Y0043 - Hurricane I - 73 Sqdn - TP-H - 26-05-1940

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Y0043 - Hurricane I - 73 Sqdn - TP-H - 26-05-1940

F/O(P) Sydenham, Frank - 77793 - RAF.

This Hurricane is recorded as being serial number P3274.
Confirmation welcome.

Alex

[CZ_RAF]

Hi Alex,

73 Sq ORB RAF Form 540 noticed the accident but without the serial, RAF Form 541 stated no serials at all.

BUT according to:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ls/r/C14502217
AIR 81/579
Flying Officer H B Bell-Syer: missing, later reported safe; bailed out of Hurricane P3274 over France, 24 May 1940

Unfortunately I am not able to locate AIR 81 file for F/O Sydenham which may be helpful to find serial of his Hurricane.

Pavel

[Alex Smart]

Air81/405, Sydenham, P3274 also .
However it would seem that the earlier loss was not P3274 but was P2803.
FCL has the following.

26 May
Sydenham +
P3274 "H".
24 May Bell-Syer, wounded
P2803 'L'.
Carter Safe
'K",
19 May
Langham-Hobart Safe
P2543
Thompson Safe
N2385
Pilkington Safe
P2539
15 May
Orton wounded
P2579
Humphries wounded
L1693
14 May
Pyne +
P2812
Roe +
P2813
Dibden +
P2689
McFadden Safe
L1891

[Jagan]

P2803 is P E G Carter http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=P2803

But is also quoted for Pilot Officer David Nigel Wynnard Lloyd ANTHONY (40655) whose AIR81 mentions T2803 which is incorrect.

[Andy Marden]

A complicated situation surrounding 24/26 May...
Alex, can you confirm that in your summary list, the codes are correct for the pilot (so Sydenham H, Bell-Syer L, Carter K), or have they been matched with your belief of the serial involved?
Regarding N2385, I thought this was lost on 22 Dec 39?: https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C14141878
Andy

[Alex Smart]

73 ORB, pilot names and a/c in squadron letter .
And
N2385/Thompson 19 May 40, see FCL page 26 vol 1 revised.
December 39 event pilot Perry killed - a/c was N2385
Maybe the a/c was returned to service ?
T2803 was a Wellington.
But perhaps at some stage P2803 may have been a/c "T" ?

[Jagan]

73 ORB, pilot names and a/c in squadron letter .
And
N2385/Thompson 19 May 40, see FCL page 26 vol 1 revised.

What about N2358 ?

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...286#post124286

N2358 but this Hurricane never flew with 605 Sqn., only 43 and 73 Squadrons. I believe N2358 was lost or abandoned in France during May/June 1940. Its F.78 has no subsequent history

[Alex Smart]

N2358 has been reported many times as being exported to Finland from the 2nd February 1940.
So that opens up another avenue to search ?

[Andy Marden]

I think the report of N2358 going to Finland is incorrect. All 12 of their aircraft are known:

HU-451 (ex N2393)
HU-452 (ex N2394)
HU-453 (ex N2395)
HU-454 (ex N2348)
HU-455 (ex N2350) - is this the one being confused with N2358?
HU-456 (ex N2392)
HU-457 (ex N2327)
HU-458 (ex N2323)
HU-459 (ex N2322)
HU-460 (ex N2324)
HU-461 (ex N2325)
HU-462 (ex N2347)

They also captured 42 white/Z2585 from the Soviets in Feb42.

[Alex Smart]

OK,
One was not delivered ( serial number ? ), two crashed on delivery ( serial numbers ? ), so that left nine. Then plus one Soviet .
Were any of the three British a/c replaced at some later date ?