Spitfire ID letters

[Sluff]

Is there anyway to easily match census numbers to aircraft letters? IE: P7289 - D (UO*D). Have IDed 2 266 Sqn birds, D and T (P7350) Looking for 266 Sqn. BoB MkII Spits. Also P7354, 612 Sqn., WL*? and /or 611 Sqn. BoB Mk.IIs. FY*?.

 

[fubar57]

Many squadron ORBs only contain the serial numbers and some contain both. I'll see if I can still get into the Archive and download the 266 Squadron ORBs for the BoB

 

[fubar57]

Just went through June and July 1940, just serial numbers

 

[fubar57]

Here's August, still serial numbers

 

[Sluff]

Just went through June and July 1940, just serial numbers

Thanks for the try. Guess I'll go with OU*D or OU*T. Or go with a WAG (Wild Ass Guess. As opposed to a SWAG... Scientific Wild Ass Guess) on ID letter for one of the other known census numbers. One note, I saw some Mk.IIs assigned to 612 Sqn, but info I had on them is they never used Spits until May 46. (Whitley and Wimpies during war time)

 

[SaparotRob]

FWIW I make up stuff all the time.

 

[Sluff]

FWIW I make up stuff all the time.

Like this? Spitfire Mk I. Republican Spanish Air Force. Aug.1938. Despite British Govt. neutrality ,hawkish elements of the British leadership manage to arrange the Republican "seizure" of a hand full of initial production Spitfires bound for trials in Portugal. After painting over RAF markings and applying Republican markings they were pressed into service (providing a convenient evaluation) against Nationalist/ Kondor Legion Messerschmitt Bf-109s. Shortly before the fall of the Republican Govt. in March , 1939, Spanish pilots fled to France seeking asylum. The French returning the aircraft to their "rightful" owner. Aircraft has original 2 blade Aero-Products "Watts" wooden propeller, flat (top and sides) canopy, and ring& bead gun sight. RAF markings were over painted with Soviet paints (Soviets provided most Republican aircraft. ) green on fuselage, blue under wings) and Republican Red bands and tri color rudder applied. "CF" code was used for foreign aircraft pressed into service.

his?

 

[Greg Boeser]

Thanks for the try. Guess I'll go with OU*D or OU*T. Or go with a WAG (Wild Ass Guess. As opposed to a SWAG... Scientific Wild Ass Guess) on ID letter for one of the other known census numbers. One note, I saw some Mk.IIs assigned to 612 Sqn, but info I had on them is they never used Spits until May 46. (Whitley and Wimpies during war time)

Whoa whoa whoa! SWAG is SILLY wild ass guess.

 

[Alex Smart]

Here is a list of 266 Sqdn Spitfires -

266Sq

UO

K9840 K9850 K9864 K9996 L1011 L1043 L1059 L1088 N3092 N3094 N3095 N3099 N3100 N3118 N3120 N3125 N3127 N3168 N3169 N3170 N3175 N3178 N3179 N3181 N3189 N3197 N3240 N3244 N3245 N3246 N3247 P7285 P7287 P7288 P7289 P7294 P7295 P7296 P7297 P7304 P7307 P7309 P7310 P7311 P7313 P7315 P7324 P7325 P7327 P7350 P7365 P7540 P7544 P7594 P7603 P7611 P7675 P7676 P7686 P7850 P7892 P7900 P7901 P7909 P7971 P7974 P8010 P8014 P8022 P8034 P8092 P8093 P8096 P8133 P8142 P8167 P8170 P8173 P8185 P8187 P8188 P8190 P8203 P8236 P8258 P8344 P8347 P8362 P8387 P8422 P8437 P8464 P8471 P8503 P8505 P8509 P8515 P8527 P8566 P8597 P8608 P8643 P8644 P8648 P8665 P8666 P8708 P8785 P9312 P9333 P9424 P9499 P9505 R6626 R6710 R6752 R6762 R6768 R6836 R6881 R6920 R6925 R6927 R6991 R7020 R7022 W3128 W3308 W3313 W3371 W3721 W3828 W3834 W3836 W3837 W3933 X4019 X4021 X4030 X4033 X4061 X4063 X4066 X4164 X4170 X4172 X4173 X4174 X4175 X4176 X4178 X4179 X4252 X4253 X4254 X4255 X4259 X4265 X4274 X4347 X4348 X4356 X4490 X4593 X4594 X4613 X4646 X4716 X4833 X4834 X4997 AA718 AA720 AB928 AB933 AB939 AB964 AB970 AB973 AD118 AD178 AD362

More details of Spitfire squadrons and aircraft fate can be found here -

home

www.airhistory.org.uk

 

[Sluff]

