P/O D.W.Crowley-Milling's Hawker Hurricane

[macmullin]

Can any one one help me with the the A/C letter and serial no of P/O D.W.Crowley-Milling's of 242 Squadron Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of Britain - August 30 1940? I am also looking for any information about P/O W.L.McKnight's ride also at the time. I have been lead to believe there is no absolute proof he few (LE-A P2961) during this time – is this true?

[Peter Cornwell]

I believe that 'LORAG Red 2' McKNIGHT flew P2961 LE*A and 'LORAG Red 3' CROWLEY-MILLING P3207 (code letter unknown) on 30 August 1940. A further note suggests that P3207 may have been LE*L but this does not make much sense to me being an 'A' Flight machine.

[macmullin]

Thank you very much Peter for the information - Its a great start in the right direction :-) The question I have to ask now is - when did Willie Mcknight have the squadron artist paint the skeleton and sickle on the fuselage?

[Peter Cornwell]

The identity of P3207 is confirmed as LE*L. It replaced the previous LE*L P3088 that was Category 2 damaged on 11 July 1940 when flown by 'Slim' GRASSICK. By far the best source of information on No.242 Squadron is the excellent history 242 Squadron The Canadian Years by Hugh Halliday (1981 Canada's Wings Inc.) which I recommend most highly. I do not know exactly when McKNIGHT adopted his distinctive personal marking but it was probably sometime during November - December 1940.

[macmullin]

Thank you again Peter for your valuable time and experience - this is a big help. I will look out for a copy of Hugh Halliday's - The Canadian Years.

[HAHalliday]

It is conceivable that McKnight painted the distinctive markings himself - he was a medical student before going to Britain to join the RAF.

[Buz]

Just a small note, an aircraft coded L would be correct for an A flight aircraft, if the Sqdn was made up of only A and B flights.