Afc Maurice Farman M.f.11 On Its Back, AFC Maurice Farman M.F.11 on its back

[setter1]

Another pair of photos I have come across are of an AFC Maurice Farman M.F.11 on its back in the desert - I cant read all of the serial but the last 2 digits are 67 - any thoughts?
Kind regards
John

[batman]

JP

Doubt it is an AFC machine, but in the Middle East.
I think it is A367, which arrived at XAD RFC in 9/16 (that was the Aircraft Depot in Egypt). Then to 20 (Res) Wing RFC (i.e. a training unit), where it was SOC 20/10/16.

67 (Australian) Sqn (later 1AFC) arrived in Egypt in 4/16. The Mark Lax book on 1AFC does not list any MFSH aircraft - but trainee pilots (plus those for the 2nd Sqn/68 Sqn/2AFC raised at Kantara from 9/16) may have flown these in training with 20 Wing.

Is it an AWM image?

[setter1]

Hi No its not an AWM image - at least this copy isn't - it comes from a batch in one of the State Libraries but has no titles other than 2 Sqn AFC?" but as there are other images in the file that are clearly 1 Sqn later on I cant be sure but its great history once we know.
I have a heap of unknown shots of the squadron/flight staff which I will post to see if anybody can identify them as well as a lot of unidentified aircraft shots - I am sure some of the photos are well known but some aren't so a bit of fun sluthing them out!

A367 works for me - its the only combination of numbers I can think of on one of these in the area - so well done and thanks
I wonder if it was the same aircraft which is unidentified in the ADF photo collection "Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn 2 Sqn AFC, crash landed at Heliopolis, Egypt. " It seems to have damage consistant with that in my two photos once it was righted again?

Kind regards
John

[Brendan Cowan]

Several images in the AWM collection have captions that cannot be taken at face value.

This image has always puzzleded me:

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/MF-1...horn/P01034_005

Often the AWM receives images from family members and the historical fact get a bit confused - and that confusion manifests itself in the caption.

BC

[batman]

Hi BC,

I agree with your AWM captions comment.

Again, like the previous A367, this was probably with the 20th (Reserve, i.e. Training) Wing at Helipolis, and probably c SEP 1916.
This was the period student pilots were under training to form the AFC's 2nd Squadron (68 Sqn / 2AFC) before moving to UK. Note that 21 (Trg) Sqn was one of the 20 Wg units.

I have done some more digging, and know of other M.F.11s in this category.
A365 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 13/9/16

A366 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 21/9/16, SOC 29/10/17 (maybe 2016?)

A367 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 21/9/16, SOC 20/10/16

A368 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 25/9/16

A369 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 25/9/16, 21TS Ismailia/ME 25/1/18, failed to fully throttle back on landing and glided very fast and flew straight into ground - Sgt Cdt WV Simons killed.

JB

[batman]

And further to my last.

20 (Reserve) Wing, based at Aboukir (Abu Qir), comprised:
- 21 Res Sqn, lower trg MFSH, probably at Aboukir.
- 22 Res Sqn, Avro 504 at Aboukir
- 23 Res Sqn, at Aboukir advanced ('higher') trg on B.E.2c.
22 and 23 Sqns had formed at Aboukir on 24 Aug 1916.

From some research I did decades ago into the AFC, I found that AVM A.T. ('King') Cole flew the following MF.11s on 21 Res Sqn in SEP 1916:
A338
A339
A367.
This is from AWM Personnel Records PR88/154.
He flew MF.11s with 21 Res Sqn Sep 1916, then B.E.2cs with 23 Res Sqn Oct 1916, and then B.E.2cs with 67 (Aus) Sqn in Nov 1916.
All I have on A338 is:
- From XAP 14/8/16 allotted 20ResWg, to 21TS Egypt 19/11/17 [by now Res Sqns are Trg Sqns].
XAP was at Kantara.
Will report as I find more.

This post has been edited by batman on Nov 17 2018, 05:22 PM

[setter1]

Hi Guys
Many thanks for researching this I am digging too so hope we get somewhere
Kind regards
John

[setter1]

PS My money is on "A367 arrive XAP 6/9/16, to 20 Res Wg 21/9/16, SOC 20/10/16" so far as the photos depict it in fairly good cosmetic condition as you would expect after just a month of service

This post has been edited by setter1 on Nov 14 2018, 09:34 AM