Operation "Rocket" a/c serial numbers ?

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

Operation "Rocket" to Malta in 1941

Aircraft serial numbers required for Hurricanes, some 43 a/c on both Ark Royal and Furious.

Thank you
alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

A modest start: Z3055 and Z5140, both off HMS Ark Royal. 126 Squadron.

41 more to go!

Regards,

Leendert

[JohnE]

The 43 a/c (there was a 44th but it returned with the carrier) belonged to 46 and 229 Sq. I think Z3055 belonged to 46 Sq.

Shortly after Operation Rocket 46 Sq. used Z2480, Z2680, Z2491, Z3033, and Z2526 so it is possibly that they were in Rocket too.

Source: Malta The Hurricane Year.

/John

[JohnE]

Did any more serials come to light?

John Engelsted

[Alex Smart]

OMG,
Such a long time since I first posted my question.
Since then I have acquired "Hurricanes over Malta" which helps.
On page 295 it has -
6/6/41 - "Rocket"
Ark Royal - 24 Hurricanes launched, arrived - 46/229(part) Sqdns.
Furious - 19 Hurricanes launched, arrived.
On pages 296/7 there are lists of Squadrons and a/c .
46 has 63 Hurricane numbers.
229 has 24 Hurricane numbers.
The "Rocket" Hurricanes were it is said were Mk. II's, so perhaps by elimination of the Mk.I's it may give up the 43 ?

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Have checked the Air Britain RAF serial number books and have found what may not have been picked up before -
BG731 may well be a typo,I think it should have read BG741.
BG791 is recorded as To Russia ?
V7103 perhaps should be V7708 ?
Z2068 may be a Firefly but could not find it ?
Z2256 should be a Boston III.
Z2930 is recorded as To Russia ?
Z2934 ?
Z2941/D ?
Z3418 ?
Z3517 is recorded as lost at sea end route to Russia. Perhaps it should have read Z3515 ?
BN283 is recorded as 1 SAAF To Russia.

So I think that of the remaining serials listed in the book the following may be of the 43 Hurricane's of "Rocket"

1 - DG612(P3756).
2 - DG615(P3068).
3 - DG618(L1596).
4 - BG741 as BG731 seems an error.
5 - BV173.
6 - V7708 as V7103 seems an error.
7 - V7797.
8 - Z2397.
9 - Z2418.
10 - Z2480.
11 - Z2481.
12 - Z2491.
13 - Z2593.
14 - Z2815.
15 - Z2827.
16 - Z2981.
17 - Z2982.
18 - Z3034.
19 - Z3055.
20 - Z3158.
21 - Z3456.
22 - Z3498.
23 - Z3515 as Z3517 seems an error.
24 - Z3764.
25 - Z3984.
26 - Z4011.
27 - Z5118.
28 - Z2481.
29 - Z2982.
30 - Z4005.
31 - BE555.
32 - BE636.
33 - BE708.
34 - BM964.
35 - BN118.
36 - BN120.
37 - BN122.
38 - BN123.
39 - BN124.
40 - BN142.
41- BN181.
42 - BN182.
43 - BN278.
44 - BN362.

So one more than 43.
Perhaps some of the above can be dismissed also as incorrect ?
What we now need to know is which a/c was on which ship(only two to chose from ).
Over to you and thanks for reawakening this thread.

Alex

[JohnE]

We have to take into consideration that there was a new delivery of 48 (44 arrived) during operation Tracer only a week later (14th June).

So far I have only these Rocket Hurricanes:

Z3055
Z2981 (flown by Lardner-Burke)
Z2480
Z2680
Z2491
Z3033
Z2394
Z2982
Z3056
Z5140
Z4940

I am also looking for pilot names as I so far only have 27 names (primarily 46 Squadron) for this operation.

John