Missing Southern Rhodesia Air Force serials SR14-SR21?

[AndyMa]

Surely the reported Tiger Moth SR17, SR18, SR19 were actually Syrian aircraft?
To quote from Tiger Moth guru Malcolm Fillmore's records:

3854 (Gipsy Major #80788) Toc as N6541 at 5 MU Kemble 10.2.39. To 56 ERFTS Kenley 29.8.39. To 14 EFTS Elmdon 15.10.39. To 8 MU Little Rissington 28.1.46. To 3 FTS Feltwell 1.7.47; coded "FBQ-C". To 9 MU Cosford 24.2.49. Sold 6.5.49 to JG Price. Overhauled at Tollerton; CofA 10721 issued 3.11.49 to Ministry of Defence, Syria as SR.17.

85165 Toc as T6956 at 39 MU Colerne 15.11.41. To 6 Flying Instructors School, Filton 22.2.42; to Worcester 4.42. To 2 EFTS Worcester 25.7.42; to Yatesbury 7.45. To 1 FTS Spitalgate 25.9.47. To 3 FTS Feltwell 26.2.48; coded "FBQ-Z". To 9 MU Cosford 16.2.49. Sold 6.5.49 to JG Price. Under conversion Tollerton (10.49). CofA 10722 issued 3.11.49 to Ministry of Defence, Syria as SR.18.

84348 Toc as T7995 nominally at 15 MU Wroughton 3.3.41; stored ‘purgatory’ at Kidlington; returned to Morris for erection [undated]. To 3 EFTS Watchfield 7.8.41; to Shellingford 12.41. To 3 FTS Feltwell 22.3.48; coded “FBV-A”. To 9 MU Cosford 14.2.49. Sold 6.5.49 to JG Price. Overhauled at Tollerton & CofA 10723 issued 3.11.49 to Ministry of Defence, Syria as SR.19.

[paulmcmillan]

Andy good catch! Misplaced ID only took 3 years to sort out in this site but probably been around 40 odd years

[Stig Jarlevik]

Indeed Andy is of course quite correct

There is nothing in the past that actually indicates that any of the serial numbers SR 15 to SR 20 were ever taken up.

We don't even know if the Gauntlets were intended to become anything in the "old SR range". That is pure speculation.

The new ranges from 100 and up are badly researched, no doubt because there is very little to actually research in the first place.
Beside Beryl Salt, Dave Newnham has spent years to try and track down both the civil and military side of things in the former South Rhodesia, but more or less came up empty handed with these ranges.

Cheers
Stig

[paulmcmillan]

So now we looking for 6 aircraft SR15 to SR20 does it make it easier ?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Paul

I doubt there were any SR 15 to SR 20 what so ever.
There is a very tiny time gap for them to have been issued in the first place and there is nothing so far in the remaining documents to imply they were ever used.

I am not a betting man, but I bet you a pint of beer (if won, served fresh and cool in my living room, trip not included... ) if any such serial numbers will be found!

Cheers Mate (lousy bet, I know.... )
Stig

[paulmcmillan]

Stig yes I agree with you a “black out block”

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
From my earlier post

World Air Forces* - Historical ListingsZimbabwea/Rhodesia (ZIM)

These I think are the aircraft that would be possibilities for the missing numbers

Percival Vega Gull..........39/44..........1
DH 60G Moth Major .......39/..............2
DH 82 Tiger Moth............38/54........12
DH 84 Dragon..................39/44..........1
DH Leopard Moth............39/..............4
DH Hornet Moth.............39/44..........3
DH Rapide........................39/42..........6
PT26 Cornell....................43/..............1
Gloster Gauntlet..............39/41..........3
Hawker Audax I...............38/41..........6
Hawker Auax ..................40/..............4
Hawker Hart....................37/40..........6

Have all these been accounted for in the search ?
Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

As I mentioned, the time gap for SR 15 to SR 20 is very, very narrow.
Like everyone else the SRAS impressed aircraft soon after the war broke out

At that point SRAS also adopted a new serial number system in various ranges, ie the SR + digit system was abandoned until resurrected postwar.

Taking the Vega Gull as a good example it was the former VP-YBV (c/n K.60) impressed in 1940 with s/n 270 and returned to its rightful owner in appx 1942, since as soon as S Rhodesia joined the Commonwealth Training Plan they were totally swamped with aircraft and the need for impressed ones diminished rapidly.

Time does not permit me to go through your list, and of course you are free to think there are six, so far unknown, aircraft which actually took up these six serial numbers.
I on the other hand is very positive nothing of that sort happened.

Cheers
Stig

[paulmcmillan]

A series of files on the Rhodesian Air Force has just appeared on Air Britain Digital Archive kindly provided by Dave Newnham

Anson

PH826 Avro Anson 12 Nil Sep-45 Transfered 19-Apr-47 SR Staff Corps SR21/PM's personal aircraft

Tiger Moth

DX658 De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth T.2 746 09-May-44 RATG, CFS (SR) Norton Transfered 23-Oct-47 SRAF SR26 Oct-45 For sale
T6634 De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth T.2 84948 08-Oct-46 RATG, 4 FTS Heany Transfered 23-Oct-47 SRAF SR27
T6586 De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth T.2 84915 26-Jun-47 Transfered 08-Sep-48 SRAF SR32
DX586 De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth T.2 672 08-Oct-46 Transfered 1948 SRAF SR40
DX609 De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth T.2 711 1949 RATG, 4 FTS Heany Transfered 29-Feb-52 SRAF SR94?