Hi Guys, I'm back.
Just to say I haven't been idle since my last post. I've managed to get to London on a couple of occasions, and while there have done a load of research on 'Paddy' Finucane (I'll continue to call him by his given name, Brendan, if I may). I've got to the National Archives, where I was able to access both his ORBs and combat reports for 65, 452, and 602 Squadrons, which are all now available online, and his flying logs which are available by personal visit only. I also got out to the research unit at the RAF Museum, Hendon, where I found other interesting background information on his time in the RAF and came away with photocopies of his log between Sept '41 and July'42 - the other pages are missing from their collection. I also got into the photographic collection at the Imperial War Museum, where I found some very interesting information on the photos posted below.
I have been neglecting this forum a bit, but only because I've been posting to a local (Irish) forum where I found a number of equally enthusiastic Finucane enthusiasts. You can see what we discussed at:
Brendan "Paddy" Finucane, Spitfire MkVb - Aircraft Modelling - IPMS Ireland Forum where there are some really good references posted as well. I was waiting until I had something positive to post before coming back to you here.
Flavio had posted to this other site and we've been corresponding together for some time now, and sharing our research, so I'm up to date on the material he's posted here. What I didn't know, is that he has compiled a very good series of profiles of Finucane's aircraft which he has very generously agreed to allow me to use in my research compilation, which I'm preparing. Flavio is also hoping to publish his profiles and research on the internet at some point in the future.
I've also had great support from other members of the Irish forum, particularly, Filip Servit, who's also generously donated some of his profiles and, among others, NoelH and Edgar Brooks. Between us, we have managed to nail down a couple of facts and dates on Brendan's aircraft which may prove useful.
Below would be my main findings. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything in the IWM photographic files on BM.308, 'BF'. I did however, have more luck in resolving some other questions, in particular the reason for the change in the design of Brendan's shamrock on the two aircraft below.
I can now definitely confirm that this photo shows Brendan climbing from the cockpit of
AB.852 UD-W. This is confirmed from the original caption I found in IWM files, that dates the photo as being taken on 20/9/41, returning after he shot down three aircraft. He was flying AB.852 on this date.
The above photo again can be definitely confirmed as Brendan in the cockpit of
AB.972 UD-W from the photograph's date of 13/10/41 and the caption referring to Brendan's "21st Birthday next Thursday." He was definitely flying this aircraft at this time.
The information I found on BM.124 LO-W, in the IWM files is even more interesting. There are two other shots in the series showing close-up shots of Sgt. Loud on the wing and closer views of the name on the cowling. In all three shots there is an erasure between the words 'Queen Salote'. You can see it quite clearly on the photo above. The erasures are different on each shot meaning they weren't originally on the airframe but erased on the negatives.
I thought at first that this might have been an inappropriate cartoon of Queen Salote. However, in the Air Ministry files that accompany the photos, I found an amendment notice from the Air Ministry requesting that the photos be amended from "Queen
of Salote" to "Queen Salote". The photos were taken on 21/5/42. The amendment notice issued on 27/5/42. This is right during the period that BF was flying the aircraft. I would conclude from this information, that Brendan flew the aircraft incorrectly titled "Queen of Salote" until the error was spotted. I would think that then a directive would have been issued to the squadron to correct the error on the airframe by painting out the offensive 'of'. Brendan then continued to fly this aircraft until June 18 (ORBs and Log), so presumably, he also flew it with the correct title on. So I believe that it would be correct to represent this aircraft as both "Queen of Salote' and "Queen Salote".
One other interesting fact I found was that for the month of July 1940, his first posting to 65 Sqn., he recorded his sorties by individual aircraft code letter, rather than by aircraft serial No., as he did from August '40 on (thanks to Flavio for supplying these pages). This allowed me to cross reference the codes to the serials for that period in the ORBs, something I'd hoped to be able to do for all his aircraft, but without further success. However from this, I believe I can identify the first 'W' coded Spitfire he flew operationally: Spitfire Mk1a
N.3128 YT-W, on 22/7/40 and 25/7/40.
I have compiled a document from my research listing all the aircraft BF flew operationally, with victories credited, and illustrated with photographs and the profiles mentioned above. I'm just revising this in the light of the new research, and would hope to make it available, as a PDF, by PM to anyone who might be interested in the next week or so.
I'm hoping now to get started on the build for BM.124 LO-W but I haven't decided yet which version of the name I'll go with. While I was in London, I tried to get the Hasegewa 1/32 Spitfire MkV kit as Terry suggested. Unfortunately, when I tried Model Zone, I was told they had sold the last one the previous week and it was now discontinued! Typical! As they had one kit for the Hobby Boss 1/32 MkV left in the store, I bought that instead. That's the kit I'll be building.
Hope you'll find my conclusions interesting.
Gerry