Rooftop Crash - Alexandria, Egypt

[BorderWarrior]

Ah right I see, no worries!

 

[buffnut453]

No wing guns on the Roc - it was too heavy already! It does seem that this was a hack (target tug?) rather than an armed Roc but that's pure speculation on my part. They remain fascinating pics. Salute to the pilot who lost his life - like so many aircrew in WWII, losses in accidents exceeded combat casualties. Very, very sad...

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Buff, I wasn't sure about wing guns, as it's not a type I have a lot of knowledge of. I think you're probably right about it being a unit 'hack', although possibly not a tug, as there's no sign of a winch mount or external 'windmill'. Whatever it was, it is, or was, as you point out, a sad loss, one of many losses 'to other causes'.

 

[buffnut453]

True enough about the lack of a winch, although it could have been knocked off during the accident or, alternatively, it was a local mod by the MU which may not have had the attributes of a factory-fitted target tug winch. For example, the Blackburn Sharks used as target tugs in the Far East by 4 AACU probably weren't fitted with extensive drogue machinery - a simple attachment point in the tail of the aircraft would have sufficed. Or it could just have been a hack...

 

[Capt. Vick]

Does "ROYAL NAVY 358" (from what I can make out) on the tail give us any way of track down the operational history of this plane down? Come on my British cousins!

 

[Airframes]

Possibly, but I don't have anyrthing in the way of RN stuff to check, apart from some basic FAA reference material. Not an area of interest for me I'm afraid.

 

[ozhawk40]

Does "ROYAL NAVY 358" (from what I can make out) on the tail give us any way of track down the operational history of this plane down? Come on my British cousins!

It would be I think L3158 which would fit within the range of serials for the 136 Roc's produced. Hard to say with the angle

 

[BorderWarrior]

It would be I think L3158 which would fit within the range of serials for the 136 Roc's produced. Hard to say with the angle

I agree, Im sure having enlarged the original its L3158.

 

[Frantish]

I agree, Im sure having enlarged the original its L3158.

Anyone get details yet?