RAF and RAAF ORBs available on the Web (new version)

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by MagicNJ

I am trying to find sources for any squadrons that have been at Manston, including full ORB for 609 Sqn, 3 and 137 but anything covering its history and finding as many photos as possible.

I guess the question is, if the ORB's aren't linked on here, is the only likelyhood to either consider going to Hendon or Kew?

Thanks

From the National Archives website, you can download RAF Squadron ORB's (AIR27 file series) and pilots' combat reports (AIR50 series) but (a) it's hard to work out which are the bits you actually want and (b) you have to pay for them and the cost can quickly mount up. At Kew you can view these items onscreen and print only the pages you need and it's a bit cheaper per page (25p last time I used the system), so if you want a really large number of items a trip to Kew might work out cheaper overall.

[wwrsimon]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

From the National Archives website, you can download RAF Squadron ORB's (AIR27 file series) and pilots' combat reports (AIR50 series) but (a) it's hard to work out which are the bits you actually want and (b) you have to pay for them and the cost can quickly mount up. At Kew you can view these items onscreen and print only the pages you need and it's a bit cheaper per page (25p last time I used the system), so if you want a really large number of items a trip to Kew might work out cheaper overall.

Or if you go to Kew, take a digital camera/smartphone and take photos of the screens. Works out a bit cheaper.

Simon

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by wwrsimon

Or if you go to Kew, take a digital camera/smartphone and take photos of the screens. Works out a bit cheaper.

Simon

Depends what sort of quality you want, especially if the legibility of the originals isn't great (you get the impression that new typewriter ribbons were in short supply sometimes).

[dp_burke]

There is a new digital preview option available for RAF ORB's in AIR27 in the UK National Archives Discovery Database

(AIR27 is operational Squadrons, not OTU's, not training units, not Groups, Wings stations etc, just Squadrons)

I put together a little guide from my experience of using them.

http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/TNA_...guidelines.pdf

They have a text water mark still but I've provided a few examples of what you might find.