FAA Hellcat Losses

[fortnut]

Hi all, I am trying to fill in some holes that I have in my research on the Hellcat in FAA service. I am looking for the serials or other info of the following aircraft that went missing with the 1839Sq.

Sub Lt John K.T. Haberfield (RNZNVR), 1839Sq, (HMS Indomitable), FTR & captured 31-Jul-45, Executed at Changi Beach 18/20 Aug 45. Listed on RNZN Memorial, Devonport, Auckland, panel 8.

Sub Lt Donald M. Mackenzie (RNVR), 1839Sq, (HMS Indomitable), Missing 17-Oct-44, Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-5, panel-6.

Sub Lt John A. Starkey (RNVR), 1839Sq, (HMS/RNAS Bambara), Killed in air crash 08-May-44, (possibly in Hellcat FN401. Buried at Madras war cemetery, Chennai, India in grave 1-A-2.

Thanks for your time.

T. Bass

[Frank Olynyk]

Ray Sturtivant's Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945 has nothing on the first two beyond what you list. He confirms FN401 as the Hellcat in which Starkey was killed.

Frank.

[fortnut]

Thanks Frank,

Do you have a copy of Ray Sturtivant's Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945? If so can you look up some other aircraft for me?

Thanks again for the info.

Tom B.

[Frank Olynyk]

Post the list here and I will look them up when I get some time, which may not be until next week. My PM box is full and I don't have time to clean it up.

Frank.

[fortnut]

Ok Frank you asked for it & here it is (lol):

Lt Johannes Blok, (RNN), 1847Sq, (HMS/RNAS Gannet), Killed in midair collision 27-Mar-44 with Sgt Simon De Ridder near Tullybrisland, Londonberry, Ireland. Buried at Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Amsterdam in grave 42-57.

Sgt Simon De Ridder, (RNN), 1847Sq, (HMS/RNAS Gannet), Killed in midair collision with Lt Johannes Blok near Tullybrisland, Londonberry, Ireland. Buried at Ereveld Loenen in grave E-1012.

Petty Officer Donald Tucker, (RNZN), 768Sq, (HMS Heron), Killed in air crash 29-Dec-44. Listed on RNZN Memorial, Devonport, Auckland on panel-3.

Sub Lt Frederick R. Akister, (RNVR), 800Sq, (HMS Emperor), Killed in air crash 04-Jul-44. Buried at Rawdon (St Peter) churchyard, Yorkshire, UK in sec-D, grave-578.

Petty Officer Airman William G. MacLean, (RN), 800Sq, (HMS Emperor), Killed in air crash 23-Aug-44. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-5, panel-2.

Sub Lt C.H. Roncoroni, (RN), 800Sq, (HMS Emperor), Hit by flak 26 Apr 44 & ditched .5 mile off Skutneset Fleina, south of Bodo, Norway.

Sub Lt Peter M.E. Tillett, (RNVR), 800Sq, (HMS Implacable), Missing on air operations 09-Aug-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-5.

Sub Lt Bertram F. Brine, (RNVR), 804Sq, (HMS Emperor), Struck round down on landing 26-Apr-44. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-5, panel-5.

Sub Lt Wilfred Carr, (RNVR), 804Sq, (HMS/RNAS Malagas), Missing 11-Oct-44. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-5, panel-5.

Sub Lt Robert A. Cranwell, (RNZNVR), 804Sq, (HMS Emperor), Hit during operations at Kjen, Norway 08-May-44, bailed out over sea but drowned. Listed on RNZN Memorial, Devonport, Auckland, panel 8.

Sub Lt Alfred C. Brookes, (RNVR), 808Sq, (HMS/RNAS Corncake), Killed in air crash 11-Oct-44. Buried at Birmingham cemetery, Witton, UK in sec-95, grave-10557.

Chief Petty Officer Pilot Charles E. Gregory, (RN), 808Sq, (HMS Khedive), Missing 08-Apr-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-1.

