Defiant pictures

[johnny]

My mistake about the copyright.Will have to be more careful next time.Who can tell me about the RAF squaron letters.Was there any logic behind the naming of sqaudron letters.As in PS for 264 Sqn, or were they randonly selected.

 

[johnny]

Another thing.I have a good record of the Battle of Britain with all the aircraft destroyed with their locations and times that they were shot down.But dooes anyone know if the Germans kept record of this as well.I'm trying to locate Sqn leader P.A Hunters plane.It went missing on 24 August after chasing a Do-17 out to sea and was never seen again.Maybe the German records will have something?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they wouldn't have records of names like you want..............

 

[evangilder]

I doubt in the heat of the battle that anyone would think to record fuselage codes or numbers. The squadron records of the planes involved would be your best bet as the guys that flew with the individual in question would be the most likely to know what happened.

 

[cheddar cheese]

no need to worry johnny, it was a joke 8)

 

[johnny]

I have tried 264 Sqn records to no avail.They have him listed as MIA.

 

[evangilder]

If the 264th sqaudron has an association, someone might know or might have kept a journal that might have info. The only thing you may have to deal with using journals and memory are that in the heat of combat, things are fast and furious. You could read the combat report from 2 guys that were within arms reach of each other, and hear 2 completely different stories. Neither are necessarily wrong, it's just that there is so much going on for the brain to process, the things get jumbled.

That said, if he went down in the channel after the engagement, one of 3 scenarios are possible. One, he was a straggler that may have been picked off by the roving bands of Luftwaffe pilots looking for stragglers, he was a straggler that didn't make it back due to battle damage. Or three, he was seen as he ditched by one of his squadron mates. If the third, then an association or journal might help. Otherwise, it is lost in history.

If the first option and you can find out what squadron/group was involved in shooting him down, again a journal or journal of a wingman might provide some clues. I enjoy a mystery as much as the next guy, but you may be looking for a particular needle in a stack of needles.

 

[johnny]

I've got the luftwaffe jg number somewhere.Will find out then if that particular JG kept any records of kills.I know that the pilot and gunner (sqn leader P.A Hunter and gunner F.A.King) were killed in action, just want to know how.Hope they didnt drown.

 

[evangilder]

If they had to ditch in the channel, they either drowned or died of hypothermia. That water is COLD! I don't think chances of survival in teh channel were too good.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it was better if you flew for the luftwaffe, they had these sort of floating home things in the channel that you could swim to an be picked up later didn't they??

 

[johnny]

Yes the germans had some foating beacons.Had a radio in as well if I remember right.The germans had a much better air/sea rescue that the english and the germans pilots were better equiped than the english for survival in case of ditching.I think the british pilots had to rely on luck.Maybe a passing ships or one of the few sea rescue craft spotting them.

 

[plan_D]

The Germans were the ones mostly crossing the channel though early in the war. So of course they'd set it up, plus they had the only islands in the Channel.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they didn't have the isle of white or the scily isles.........

 

[plan_D]

They aren't in the Channel, you penial wart.

 

[cheddar cheese]

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes they are..............

 

[cheddar cheese]

no theyre not the scilly isles are in the atlantic

The isle of wight is actually in the channel, but not the main part of it.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

plus they had the only islands in the Channel

he doesn't mention the channel islands, he said islands in the channel, of which the isle of white is one, and i don't care what you say, to me the scilies are in the channel................

 

[plan_D]

No, the Isle of Wight is not considered to be in the Channel because it's part of the English coastline. So, unless you consider England to be in the Channel, the Isle of Wight is not in the Channel.

And the Scilly isles are miles out into the Atlantic, no where near the Channel. So you can't argue that one.

 

[cheddar cheese]

And the Scilly isles are miles out into the Atlantic

Not MILES out, but still, theyre in the atlantic.