Here is a list of 266 Sqdn Spitfires -

266Sq

UO

K9840 K9850 K9864 K9996 L1011 L1043 L1059 L1088 N3092 N3094 N3095 N3099 N3100 N3118 N3120 N3125 N3127 N3168 N3169 N3170 N3175 N3178 N3179 N3181 N3189 N3197 N3240 N3244 N3245 N3246 N3247 P7285 P7287 P7288 P7289 P7294 P7295 P7296 P7297 P7304 P7307 P7309 P7310 P7311 P7313 P7315 P7324 P7325 P7327 P7350 P7365 P7540 P7544 P7594 P7603 P7611 P7675 P7676 P7686 P7850 P7892 P7900 P7901 P7909 P7971 P7974 P8010 P8014 P8022 P8034 P8092 P8093 P8096 P8133 P8142 P8167 P8170 P8173 P8185 P8187 P8188 P8190 P8203 P8236 P8258 P8344 P8347 P8362 P8387 P8422 P8437 P8464 P8471 P8503 P8505 P8509 P8515 P8527 P8566 P8597 P8608 P8643 P8644 P8648 P8665 P8666 P8708 P8785 P9312 P9333 P9424 P9499 P9505 R6626 R6710 R6752 R6762 R6768 R6836 R6881 R6920 R6925 R6927 R6991 R7020 R7022 W3128 W3308 W3313 W3371 W3721 W3828 W3834 W3836 W3837 W3933 X4019 X4021 X4030 X4033 X4061 X4063 X4066 X4164 X4170 X4172 X4173 X4174 X4175 X4176 X4178 X4179 X4252 X4253 X4254 X4255 X4259 X4265 X4274 X4347 X4348 X4356 X4490 X4593 X4594 X4613 X4646 X4716 X4833 X4834 X4997 AA718 AA720 AB928 AB933 AB939 AB964 AB970 AB973 AD118 AD178 AD362

More details of Spitfire squadrons and aircraft fate can be found here -

home

www.airhistory.org.uk

Great research . What I need is ID letters to match. P7289 =UO-D. P7350= UO-T. P7365= UO-?. Building a Mk.II that served during the BoB. Near as I can tell the P72?? -P73?? series were delivered for Sept. 40.

 

[Wurger]

The Spitfire Mk.II P7365 was later sent to No. 603 Squadron and from 6-9-1940 wore code XT-Z. On 27th October 1940 flown by P/O R.B Dewey was shot down and hit the ground at Apple Tree Comer, Chartham Hatch. The pilot was killed. The P7350 with the 603 Sqn wore the code letters XT-W.

PS. I found also the P7324 UO-N and P7315 but still without the individual letter.

 

[Wurger]

And possible P729? UO-O ...

 

[Wurger]

Regarding the P7354 and the No.612 Squadron ... there is something wrong with that statement. The No.612 Squadron wasn't the fighter unit until the end of the WW2 The squadron was formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit ( Auxiliary Air Force ). During the war the squadron was used for the recce missions mostly and was equipped with Avro Tutor, Anson , Hawker Hector initially and then the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Vickers Wellington. The squadron got Spitfire after the war in 1946 when was reformed into the fighter unit.

 

[Alex Smart]

Spitfire I - N3169 - P/O. J,W,B, Stevenson + 2nd June 1940 was I believe the first combat loss of 266 Sqdn.
Perhaps a good choice for your model ?

N3197 -'OU⊙S', P7350 - 'OU⊙T', N3178 - 'OU⊙K'

 

[Sluff]

Spitfire I - N3169 - P/O. J,W,B, Stevenson + 2nd June 1940 was I believe the first combat loss of 266 Sqdn.
Perhaps a good choice for your model ?

N3197 -'OU⊙S', P7350 - 'OU⊙T', N3178 - 'OU⊙K'

Thanks. Looking for a Mk.II, in service during the BoB, that I can build with decals I have on hand.

 

[Sluff]

Regarding the P7354 and the No.612 Squadron ... there is something wrong with that statement. The No.612 Squadron wasn't the fighter unit until the end of the WW2 The squadron was formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit ( Auxiliary Air Force ). During the war the squadron was used for the recce missions mostly and was equipped with Avro Tutor, Anson , Hawker Hector initially and then the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Vickers Wellington. The squadron got Spitfire after the war in 1946 when was reformed into the fighter unit.

Yeah. Someone screwed the pooch there. I found the same info on 612.

 

[Sluff]

The Spitfire Mk.II P7365 was later sent to No. 603 Squadron and from 6-9-1940 wore code XT-Z. On 27th October 1940 flown by P/O R.B Dewey was shot down and hit the ground at Apple Tree Comer, Chartham Hatch. The pilot was killed. The P7350 with the 603 Sqn wore the code letters XT-W.

PS. I found also the P7324 UO-N and P7315 but still without the individual letter.

View attachment 881827

Story I heard on 7315 is she was put in service/filmed before being assigned an ID letter. Sqn. "spare" at the time?

 

[Sluff]

The Spitfire Mk.II P7365 was later sent to No. 603 Squadron and from 6-9-1940 wore code XT-Z. On 27th October 1940 flown by P/O R.B Dewey was shot down and hit the ground at Apple Tree Comer, Chartham Hatch. The pilot was killed. The P7350 with the 603 Sqn wore the code letters XT-W.

PS. I found also the P7324 UO-N and P7315 but still without the individual letter.

View attachment 881827

Story I heard on 7315 is she was put in service/filmed before being assigned an ID letter

Is there anyway to easily match census numbers to aircraft letters? IE: P7289 - D (UO*D). Have IDed 2 266 Sqn birds, D and T (P7350) Looking for 266 Sqn. BoB MkII Spits. Also P7354, 612 Sqn., WL*? and /or 611 Sqn. BoB Mk.IIs. FY*?.

 

[Sluff]

Thanks all for the help. Opted for P7324, UO*N. Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Spitfire P7324

 

[Wurger]

Thanks all for the help. Opted for P7324, UO*N. Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Spitfire P7324

the pic source: the net.