cdr. M Pierce & P/O M H Michael
Mosquito VI ‘Q’ F/Lt. J A Hill & F/O L M Williams
Mosquito VI ‘D’ F/Lt. J A Stewart & F/O A A Johnston
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/Lt. J R Hughes, DFC & Bar & F/O W A S Wade
Mosquito VI ‘M’ F/O W R Ramsden & P/O R Rumble
Mosquito VI ‘L’ F/O D A Catrano & F/Lt. E A Ford
Mosquito VI ‘C’ F/O A C Gibbard & F/O N M Burns
No. 235 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘R’ S/Ldr. J R Barry & F/O A Lloyd
Mosquito VI ‘Z’ F/Lt. A J C Proctor & F/Lt. J W D Thomas
Mosquito VI ‘L’ W/O A S Shimmin, DFC & F/O J F Lettington
Mosquito VI ‘W’ F/Lt. D K Thorburn, DFC & W/O L W R Crocker
Mosquito VI ‘B’ F/Lt. J D Taylor, DFC & W/O E H Wilkinson
Mosquito VI ‘J’ F/Lt. G R Mayhew, DFC & F/O S W Farrow
Mosquito VI ‘A’ F/O W Moffatt, DFC & F/Lt. C Hardy
Mosquito VI ‘D’ W/O C A Cogswell & F/Sgt. E C Brown
No. 333 Squadron
Mosquito VI ‘H’ Maj H Wenger & Sgt. H Hansen
Mosquito VI ‘K’
Mosquito VI ‘F’
Mosquito VI ‘R’

Escort Banff Strike Wing
No. 19 Squadron
Mustang KM163 S/Ldr. Hearne (a typo, should be KM193)
Mustang KM698 W/O Wright
Mustang KH818 F/Lt. Davidson
Mustang KH674 P/O Natta
Mustang KM272 F/O Schofield
Mustang KH655 F/Lt. Yearwood
No. 234 Squadron
Mustang KM279 S/Ldr. Steib
Mustang KH863 F/Sgt. Bourne
Mustang KM128 F/Lt. Cooper
Mustang KM125 W/O McCosker
Mustang KM305 P/O Farmiloe
Mustang KM203 F/Sgt. Harrell
Mustang KH696 F/Sgt. Robertson
Mustang KH843 F/Lt. Stein
Mustang KH860 P/O Beller
Mustang KH857 W/O Steedman
Mustang KH707 F/O Hooker
Mustang KM103 F/Sgt. Stewart

North Coates Strike Wing
No. 254 Squadron
Mosquito XVIII ‘W’ F/Lt. A V Gendebien & F/Lt. S E Drinkwater
Beaufighter X ‘H’ F/Lt. G H Webb & P/O I Cay
Beaufighter X ‘J’ W/O C E Wright & W/O R Balfour
Beaufigther X ‘C’ F/Sgt. P C Sharman & F/Sgt. G T Cordon
Beuafighter X ‘F’ F/O B V Ekbery & W/O R M Thomas
Beaufighter X ‘K’ F/Sgt. J McHutchen & F/Sgt. A Caldwell
Beaufighter X ‘Q’ F/Sgt. G Taylor & F/Sgt. A H Brown
Beaufighter X ‘A’ F/Lt. T F Leaver-Power & F/Lt. A Musto
Beaufighter X ‘Z’ W/O W Grant & F/Sgt. W Taylor
Beaufighter X ‘M’ F/O E A Mills & F/O C A Hurst
Beaufighter X ‘T’ W/O J T Madsen & F/Sgt. W C Duncombe
No. 236 Squadron
Beaufighter X ‘W’ S/Ldr. S R Hyland & F/O G F Barnes
Beaufighter X ‘C’ S/Ldr. T H Christie & F/O D R Irvine
Beaufigther X ‘E’ F/Lt. W H Fulton & F/O P E Crisp
Beuafighter X ‘R’ F/O A Thompson & F/Sgt. E S C Small
Beaufighter X ‘D’ F/O A S Ross & W/O K H Dowling
Beaufighter X ‘A’ F/O J H Benson & F/Sgt. K H Lilly
Beaufighter X ‘T’ F/Lt. J Chamberlain & F/Sgt. S W Shakespeare
Beaufighter X ‘F’ W/O F T Cornish & W/O L A W Bell
Beaufighter X ‘U’ W/O H Bennett & W/O P C Bardoe
Beaufighter X ‘E1’ F/Sgt. D Montgomery & W/O J A Reeves
Beaufighter X ‘K’ F/Sgt. J N Fenton & F/Sgt. J Clarkson
Beaufighter X ‘Q1’ W/O C M Sim & F/Sgt. J S Jefferies

