T1000 - V9999

Andy

Mediterranean Air War Vol 1 (Shores et all) claims these two losses occurred on 23 Dec 1941!
I don't know the reason for that, but possibly that is the only day the Germans claimed two Beaufighters shot down.
MAW provides no ID for the two aircraft, but one (T4702) is listed as lost on 16 Dec 1941 (probably as per Halley's list) and without any further comment.

Chris Shores is not on TOCH, but Russell Guest is, so perhaps a direct question to him may lead to an answer.

MAW Vol 1 has no listed Beaufighter losses either on Dec 25th or 26th. Both seemingly "quiet" days....no German corresponding claims either.

It is not impossible the ORB are not 100% in order here.


B Rgds
Stig  

Thanks Paul

So the ORB seems to be in order.
I wonder what AIR 81/11183 refers to?

Cheers
Stig

TNA have re-scanned AIR-27-1577-19 which is now much easier to read. 23/12/41 is indeed the date mentioned for these losses.

V6667 was flying as RF-K of 303 Sqn when it was shot down on 11 Sep 40.
The unit is confirmed at: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16472632
It would be interesting to know where the reference in the book to it being a 213 Sqn aircraft comes from.

Stig,
Nope, I don't think so.
The go to book is "303 (Polish) Squadron Battle of Britain Diary" by Richard King (2010). It's a 325 page book covering the period from August to October 1940, and I have to say it is one of the best squadron history books I have ever read (and I have read a lot). Very readable, in depth, and well-researched.
The individual aircraft are well-covered.
Page 136 notes (in the diary entry for 7 September 1940): "Following their recent losses, the squadron was now bolstered by the arrival of five replacement Hurricanes: P3089, P3120, P3939, V6665, V6667"
Pages 155-158 deal with the loss of Cebrzynski, and Pages 167-168 discuss the aircraft he was flying. It says:
"The RAF Air Movement Cards for V6667 and V7242 quote both as combat write-offs 11 September whilst V6665's card has simply been annotated as missing this date. Both the ORB and the independently produced engineering weekly maintenance reports continued to quote V6665 on strength until late September, unlike V6667 which has no entries past 11 September.

Moving on to V6665/RF-J, this was shot down on 27 September 1940, as per AIR81/3449: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16687547
The confusion has probably arisen because there is a second TNA entry for V6665 (AIR81/3215): discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16472630
which claims that it was the aircraft flown by Sgt Wojtowicz on 11 September 1940. However, this aircraft was V7242/RF-B (as mentioned above). The squadron only lost two Hurricanes on 11 September.

I have just downloaded the two relevant 213 Sqn documents:
AIR 27/1315/21 summary of events September 1940
AIR 27/1315/22 record of events September 1940
This confirms the loss of two Hurricanes on 11 September:
A: Flt Lt Sing
P: Sgt Wojcicki
However, no serials are listed for these aircraft, so I am still a little unclear as to how this aircraft became associated with 213 Sqn.
Andy

Stig,
Yes, that is correct, AIR81/3237 confirms the serial: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16472652
The other 213 Sqn loss (Flt Lt Sing) was P3980/AK-A, as per AIR81/3240: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16472655
To be fair to our predecessors, they did not have instant access to the records to cross-check like we do today...
That said, I am very grateful to the likes of Richard King for producing such detailed books, combining ORBs, pilots' log books, engineering records etc etc to arrive at their conclusions.
Andy

Andy

I assume you are referring to our T1000 - T9999 serial booklet?
If so you have a later copy than I, mine is from 1981
All mine is saying is the SOC date, nothing else.
What does your booklet say about the other Beau lost near Vågsöy that day, ie T4765?
Again my copy only gives the same SOC date.

Cheers
Stig