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By: 9th June 2012 at 17:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Those are post-war codes, and the aircraft has the hole for an agent-dropper (or paratrooper).
FEP.x codes belong to 21 HGCU (Heavy Glider Conversion Unit) so the aircraft is probably an A Mk.7 in use as a glider tug. Combat Codes gives as an example FEP.D PP374. Flying Training and Support Units quote the same example and state that the unit was disbanded 3.12.47.
Is it possible to read the serial from the original?
By: 10th June 2012 at 14:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-I looked at the enlargement and couldn't make out the serial. It looks like it might be PP??7.
It's indeed a Halifax of 21 HGCU and based on the markings I'd guess it's taken between April 1946 and June 1947 which means it's taken at either RAF Elsham Wolds or RAF North Luffenham.
Judging by the photo and one preceding it it looks like a ground loop. Aircraft seems to of come off the pavement at speed, spun and the port tyre has come off the rim and dug in.
Interestingly I have a picture of FEPB another Halifax from the same unit with the exact same markings.
By: 12th June 2012 at 22:45 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Thanks everyone for the input. Including it the Bomber Command group might not be right it seems..but I assume the aircraft likely had wartime service?
For some reason I assumed glider operations would have ended with the end of WW2! It never occured to me it might be being used for that post-war.
By: 13th June 2012 at 07:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-For some reason I assumed glider operations would have ended with the end of WW2! It never occured to me it might be being used for that post-war.
We had a thread on this a while back:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=111658
By: 13th June 2012 at 09:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Halifax A Mk.IXs were built as such, and were postwar types. Bomber Command got rid of its Halifaxes rapidly in the interests of standardisation, but one A Mk.IX did get into Coastal Command as a trainer for the Met. units.
The A Mk.VIIs were also purpose built, but that may not be true of the A Mk.IIIs. I suspect they were all new build.
By: 26th December 2014 at 13:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Excuse the thread necromancy but I think I've identified the aircraft/incident in question. :)
From the 21 HGCU ORB:
"Elsham Wolds, Nov. 18th 1946 - Halifax PP367 burst port tyre on landing 22.15 hrs. Cat AC. No Casualties."
Of related interest Halifax VII PP377 (FEPB) suffered a similar accident after burst tyre in August the same year.
Posts: 90
By: Slummer - 9th June 2012 at 16:57
Everynow and again I do a trawl on flickr to find new photos for my Bomber Command group.
The latest gem:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boringblurb/6413066407/
Can anyone tell me and the owner any more about it? Is it an OTU aircraft?
Thanks