Curtiss Kittyhawk II AK595

[Andy Marden]

A recently closed auction on ebay shows Curtiss Kittyhawk II AK595:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/256197757472
The serial is clearly visible, and it is coded GA-Y of 112 Sqn.
The seller's info says "shot down in Libya 1942".
There is no useful on the aircraft's record card. It was Permanently Struck Off Charge (PSOC) on 1 Jan 47, which usually shows paperwork catching up with events long afterwards.
Has anyone accessed the 112 Sqn ORBs for 1942 to see if they offer any clues as to what actually happened to this machine?

[vrajm]

Hi Andy,

"Duke specifically mentions 6 x .50 in his first assigned Kitty AK595 GA-Y on 7 Jan '42 but he crash landed this aircraft on 11 Jan '42 following a cockpit fire."

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/...-40b-or-p-40e/

In his book Test Pilot. London: Grub Street, 2003, Neville Duke writes: "... on my twentieth birthday, we were to escort bombers... It was a Sunday. ..."

https://www.google.cz/books/edition/...sec=frontcover

He was born 11 January 1922, Tonbridge, Kent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Duke#References

11 January 1942 - really Sunday, but the 112 ORB shows P/O Duke's op on 9 January only.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D8386409

Regards

Mojmir

[Andy Marden]

Mojmir,
Thanks for that. AK595 could have been lost on a non-operational flight I suppose (airtest?), so it would not be entered in the ORB. The 9 Jan 42 entry makes no mention of a crash, although I have seen previous instances where an aircraft is given the same up and down time as other aircraft, even though it crashed much earlier.
Andy

[Franek Grabowski]

Andy, as far as I know Duke had been writing his books based on his detailed period notes. Thus the accuracy is considered high. His log books and notes have been sold a few years ago, so I do not have any idea where they are and if they could be consulted.
That said, log books or ORBs are full of inaccuracies, and sometimes contain unbelievable errors. Lots of cross checking is usually necessary.
Franek

[Ross_McNeill]

Looking at F1180, entries for No.112 Sqn Jan/Feb 42 are a bit few and far between given the number of aircraft abandoned during the rapid moves.

However on 11th Jan 1942 one card has been raised - sparse info but specific in some regards such as engine number.
It looks like the card was raised from the Form 756c return

AK749 cat R - edge code opened up for Cat E or B - assume Cat B. Crash landing 1 mile SW Msus.

No other detail

Ross

[SteveBrooking]

The "go to" man on P-40s is Buz he is a member but he is having trouble getting on to RAF Commands lately he says....

AK595 – Flown by PLTOFF N Duke, aircraft was force landed when smoke filled the cockpit (I believe this was on a transit flight from Msus to Antelat) – Source was correspondence with Mr N Duke in 2003 when we were discussing flights, aircraft codes and any he bounced. This aircraft has no known service life after this accident until SOC 1/1/47

IRT Ross’s post on AK749 - Aircraft damaged in crash landing 1 Mile SW of Msus 11/1/42 (pilot not identified) during the same flight as above) . Aircraft was repaired and went on to serve with 3RAAF and 450 SQN until heavily damaged on 12th Jun 1942, after which there is no known SQN usage until it is SOC 8/3/44.