Lincoln, Beaufort & Blenheim, Any photos we can use?

[Brendan Cowan]

Hi All,

I'm turning some info from Tony McDonald on the Lincoln, Beaufort & Blenheim in RNZAF service into some new pages and would like to make an apeal for photos that we can use.

I have one image of Lincoln RF385 (AA-A of 75 Sqn), but I know that better quality prints/scans than the one shown here are out there. I also have one shot of it later in RAF service. the other two Lincolns that I am seeking are RF383 & RF388.

I don't hold out much hope of finding Blenheims & Beaforts in RNZAF service - but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Attached Image

[Brendan Cowan]

Here she is again laer in her RAF career:

Attached Image

[Brendan Cowan]

Here's another (poorer quality) pic of RF388 on 27 Feb 1946 at Mildenhall once she had been passed on from 75 (NZ) Sqn to 47 (Rhodesia) Sqn.

Attached Image

[Brendan Cowan]

As for the Beauforts and Bleheims, the serial numbers am am looking for are:

Beauforts

N1075 Mk.I 489 Sqn XA-A
1941: August; Initial squadron allocation.
2nd October; Plt Off C E Horwood. Departed Leuchars for solo training, but crashed in the mouth of the river Eden on the approach.

N1089 Mk.I 489 Sqn
1941: August; Initial squadron allocation.
1942: January; Transferred to the Middle East.

N1105 Mk.I 489 Sqn
1941: August; Initial squadron allocation.
1942: January; Transferred to the Middle East.

N1106 Mk.I 489 Sqn
1941: August; Initial squadron allocation.
1942: January; Transferred to the Middle East.

Bleheims

L1371 Mk.I 488 Sqn
Previous service with 456 Sqn RAAF.
1942: September. BoC as a training aircraft.
1943: 1st July; SoC.

N3503 Mk.IV 489 Sqn XA-B
Ex 143 Sqn Aircraft.

P3845 Mk.IV 489 Sqn XA-H
Ex 143 Sqn Aircraft.

Z6342 Mk.IV 489 Sqn
Ex 143 Sqn Aircraft.
1942: 8th March; Flt Sgt F H Wilkinson. Suffered engine failure on take-off from Worthy Down enroute to Thorney Island, stalled from 100ft and crashed killing the crew. O: Flt Sgt J A C London; W.Op/AG: Plt Off C H O Priest

Of course, if you have any other aircraft/details to add to the listings, that would be great too.

Cheers

Brendan

[Brendan Cowan]

Update:

Two of the Blenheim serials seem suspect on checking "British Military Aircraft Serials 1911 - 1979" Bruce Robertson.

N3503 Mk.IV 489 Sqn XA-B
Ex 143 Sqn Aircraft.
(Check Serial - N3503 is allocated to a Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I)

P3845 Mk.IV 489 Sqn XA-H
Ex 143 Sqn Aircraft.
(Check Serial - P3845 is allocated to a Hawker Hurricane Mk.I)

Does anyone have any other information or leads on RNZAF Blenheims that could help us?

Brendan

[Brendan Cowan]

Further Update:

Beaufort Mk.I L9962 Might also have been taken on strength by 489 Sqn.

You can see these pages developing at:

Lincoln

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzlincoln.htm

Blenheim

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzblenheim.htm

Beaufort

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzbeaufort.htm

Or check out our links to the lot at:

http://www.adf-serials.com.au/rafww11.htm


Cheers

BC