Lancater Airframe Codes with the suffix 'G' after them.What does it stand for?

[barnsley]

I have seen a picture of a Lancaster serving with 166 Squadron in April 1944 with a letter 'G' after the airframe number,ie ND757/G. Im not talking about the Squadron Aircraft code letter here.I seem to recall it meant that the aeroplane was fitted with the 'G' box (before it was a standard issue).ND 757 was new to 166 squadron so it wasnt put there on another Squadron.Can anyone confirm what the G meant?
Thanks,B.

[jossleclercq]

Hello

That meant that the aircraft had to be guarded by soldiers all the time. Famous cases are the modified Lancasters for "Chastise", or the E28/39 prototypes.

Joss

[Ross_McNeill]

Any aircraft with a G suffix after the serial was required to be subject to a 24 hour armed guard while on the ground.

Regards
Ross

[barnsley]

Well the guard didnt do a very good job,there are aircrew and ground crew lounging about over bomb Trollies,standing in front of the H2s and at the rear of the aircraft! Do you think that the Top Security rating had passed by the time the picture was taken?As I say ND757 was new to 166 in late March early April 1944.I cant really match the High security rating with the photo!Thanks for your help,B.

[Resmoroh]

Same like when we had to guard these so-called bog-standard Comets overnight at El Adem. Don't know if those airframes had /G after the airframe ident - I doubt it. It would have given the game away!! It seemed to have rather more vhf aerials sticking out all over it than the normal Comets. They were routed UK - Marseilles - Malta - El Adem, but it was quite clear from the Met debriefs that they'd been nowhere near that route after Marseilles!!! Yet the Navs, at debrief, said the weather they'd encountered was EXACTLY as had been forecast from the UK. Never, ever, been known!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all know what they were up to!
HTH
Peter Davies

[MikeW156]

Barnsley

Was April 44 the date of the photo or assumed period?
Was GH equipment used on 1 Group or was that confined to one of the others?
Any markings on the fins?
Was the aircraft lost/shot down - is there likely to be a BC loss card for it?
Was it transferred from another squadron/maintenance unit?

Regards

Mike

[David Duxbury]

My feeling is that when the servicing staff and/or the crew crew were present beside a "G" maked aircraft, then it was considered to be under close human observation and therefore a separeate guard was no longer necessary (although ground crew members would not normally be armed of course). Incidentally, I doubt that a "soldier" was specified to guard such aircraft (why would Army personnel be on the station anyway?), more likely to be any hapless airman who was detailed for the job that day (and his replacements on through the night!)
David D