Halifax A VII Serial needed

[Technik1]

Hi folks,

I am new here, and making a Halifax - Horsa tug-and-glider pair for a friend, whose father was a navigator. The aircraft I am interested in is 8T-L, flying from Woodford, in March 1945. I am trying to find the serial of the aircraft. So far, I know it was from 'B' Flight, 298 Squadron and it was an A. Mk. VII, but I cannot trace it from the various records.

Can anyone help, please?

 

[Crimea_River]

Welcome aboard. May be a long shot but this site has a growing database.

Bomber Command Museum of Canada – Bomber Command Museum of Canada – Explore Canada’s proud aviation heritage and the role of Bomber Command in World War II. Located in Nanton, Alberta, our museum is home to a collection of historic aircraft, includin

bombercommandmuseum.ca

 

[fubar57]

These are all the serial numbers

 

[mjfur]

You can look thru thru movement cards using the S/N's provided by fubar57 and see which Mk VII's were assigned to 298 Sqdn to narrow it down.

Halifax – Bomber Command History

www.lancasterbombers.net

e.g. NA311

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Try

The National Archives | Discovery Advanced Search Form

The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk

search string, include quotes, "AIR 27/1649"

Gives 298 squadron summary (and record) of events, the March 1945 list of sorties start on page 280, the pages before that a summary of March 1945 operations. The sortie entries usually have the serial, aircraft letter and crew names, for March 1945 most are Halifax III. Readable online through watermarks or order a copy from the archives.

Rootes started A.VII production in January 1945, 15 built by end February, then another 33 in March, serials as above. Fairey started production in March (Serials starting PN223), 13 built by end of month, Handley page production started in August (Serials starting PP339). 120 A.VII built by Rootes, 45 by Fairey and 30 by Handley Page

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for the added companies Geoffrey, I didn't read deep enough

​

Also found English Electric made 7

​

 

[Technik1]

You can look thru thru movement cards using the S/N's provided by fubar57 and see which Mk VII's were assigned to 298 Sqdn to narrow it down.

Halifax – Bomber Command History

www.lancasterbombers.net

e.g. NA311
View attachment 815186

thanks for this

 

[Technik1]

Try

The National Archives | Discovery Advanced Search Form

The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk

search string, include quotes, "AIR 27/1649"

Gives 298 squadron summary (and record) of events, the March 1945 list of sorties start on page 280, the pages before that a summary of March 1945 operations. The sortie entries usually have the serial, aircraft letter and crew names, for March 1945 most are Halifax III. Readable online through watermarks or order a copy from the archives.

Rootes started A.VII production in January 1945, 15 built by end February, then another 33 in March, serials as above. Fairey started production in March (Serials starting PN223), 13 built by end of month, Handley page production started in August (Serials starting PP339). 120 A.VII built by Rootes, 45 by Fairey and 30 by Handley Page

Hi Geoffrey,
Many thanks - this has provided exactly the details I was looking for...

 

[fubar57]

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Using the data I have and the site Form 78 Aircraft Movement Cards – Bomber Command History

English Electric did not built any A.VII, the aircraft cards say mark VII and they were sent to regular bomber units.

The Fairey PN serial block was 20 VII and 69 A.VII
20 PN223 PN242 VII
25 PN243 PN267 A VII
43 PN285 PN327 A VII
1 PN343 PN343 A VII
0 PN344 PN362 Halifax, 19 Cancelled

The Handley Page NP6xx, 7xx and 8xx serials were all bombers, as were the TW serials which were ex PP serials that had been also allocated to Sunderlands, the ones built as A.VII were
12 PP339 PP350
28 PP362 PP389
5 RT753 RT757

 

[fubar57]

I got it from an old book, published 1976

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for that link Geoffrey.

 

[Technik1]

Using the data I have and the site Form 78 Aircraft Movement Cards – Bomber Command History

English Electric did not built any A.VII, the aircraft cards say mark VII and they were sent to regular bomber units.

The Fairey PN serial block was 20 VII and 69 A.VII
20 PN223 PN242 VII
25 PN243 PN267 A VII
43 PN285 PN327 A VII
1 PN343 PN343 A VII
0 PN344 PN362 Halifax, 19 Cancelled

The Handley Page NP6xx, 7xx and 8xx serials were all bombers, as were the TW serials which were ex PP serials that had been also allocated to Sunderlands, the ones built as A.VII were
12 PP339 PP350
28 PP362 PP389
5 RT753 RT757

Excellent - thank you!

 

[Technik1]

View attachment 815242

Ha ha ha