S. Skalski Hurricane I V6644 letter code

[le_steph40]

Hello,
I would like some confirmation about Hurricane Mk.I flown by S. Skalski the 5 Sep. 1940 in 501 Sqn. I found 2 letter codes regarding this aircraft V6644: SD-B and SD-H !!! Where is the truth ???
TIA, regards
Stéph

 

[Wurger]

Gen. S. Skalski was injured on the day . The Hurricane Mk.I (V6644) was shot down over Canterbury. The codel letters SD-B. The SD-H was V7230.

 

[Wurger]

Here you can find an interview by Jon Guttman with Skalski for Aviation History ...

Military.com Content

 

[Wurger]

Here you are all serials of Hurricane Mk.Is Skalski flown while servicing in the 501st Squadron.

P2329, the individual letter ?
P2760, the individual letter B
P3803, the individual letter Z
P5194, the individual letter J
V6644, the individual letter B
V6723, the individual letter ?
V7226, the individual letter F
V7230, the individual letter H
V7614, the individual letter ?

 

[le_steph40]

Thank you Wojtek.
Here is an extract from the book "The Hawker Hurricane I" wrote by Francis K. Mason. The page is about the Hurricane I from 501 Sqn but there is something "bizarre"
http://s240.photobucket.com/user/bolox00/media/100_1772.jpg.html
In this book V6644 was H (something logical if it was the Sdn Ldr aircraft H. A. V. Hogan) but V7230 was H too and it's bizarre to find 2 Hurricanes marqued H almost in the same time (2 and 5 september)
I don't think V6644 was B, there was already an B (P2760) which was destroyed the 15 September 1940 (pilot P/O A. Van den Hove d'Ertsenryk) and P2760 was in the squadron since August (flown by Skalski ans Lacey); or only explanation, P2760 was re-registered (marqued). Another bizarre thing, some websites doesn't mention any victory on the mission of 5 September (the day when he was injured in V6644 destroyed) cause not officially confirmed...
SIGNATURES
Skalski and his planes
http://breizh-minikit.e-monsite.com/pages/avions/w-cdr-stanislas-skalski.html
I think the best option is to build P2760 as SD-B... Any opinion to help me in my "land of confusion"

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves these three Skalski's victories were never confirmed because of his being in a hospital and lack of the pilot's raport. As far as the Hogan's Hurricane with the letter H is concerned.. I don't think it was his personal mount. During the battle , pilots of the 501st squadron didn't have individual airplanes and were using the ones that were available. Also the rotation of planes among squadrons was quite common during the BoB. So no wonder there could have been two kites of the same individual letters.
In addition I posted above the link to the interview with Skalski where he confirmed the V6644 was SD-B. Personally I would be inclined toward his words rather than Francis K. Mason's ones.

 

[le_steph40]

In addition I posted above the link to the interview with Skalski where he confirmed the V6644 was SD-B. Personally I would be inclined toward his words rather than Francis K. Mason's ones.

May be you're right... I would trust more in Skalski memory.

 

[Wurger]

Here you are a shot of the SD-H Hurricane of the 501st Squadron I have found vit the net. It's not of a great quality but if you have a close up look at the serial it doesn't look like the serial V6644 because I can see something like the number 7,maybe 2 and 3 or 4 in there.

P.S. Sorry, I found she was L2124. But still not sure if it is the correct number.

Also I found an image of the Hurricane Mk.I L1659 SD-V of 501 Squadron at RAF Tangmere in early 1940. Comparing to the shot it seems that the picture of the SD-H was taken at quite the same period of time.

 

[le_steph40]

Here is a link quite interesting... I don't know what their sources but, apart 2 or 3 "mistakes?", it seems relatively credible.
Air Combat Group | No.501

 

[Wurger]

Which ones do you consider mistakes?

 

[le_steph40]

1- V6620 TB-P, most probably SD-P
2- P3803 SD-Z, or/and SD-H
I also found this to resume the problem
It hapenned that some aircraft had the same codes within a Squadron! This usually occured when units exchanged their aircraft and for a period old and new aircraft were kept. Aircraft indeed were borrowed between units and this adds to the confusion. Sometimes individual code was changed, eg. when OC lost his favourite mount and wanted to fly 'his' letter. The real problem is, however, that log books and orbs are just riddled with errors! I have recently came across a Hurricane P3803 SD-Z. Not really a problem, but the aircraft is listed in September 1940, although it was already on the Channel's bottom since August!
Effectively, P3803 was normally destroyed and lost in the Channel the 12 August, pilot K. Lukascewicz killed. But we can find P3803 (coded SD-Z) flown by S. Witorzenc the 24 August !!! (sources Aces High by C. Shores C. Williams)
I think my project will be definitively V6644 SD-B or V7430 SD-H...

 

[Wurger]

As I said...

Also the rotation of planes among squadrons was quite common during the BoB. So no wonder there could have been two kites of the same individual letter.

I have had a look all around to find out more about the 501st Squadron. My conclusion is that there were really Hurricanes with the same letters in the squadron. Not only during the entire time of lasting of the BioB but also during the same time. However it seems that Hurricanes with serials started with letter L were planes used in the earliest period of war. For instance L1653 SD-V, L2124 SD-H, L2039 SD-A (1939), L2045 SD-A (1940). Then Hurricanes with serials started with P. For example, P2793 SD-M, P3059 SD-N, P3208 SD-T, P3803 SD-Z, P3141 SD-W. And finally these with serials beginning with V.... V6799 SD-Y, V5357 SD-F, V7230 SD-H and two I couldn't find code letter.. V7234 , V 7405. It seems that Hurricanes of two last series became a mix of planes used by the squadron in the mid of 1940 basicly.
There is something interesting but not confirmed with the Hurricane V7234. I found in one book an info that it was Antoni Glowacki's favourite plane. I found another info in the net that Glowacki crashed on 31.08.1940 Hurricane coded SD-A. Judging by these two statements we can assume that it was his favourite plane. If that's is true it would mean that the there was one more SD-A of serial V7234.

What is more I found that Skalski was forced to land on 2.08.1940 after the battle he scored two Bf 109s. Also the net provided info that on the 2 September: V7230; force landed damaged in combat, repairable. It can mean that the SD-H could be still repaired on the 5.08.1940 when Skalski was injured.