What Sqn in 1940 ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vickers_K_cockpit.jpg

Dunno. A few seconds googling yields the closest heraldic
device match for the bird with the 133 "eagle" sqn badge, but
133 sqn never flew Battles, according to wikipedia. Other
birds include 2, 20, 37, 56, 63, 71, 151, 201, 420 sqns,
but none of them in the style shown, and of them only
63 flew Battles, and their bird is a phoenix in flames.
Of course this quick search didn't come up with anywhere
near all the insignia for all the possible sqns.
Beyond that I can only observe that birds spreadeagled
like that I've mostly seen on eastern european heraldry.

...OK, dug a bit further, the only candidate which suggests
itself is 103sqn, which has a black swan insignia, which is
relatively close to the overall appearance of the pennant bird,
though I suspect the latter is supposed to be a black hawk
of some sort, and as with most of the bird insignia, the black
swan is shown in semi-profile and lifelike, rather than the
medieval stylized spreadeagle of the pennant.

That's a Battle right enough. 56 had a phoenix emblem but was a fighter squadron.

The code could be LU which makes it 101 Sqn up to 9/39 but their crest was a crown and lion.

After 9/39 103 was coded PM so the U might be the individual letter but is it in the in the wrong position? I think it should be before the roundel on the starboard side but not certain?

Sources state unofficial pennant, possibly Polish origin of 303 Sqdn who had Battles before BoB Hurricanes.???

I had thought the bird looked very eastern european, and wondered
if it were for a polish sqn, but wikipedia didn't identify 303 as
flying Battles.

Tracking the picture back says its 103 Squadron in France.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205207600

Some of the other pictures are great too.

S!

PV1,

That's correct. It couldn't be 303. That source is wrong. Both 300 and 301 Polish Battle squadrons were not formed until July 1940 and 303 in August.

Checking photographs of Battle starboard views shows the code arrangement reversed so the U is indeed the individual Squadron letter - Uncle - under the gunner's position.

Cherkasov,

It must therefore be what the IWM says it is; a Battle of 103 Squadron PM-U.

Good Job

DoH! It was right there, one click away. So
much for mr clever websearcher. Ah well, I will be
smarter next time, I hope...

Further to the Fairey Battle theme...

The aircraft in the background survived the Battle of France and went to the RNZAF but how many of these crewmen lived on to return to England?

Their pensive and jaded appearance suggests, possibly, some experience of Luftwaffe superiority and 226 Squadron losses already incurred. This was taken at Reims.

Certainly a contrast with the more usual posed pictures, they look like they've been through the mill.

S!

Wow

Keeping this thread in 1940;

The conifers in this part-pic feature heavily in the whole photograph - which has often been published. If you are familiar with it you may know the aircraft, too. This turret structure detail is diagnostic but....

Q: Which squadron put it into the plantation? The action took place after the Battle of Britain.

The m/u gunner was killed. Maybe by the same bullet that passed through the turret glazing.

Ref the plantation bomber:

It was a Fiat BR20 brought down in a daylight raid, 10 miles east of Ipswich on 11th November after a team effort by Leggett, Hedley and Walker of 46 Squadron who were each credited with a 1/3rd victory. Possibly the same one which had already received the attention of Priak and North of 257.

They look absolutely knackered. Poor buggers.

And notice that they have mostly Sergeant Observers brevets but the middle guy of the back three has his Wings.

S!







Paul

There are at least two with the rank of Leading Aircraftman and some Battles even carried Aircraftman 1st Class crewmen into action.

The minimum aircrew rank of Sergeant (SNCO) was not introduced until May 1940.