Escort North Coates
No. 126 Squadron
Mustang KH578 Major Austeen
Mustang KH551 W/Cdr. Donnet
Mustang KH438 F/Lt. Holmes
Mustang KH502 F/O Rattray
Mustang KH570 F/O King
Mustang KH518 F/O Reid
Mustang KH477 W/O Fincher
Mustang KH563 F/O Kingsbury
Mustang KH523 F/O Armour
Mustang KH564 F/Lt. Thompson
Mustang KH442 F/O Tunnadine
Mustang KH521 F/O Wright
Mustang KH566 F/Lt. Clarke
Mustang KH448 F/Sgt. Day
Mustang KH464 F/O Vullers

Dallacy Strike Wing
No. 254 Squadron
Outriders
Mosquito XVIII ‘D’ F/O Hayton & F/O Vacher
Mosquito XVIII ‘B’ F/O Davis & W/O Buckley
No. 455 Squadron
Beaufighter TFX ‘N’ W/O K J Newell & F/Sgt. M J Walsh
Beaufighter TFX ‘X’ F/Lt. A W Roper & F/Sgt. B Crean
Beaufighter TFX ‘H’ F/Sgt. E A Smith & W/O W A Hirst
Beaufighter TFX ‘P’ F/O W L Ives & W/O D G Frey
Beaufighter TFX ‘C’ F/O J MacDonald & F/Lt. W Bremner
Beaufighter TFX ‘Z’ F/O D R Cristofani & F/Sgt. W F A Waldock
Beaufighter TFX ‘Y’ F/O R H Penhall & F/O H E Blakers
Beaufighter TFX ‘B’ F/O C S Howard & F/O F H Balfour- Ogilvy
Beaufighter TFX ‘L’ P/O J A McLean & P/O W A McHugh
Beaufighter TFX ‘G’ F/Lt. J S Addison & F/O C Mason
Beaufighter TFX ‘F’ F/O W G Herbert & P/O J W Tucker
Beaufighter TFX ‘W’ S/Ldr. Pilcher, DFC & F/Lt. M F C Jackson
Beaufighter TFX ‘R’ F/Lt. C G Thompson, DFC & W/O I M Gordon, DFC
No. 489 Squadron
Beaufighter TFX ‘D’ S/Ldr K Sawyer & W/O L Reeves
Beaufighter TFX ‘G1’ F/O K Bond & F/Sgt. R Clarke
Beaufighter TFX ‘B1’ W/O C Hamilton & F/Sgt. R Aldridge
Beaufighter TFX ‘T’ F/O J Leech & F/Sgt. W Taborn
Beaufighter TFX ‘L1’ F/O P Southernwood & F/Sgt. S Gray
Beaufighter TFX ‘H1’ S/Ldr J Brice & F/O R Henson
Beaufighter TFX ‘C1’ W/O R Priest & W/O D Ball
Beaufighter TFX ‘F1’ F/O J Jolley & F/O T Morgan
Beaufighter TFX ‘X’ F/O K Marsh & F/O J Ward
Beaufighter TFX ‘O1’ P/O F Hall & W/O J Gordon
Beaufighter TFX ‘U’ F/Lt R Pulham & F/O K Lang
No. 144 Squadron
Beaufighter X ‘D’ W/Cdr. Gadd DFC & Bar & F/O Marrow DFC
Beaufighter X ‘T’ F/O Page & F/Sgt. Jones
Beaufighter X ‘B’ W/O Murphy & F/Sgt. Winter
Beaufighter X ‘M’ F/Lt. Daffurn & F/O Hill
Beaufighter X ‘K’ W/O Gribbin & F/Sgt. Atkinson
Beaufighter X ‘A’ W/O Meldrum & W/O Harvie
Beaufighter X ‘S’ W/Cdr. Whitworth AFC & F/O Carter
Beaufighter X ‘Z’ F/Lt. Wood & F/Sgt. Straut
Beaufighter X ‘A1’ F/O Hamar & W/O Purnell (263 Sqdn.)
Beaufighter X ‘W’ F/Sgt. Robertshaw & F/Sgt. Hudson

