Looking for information on 805 FAA Squadron's Wildcats.

[rpeck350]

They were used in the Western Desert around Egypt.
The Wildcat that was used are the Martlet Mk. III which I have the follow serial and code letters for:
AX734 code L
AX733 code K
3676 code H
AX736 code X
Also have a book with a photo of AX 736/X behind it is ????/O.
Anyone have any information on Wildcat "O"?
Any other serial/code matches for this squadron?
Were they Midstone top Azur Blue on the bottom?
Any pilots shot down any German aircraft?
Photo's?
For some reason this interests me in a modeling point of veiw but also the
rare history side.
Thank you for your time.
Rick

[Graham Boak]

The history of these aircraft is confused, but by combining the histories in Sturtivant's A/c of the FAA in WW2 I have the following:

3875 - K - possibly AX733
3876 - H - possibly AX746
3895 - shot down S.79 28/12/41, then shot down by another S/L R. Griffin killed.
AX728 -A
AX730 - L
AX733 - K
AX734 - P
AX735 - X
AX736 - P,X
AX739 - G
AX740 - J
AX744 - D
AX746 - H

A/c C shot down a G-50 28/9/41
3 a/c shared kill of Ju88 28/2/42
2 a/c shared 2xS.79 25/7/42

There are a number of other claims of damaged enemy aircraft to unspecified 805 Martlets.

[rpeck350]

Thank you .
The photo of AX734 code L in one of my books is fuzzy so AX730 - L might be it.
Interesting list.

[Graham Boak]

There is also AX761 - 805/Z, but this is described as a Martlet Mk.I. This seems unlikely.
Also AX754 - 805/S ditto.
AX753 is listed as a Mk.I with no stated history until later with with 795 Sq (as with the rest of ex-805 Sq) as a Mk.III.

The obvious conclusion is that those with US Bu Nos and those in the AX725-754 range are the same aircraft but they are credited with different Grumman construction numbers.

I believe the US enthusiast Bruce Archer may have come up with a solution to this particular riddle, but I don't have it to hand.

[twocee]

BuNos 3875-3904 were US Navy production F4F-3As diverted to Greece, but taken over by the RN in March/April 1941, whereas AX725 et seq.were ordered directly from Grumman by the French Purchasing Commission and did not receive Navy Bureau serials. They were received by the RN six months earlier than the ex-Greek F4Fs.

3872 was a temporary loan to 892 sqdn. at Norfolk for two months in 1942.

[Graham Boak]

This is the story as understood by Sturtivant: it does not seem to reflect the real situation in the Middle East.

I have found Bruce's notes, and are available here;
http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/wildcatfaaba_1.htm
They include a correlation between the Bu Nos and the British serials, for the majority of the aircraft.

3872 was indeed one of 16 such aircraft on temporary loan: this was a typing error for 3875 which I will now correct.

[rpeck350]

I guess I didn't reply ,thought I did.
Anyway thank you for the reply's .
Rick

[rpeck350]

Some one posted this link on Britmodeler of some excellant photo's .
My finger got tired by right click save.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billchi...178790/?page=3
Enjoy I did.
Rick

[Skyraider3D]

I'm interested in the encounter on 28 February 1942, where two Martlets of 805 Sqn shot down Ju 88 A-4 WNr 8613 L1+NL of 3./LG 1, killing all four crew aboard.


"A History of the Mediterranean Air War" (vol.2) states little more than the bare facts. What were the conditions of this air battle?






PS. Rick, many thanks for that fantastic link! You can now download entire Flickr albums with the download link at the top of the album (as long as you're logged in). Saves a lot of clicking

[rpeck350]

Wow, doesn't seem this long ago I started this thread.
Sorry I can't help with the conditions of this air battle.
Thank the gentleman who posted the photo's. Still a very good rare album .