Form 765c / AIR81 files related to Hawker Hurricanes

[Jagan]

Again what a find! - this really pins it down.. the engine did not change , still to the airframe. Belly Landing, fits the description, same engine, and lucky that you found the first entry otherwise we would have kept wondering about the missing digit.

The 6 Sqn aircraft lost their way flying to Bairgarh, Bhopal, and though 600km away from Moradabad, it is geographically and administratively 'closer'. UP (where Moradabad is) and Madhyapradesh would have been considered 'Central PRovinces' and likely same police force in this area.. much more plausible than Bengal and UP. it makes sense the best place to haul the aircraft would be to the MUs to the north (Kanpur, Delhi etc).. And it may have found itself in Moradabad somehow ..

The confidence factor that this was BN225 is now even higher..

Thanks once again!

[Andy Marden]

Sorry, I'm getting lost!
At one point it is said that BN225 was SOC on 1Jul42.
Later an incident on 2Mar43 is mentioned.
What am I missing please?

[Jagan]

it only confirms that the bare entry in Air Britain RAF Serials was sketchy to start with .

BN225 was hit by a vulture but "landed back safely" . It wasnt enough damage to be SOC - yet we found AB saying it was SOC on 1 July 42. This is wrong.

BN225 is found in the ORB of 607 Sqn for the month of October https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...mageViewerLink (Thanks to John E)

Then it found its way to 6 Sqn IAF where it was pranged on 2 March 43.

Maybe AB was a typo, they likely meant 1 July 43?

[paulmcmillan]

Do we know who was flying it 6 Sqn IAF where it was pranged on 2 March 43.

[Ross_McNeill]

Yup the perils of third party transcripts coupled with the cussedness of ORB/F1180 scribes - the transcript of the AM78 or the detail on the AM78 seems to be suspect.

I've asked up for a copy of the AM78 from Hendon to see if I can resolve it and to see if there are any further clues to other Cat A or B events for BN225.

Will report back when I get it.

Paul - from Jagan
https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/1763

Ross

[paulmcmillan]

thanks Ross

There is a bad scan on National Archives of 6 IAF Sqn ORB 15 - The Day new OC joins Sqn Sqn Ldr Meher Singh - 15 aircraft Ferrying, 6 Force Land - 1 pilot killed

No Doubt Jagan will be along soon to correct the names

F/Lt Moribahani ???

F/O Minoo Merwan Engineer: #1614 ?
F/O Joseph Charles De Lima - BN225 Service Number: 1763
F/O John Dunbar Aquino #1777

P/O Patel
P/O Behman Rattanshan Sanjana - Killed Service Number: 1699

[paulmcmillan]

Ross can I be cheeky and ask you post all 6 Serials and pilots if known ? Sanjana aircraft is not listed here

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?qnum=55225

Thanks

[Jagan]

F/L H N Mansukhani : 1571
F/O Minoo Merwan Engineer : 1614
F/O Joseph Charles De Lima - BN225 Service Number: 1763
F/O J D Aquino : 1777 F(P)
P/O A J Patel : 1737
P/O Behman Rattanshan Sanjana - Killed Service Number: 1699

I got a roster here: https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/D...2/6%20Squadron

[Ross_McNeill]

F/L H N Mansukhani : 1571 BN209 A219811 Cat B
F/O Minoo Merwan Engineer : 1614 BG675 (F1180 is 3/3/43) ? Cat B
F/O Joseph Charles De Lima - BN225 Service Number: 1763
F/O J D Aquino : 1777 F(P) BN314 A236323 Cat B
P/O A J Patel : 1737 BE676 A190063 Cat B
P/O Behman Rattanshan Sanjana - Killed Service Number: 1699 BH114 ? Cat E

Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Thanks Ross and Jagan

Missing names are

Hiranand Nandiram Mansukhani

Anilkumar Jhinabhai Patel