Escort
No. 19 Squadron
Mustang IV KM152 F/Lt. Doley
Mustang IV F/Lt. Seed
Mustang IV KH742 F/Lt. Shirreff
Mustang IV KM118 F/O May
Mustang IV KH778 F/O Maynard
Mustang IV KH664 P/O Avery
Mustang IV KH847 F/Lt. Clayton
No. 65 Squadron
Mustang IV KH788 S/Ldr. Foster
Mustang IV KH708 F/O Taylor
Mustang IV KH678 F/Sgt. Colthart
Mustang IV KH829 F/O Black
Mustang IV KH758 F/Lt. Bedford
Mustang IV KH777 W/O Stone
Mustang IV KH658 F/Sgt. Lown
Mustang IV KM223 F/Lt. Sims
Mustang IV KH715 F/O Richardson
Mustang IV KH644 F/Lt. Minto
Mustang IV KH646 F/O Roamin
Mustang IV KH822 F/Sgt. Larkins





Two models of QM-M.



QM-M is in the background of Hasegawa's QM-F.

[smokie]

Many Thanks Zoran Petek, You are a Star!
Some more images for the archive of Mustang MkIV,s at RAF Peterhead, this time of 19 sqn.

[Alex Smart]

Excellent work, thank you all for the efforts , it was worth it.
Thank you

[Zoran Petek]

Codes added to 126 Sqn on May 4 1945

Escort North Coates Wing - No. 236 (MB) & No. 254 Sqn (QM).
No. 126 Squadron
Mustang III KH578 5J-B Major Austeen, shot down by submarine U-155 off Flensberger Fjord 54° 55' N, 10° 7' E.
Mustang III KH551 5J-R W/Cdr. Donnet
Mustang III KH438 5J-Z F/Lt. Holmes
Mustang III KH502 5J-V F/O Rattray
Mustang III KH570 5J-X F/O King, damaged and landed in Lüneburg.
Mustang III KH518 5J-P F/O Reid
Mustang III KH477 5J-S W/O Fincher
Mustang III KH563 5J-D F/O Kingsbury
Mustang III KH523 5J-C F/O Armour
Mustang III KH564 5J-H F/Lt. Thompson
Mustang III KH442 5J-A F/O Tunnadine
Mustang III KH521 5J-I F/O Wright
Mustang III KH536 5J-G F/Lt. Clarke (not KH566, flown also on that day on similar mission, but by S/L Green, 64 Sqn. 64 Sqn also witnessed the loss of Austeen's KH578 5J-B)
Mustang III KH448 5J-O F/Sgt. Day
Mustang III KH464 5J-E F/O Vullers

W/Cdr. Donnet flew Mustang III KH551 5J-R, although he had two personally marked Mustangs - Mk.III KH500/MLD (ex HBW, when flown by Bird-Wilson), and from April new uncamouflaged Mk.IVA KM121/MLD.

Lust but not least - 4 Mk IIIs were in 65 Sqn in May 45: FX936, FZ126, SR408, SR439.

Zoran