3 Squadron Kittyhawk

[cristo]

I am trying to identify this 3 Squadron Kittyhawk. The photo is from the Coffs Harbour Museum collection mus07-8640 and was probable taken by 15080 Leonard Black. Len was one of the 3 Squadron originals who departed Richmond 15/7/40 for Egypt.
He served with the squadron as a driver /mechanic until he was posted home 28/6/42 so the photo would have been taken between December 41 and June 42.
Unfortunately the serial on the tail is not legible. Looking through the operations record book for the time they were all AK or AL serials.
Any one know of any records which show the squadron letter codes from that time ?

Attached Image

[batman]

The first of these two from my records would fit, unfortunately don't have any CV-F AKs:
The first is within your window, the second a month later.

AL148 18/4/42 CV-F 16/7/42 crashed (Sgt Rodney) landing at LG.222, cat 2 to repair; [subsequently crashed 5/2/43 written off]

AL167 29/7/42* CV-F 17/9/42* (ex-260 Sqn); believed to repair; to 73 OTU belly landed 14/9/43 nr Abu Sueir; SOC 1/2/44

An * beside a date approximates the first or last date that the aircraft appears on surviving 3 Squadron records; other dates are recorded delivery, or departure, dates to/from 3 Squadron.


But wait for Gordy or Buz to come along.

JB

[Warhawk]

Hi

The then Sgt (Later PO) Edward Alderson flew AL148 CV-F on 29/05/42 and later 25/06/42 per his log entries with matching up Serials per Air Min 841 date entries. Also Serial and Codes is confirmed per 01/06/42 per Form 441A per Sgt G A Neill's Sortie report.

I have no code relations to serials prior to May 42 per CV-F per Mk1s.

RAF# CW Seq# C/N Note Unit Code
AL148 468 18782 H-87A-2 6 Gun Direct Purchase 3Sqn RAAF CV-F
AL167 487 18801 H-87A-2 6 Gun Direct Purchase 3Sqn RAAF/ CV-F underscore

Per certain identification points..this is a H-87A2 (Direct Purchase in Serial batch AK/AL*** ) and so therefore you can rule out any LL P-40E-1s of the ET/EV Serial block


Good Luck

Gordy

[batman]

Thx G,
Gr8 pic, enlarged looks like the last serial digit is '8'.
I'd go with AL148.

[cristo]

Thanks Batman and Gordy. Agree the last number is possibly an 8. I think we can say its highly likely this is AK 148
Cheers Ray

[Brenden S]

Last number is 8 for sure. I can't make out the 14 before it though.