No. 234 (Madras Presidency) Squadron

[Mikkel Plannthin]

I have been looking for the history of this particular squadron, but has not yet been able to track down more than the general descriptions in e.g. Rawlings Fighter Squadrons of the R.A.F. and their Aircraft.

Would anyone be able to guide me to a reference covering this squadron in depth (1942-1945).

TIA,
Mikkel Plannthin

[Chris Goss]

Although there is a decreasing Sqn Association, nothing has been published on this Sqn as far as I am aware

[Andy Mac]

Not in depth, Mikkel, but hope this has some info that's new to you . . .


http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/h234.html

Cheers,

Andy.

[Mikkel Plannthin]

Thanks Andy. Well thought, and I have already read the short description. I'm a regular user of the RAF website for these matters.

I was - as you might have guessed - interested in something a bit more detailed. The reason is that I am researching a number of Danish pilots in this squadron. Have ordered a estimate for a copy of the ORB from Kew (appr. £ 170), and just wanted to get a head start and be able to narrow it a bit down :-)

- Mikkel

[atckyrre]

Fascinating that you should ask a question on 234 sqn this very day. I was just about to write a post about a certain 234 Sqn Mustang IV that crashlanded in Denmark on May 4 1945. Flown by Pilot Off P J W Bell the Mustang marked AZ*A with serial KH860 was damaged by flak but the pilot survived the crash landing with a few bruises.
It seems this was the final Coastal Command escort loss, though there was a Mosquito fatality on the same day.
Do you know any details about this event, Mikkel?

Regards,
Kyrre
Harstad, Norway

[SteveB]

Kyrre

4 May 1945 was a very bad day for Mustang pilots and so close to the peace! 19 Sqdn lost two pilots F/Lt 'Jock' Davidson and P/Off 'Baz' Natta both killed in a mid-air collision over Denmark on the escort for Banff Strike Wing. And of course Arne Austeen was killed with 126Sqdn over Flensberger Fjord.

P/Off P J W Bell did not escape with bruising. He reported that his aircraft was "riddled by bullets" and he was hit in the arm by an incendiary bullet. He was still in hospital on 1 June 1945.

I am interested that you have KH860 as AZ*A I have it as AZ*G.

Best wishes from Blighty

Steve

[atckyrre]

Originally Posted by SteveB

Kyrre

4 May 1945 was a very bad day for Mustang pilots and so close to the peace! 19 Sqdn lost two pilots F/Lt 'Jock' Davidson and P/Off 'Baz' Natta both killed in a mid-air collision over Denmark on the escort for Banff Strike Wing. And of course Arne Austeen was killed with 126Sqdn over Flensberger Fjord.

P/Off P J W Bell did not escape with bruising. He reported that his aircraft was "riddled by bullets" and he was hit in the arm by an incendiary bullet. He was still in hospital on 1 June 1945.

I am interested that you have KH860 as AZ*A I have it as AZ*G.

Best wishes from Blighty

Steve

Many thanks for the information. I'm very keen on anything that's got to do with Coastal Command operating in Nordic waters and it is just recently I found out that 234 sqn actually joined CC in the final days of the war. Being an avid modeller I like to build anything Allied that took part in the ops and in this case Bell's Mustang might fall right in with a crashed Mustang diorama I'm doing. I suspect that KH860 was a silver bird and not camouflaged, with black lettering, though I still haven't seen anything but a profile of a 234 sqn Mustang. My information came from Andy Bird's A Separate Little War where he gives the crashed Mustang the letter "A" while at the loss list in the back the serial is quoted as KH860. Since I don't have the original documents I can't verify Andy's statement which leaves me wondering which letter is correct.

Kyrre

[Mikkel Plannthin]

I expect that I can add to your knowledge in two ways via this link http://www.flensted.eu.com/1945050.shtml

First of all you have a link to a fantastic site on operations in (over) Denmark, and secondly you have a photo of the aircraft in question.

This and another photo of the same aircraft can be found at
http://www.zone-redningskorpset.dk/h...4?OpenDocument

Kyrre, I suspect that this answers your questions regarding the 'silver bird.' I too has had the idea to model this bird. I shall though take no credit of the sites myself, since I am just passing by some favorite links.

A Danish 19 sqn pilot, Kjeld Rønhof, took part in the operations over Denmark the last days of the war, though not this day. His brother was reported shot on May 3rd, and he was grounded the next day.

regards, Mikkel

[atckyrre]

Well there's certainly no doubt about which letter KH860 flew with!

Many thanks Mikkel, brilliant links! Duly downloaded for reference.

Unfortunately the pics were not exactly what I had hoped for. My Mustang already has a broken back...
So I guess I just have to continue my search for a Coastal Command crashlanded Mustang, perhaps one back at Peterhead.
Bell's Mustang I might do anyway, though in flight. I've got one ready for paint...

Kyrre

[SteveB]

Hi guise

Mikkel
Thanks very much for the Danish links. I have the Flensted site in my favourites and have used it several times but had not spotted the stuff on KH860 not sure why .....?

Kyrre
I am no expert in Order of Battle/Command structure detail but I think you will find that the Mustang sqdns that moved to Peterhead remained part of Fighter Command they were not transferred to Coastal Command.
Right at the end of the War several sqdns moved North probably because of uncertainty about what would happen in Norway after the German surrender. 234 Sqdn moved from Bentwaters on 1 May and flew two escort ops to the Strike Wings on 3 and 4 May. 122 Sqdn moved from Andrews Field to Peterhead on 2 May to replace 65 Sqdn but flew no ops. 65 Sqdn moved back South on 6 May. 611 Sqdn moved to Peterhead on 7 May.

With regard to code letters on NMF Mustangs it seems you have a choice between black and insignia blue. It is clear from some photos that the sqdn code letters are applied in black and the individual aircraft code is in blue (the blue fades quicker than the black).

Steve