Chief Petty Officer Pilot James F. Drummond, (RN), 881Sq, (HMS/RNAS Malagas), Killed in air crash 30-Jun-45. Buried at Simon's Town (Dido Valley) cemetery, Western Cape, South Africa in the Naval Allotment, row-E, grave-08.

Sub Lt Barney Morrill, (RNVR), 881Sq, (HMS/RNAS Malagas), Killed in air crash 30-Jun-45. Buried at Simon's Town (Dido Valley) cemetery, Western Cape, South Africa in the Naval Allotment, row-E, grave-06.

Sub Lt Leonard Hardy, (RNVR), 889Sq, (HMS/RNAS Ringtail), Missing 09-Jul-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-4.

Sub Lt Roy A. Mackenzie, (RNVR), 889Sq, (HMS Dipper), Killed in air crash 20-Jun-45. Buried at Sherborne cemetery, Dorset, UK in sec-6, grave-74.

Petty Officer Pilot Douglas D. Smith, (RN), 891Sq, (HMS/RNAS Gannet), Killed in air crash 06-Aug-45. Buried at Faughanvale (St Canice) churchyard, Eglinton, Ireland in grave-20.

Sub Lt Ronald H. Difford, (RNVR), 892Sq, (HMS/RNAS Gannet), Missing 01-Aug-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-3.

Sub Lt Owen B. Norwood, (RNVR), 892Sq, (HMS/RNAS Nighthawk), Killed in air crash 08-Aug-45. Buried at Dirleton cemetery, East Lothian, Scotland in sec-E, grave-14.

Sub Lt John A. Burton, (RNVR), 898Sq, (HMS/RNAS Malagas), Missing 25-Apr-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-3.

Petty Officer Pilot Albert H. Kay, (RN), 898Sq, (HMS Pursuer), Missing on air operations 09-Aug-45. Listed on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial, bay-6, panel-1.

Petty Officer Pilot John Leiper, (RN), 898Sq, (HMS/RNAS Malagas), Killed in air crash 19-Apr-45. Buried at Simon's Town (Dido Valley) cemetery, Western Cape, South Africa in the Naval Allotment, row-E, grave-45.

Again thanks for your help. Take care.

Tom B.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

A possibility

Sub Lt Robert A. Cranwell, (RNZNVR), 804Sq: Hellcat I JV107

[Henk Welting]

Perhaps a start for further research:
Cranwell - JV140 * Tucker - JV527 (with a '?') * Akister - JV146 * Brine - FN358 * Carr - JW146 * Brookes - NN343 (?) * Drummond - JX976 * Morrill - JX989 * Hardy - FN377 * MacKenzie - NN618 (?) * Difford - JZ827 * Norwood - JX966 * Burton - JX913.

Henk.

[fortnut]

Thanks Laurent & Henk.

I have JV107 lost with S/Lt R.L. Thompson on the 8th of May 44. But it could be that I have it wrong.
There isn't a Hellcat listed with the serial of JV527, JW146 & NN618.
NN343 most likely is FN343.

The rest I have added to the database. Thanks again for you help.

Tom B.

[Henk Welting]

Tom,
In RoH for THOMPSON are three a/c serials listed: Hellcat FN341, Hellcat JV107 and Hurricane JS273.
In my previous message is AKISTER listed on JV146, NOT JW146, Ballyhalbert (HMS Emperor), crashed Thompsons Farm, Black Abbey near Greayabbey, Co. Down.
NN618 was a Seafire L/FR.III.
CARR was on JW746 and NOT on JW146. Wingfield, St.Africa (HMS Malagas). On training flight collided with Hellcat JV305 and crashed into sea, 10 miles NW of Robben Island. (Have nothing on JV305).

Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Tom,
I do believe Seafire L/FR.III NN343 is correct for BROOKES. Crashed in Cheshire due to bad visibility. You've to do more research on this loss.

Henk.