Author Topic: Aircraft information from serial number? (Read 287 times)

gatso · « **on:** November 22, 2002, 06:43:45 PM »

I have a serial number of a WWII british aircraft that scored a 1/2 kill over germany in 1944.

I know:

The pilot
The squadron he was flying with
The exact date
The aircraft serial number
The aircraft type killed
The approxomate location of the kill

I'm interested in details of the specific aircraft. Where and when it was built, who flew it and what happened to it.

Anyone suggest some places where I could start?

Thanks

Gatso

Staga · « **Reply #1 on:** November 22, 2002, 09:30:35 PM »

If the plane is Hurricane then Francis Mason's book "Hurricane: The Illustrated History" could be good.

swoopy · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2002, 08:16:29 AM »

I could have a quick search of the number it u give it to me

Many of the books like the one suggested above have all the serials in them, just finding out what plane it is, is the difficult part

if it is a hurricane i suggest "Hawker Hurricane by Edward Shacklady" it tells u the production batches too

gatso · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2002, 10:44:19 AM »

It's a Hawker Tempest flown by PO (at that time) John Harry Stafford of 486 (NZ) sqn. Serial EJ625

Kill was 1/2 a ME262 shared with P/O R.D. Bremner on the 25 Dec 1944 in the Aachen area. Pilot of the 262 was possibly FW Wilhelm Wilkenloh, of 1/JG7.

Thats all I have. My local central library is going to get a visit. Theres a number of book I'm after regarding this and a few other Tempests.

Any info and/or pics about this specific AIRCRAFT would be very useful. The pilot I already have more than enough info about, he's still alive as far as I know and living in NZ.

Thanks all

Gatso

swoopy · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2002, 10:54:00 AM »

ill have a look i have a book on tempest and typhoon

I have him as flying JN803 in september 1944 if i find more on EJ625 ill post it. the thing is i have found that they used different planes most of the time which makes things harder.

Was Stafford in EJ625 when he got that 262?
if he was i know that 486 lost a tempest on the 27th December

I have a few pics of 486's planes dont seem to see EJ625 if u want them ill send them to u.

gatso · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2002, 07:53:37 PM »

They chopped and changed aircraft a lot. Stafford as flying EJ625 when he got the 1/2 262 kill.

Post the pics here or you can send em to me,

gatso@99thastag.com

Thanks

(Any that look something like this is good, SA@- is 486 sqn, stripes on the lower fuse only dates it to late '44)

swoopy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2002, 01:04:42 PM »

Heres my pic from my book, i have some more like it from 486

theres a book i saw about 486 its called "The Wild Winds
by Paul Sortehaug."

gatso · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2002, 04:03:59 PM »

Thanks, I'll look that book up.

Interesting pic, I only have a single other example where the code starts with a single and ends @SA on the Stbd side. Will dig some more.

~~Gatso~~