Anson I L7056

**robstitt** · 27th February 2014, 00:25

Would some kind soul please look up the history of L7056.

Thanks!

Robert

**Dakota** · 27th February 2014, 02:57

G'day Rob

How are things on the 'wet' coast?

Anson s/n L7056 began service in the Royal Air Force with the School of Air Navigation. This followed by No. 9 Flying Training School. Finally it served with No. 6 Flying Training School.

It was taken on strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 25th of June, 1941. at Aircraft Repair at Edmonton, Alberta. It was taken on strength with Western Air Command and sent to No. 32 Operational Training Unit on the 5th of November, 1941.

The aircraft was written off on the 1st of December, 1942 following its disappearance with a four-man crew during a routine navigation exercise on the 30th of October, 1942.

Incidentally Rob, the serial number is listed as 7056.

Cheers...Chris

**robstitt** · 27th February 2014, 05:25

Three days of snow, Chris! Thanks for the history.

Another question: Do you have any knowledge of Anson Is in Canada with their long fuselage windows covered over and replaced by four round windows? Am aware that the Anson V had a molded fuselage with three round windows but have just seen a distant image of a four smaller round window arrangement. The fuselage contouring looks like a Mk I. You can see it at: https://sites.google.com/site/sparta...e/other-images

Looking around the internet I see what seems to be a standard mod to the Anson I fuselage glazing built on the existing square panels, like the one in this thread, post #111: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showt...om-2004)/page4

Perhaps the one in the image I have is a one-off, possibly done at Edmonton...?

Re '7056', Bill Walker's web site lists both L7056 and 7056 as Anson Is (the latter quoted as ex RAF 'AN794' but this was a Vengeance serial). Do you mean L7056 is recorded in the records as '7056'? And was there a second Anson I that wore 7056?

Do you think the 'L' in the serial L7056 would have been dropped when applied for RCAF service?

Robert

**Bill Walker** · 27th February 2014, 14:12

Rob, concerning the windows:

The RCAF had a winterization kit for standard welded tube fuselage Ansons that included blanking some of the fuselage windows. The few windows remaining were square, not round. The same "kit" was built into Canadian built Mk. II Ansons. There was one low fuselage Anson with round windows, the "Vidal Anson" 8649. This was a conversion of UK built 6013, and was the prototype for the Mk. V. It had a molded wooden fuselage, but it did not have the raised roof line of the final Mk. V. There is a good photo in "Canadian Aircraft Since 1909", on page 61.

Concerning 7056 and L7056, these were two different aircraft. The former RAF serial for 7056 comes from the Record Card, I guess it is a typo. This block of RCAF serials has several similar typos, 7053 was listed as AN788, 7062 is listed as AN811, etc. All Vengeance serial numbers, as you pointed out. Can anybody sort out the real serial numbers from the UK end?

RCAF records of the time often dropped the letter prefixes from RAF style serials. This probably wasn't a problem at the time - L7056 was at 32 OTU on the west coast, while 7056 was a few thousand miles away with 1 TC in Ontario or Quebec. It does make it more "interesting" trying to read those records today. You need to check the context to make sure you have the full serial number.

BTW, as far as I know the full RAF style serial, with all letters, was always applied on the aircraft when that was the official RCAF serial, it was only the written records where letters sometimes were dropped. There are several documented cases of the RAF style serial remaining on the fuselage several months after the RCAF serial was officially issued.

**Dakota** · 27th February 2014, 14:32

G'day Rob

L7056 and 7056 are two different Anson Mk. I's.

7056 served with No. 33 Air Navigation School at Mount Hope (Hamilton), Ontario. It made a wheels up forced landing 5 miles north of Kincardine, Ontario on the 30 of May 1944 due to an engine failure. The aircraft was written off.

I have not seen any photos of Anson Mk. I's configured with four distinct windows.

No photo of an aircraft shows up when I click on the link for 'Others'.

AN794 is the manufacturer's number not a serial number according to my record card of this aircraft.

Cheers...Chris

**Bill Walker** · 27th February 2014, 15:40

Chris and Rob, take a look at image number 3 at http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraf....php?ANSON-189 . An interesting mix of RAF camo and RCAF trainer markings, and partially blocked side windows of a Canadian winterization kit installed on a UK built Anson.

If it had four round windows, and was not a Mk. V, it must be 8649.

**robstitt** · 27th February 2014, 15:48

Thanks Bill and Chris. Very helpful.

Image is now in place - saving the page helped!: https://sites.google.com/site/sparta...e/other-images

Bill, why do you feel it must be 8649?

Robert

**Dakota** · 27th February 2014, 16:04

G'day Rob and Bill

Anson Mk. II s/n 8649X was with the Test & Development Flight at R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario as of the 25th of February It was re-serialed after being rebuilt from components of Anson Mk. I s/n 6013 (N9943) and a new fuselage from Vidal Research Corporation of New Rochelle, New York.

Cheers...Chris

**Bill Walker** · 27th February 2014, 18:43

I can see the picture now Rob, and that is a strange one. I can see RCAF on the tug, and the fuselage looks to be tube and rag. This is not 8649, which had a smooth contoured fuselage. Do we know where and when the picture was taken?

As you suggested, this may be a "locally fabricated" winter conversion kit. The side windows were a major source of leaks, which were not liked in a Canadian winter.