A member of the facebook group has asked (twice, once in March and again just now (July)) about details related to the “What We See We Take” nose art applied [according to the AWM] a 100SQN Beaufort. Unfortunately, he hasn’t received a reply.

After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, I was able to come up with some information when this was asked on the forum back in 2019/20. I have since deleted my contribution to that discussion, but since it is now of some interest, and so this person (and others) don’t continue to waste their time unnecessarily thinking that it is related to a Beaufort, I thought I’d offer the following.

The nose art (evidently a decal) has nothing to do with 100SQN or Beaufort aircraft – 100SQN or otherwise.

I believe that the decal is applied to the left hand nose of an Avro Anson.

The attached image [below] shows the nose art at left [AWM Image P03522.003] and compares it with an image of the nose of an Avro Anson [NLA image nla.obj-144947996] which just happens to show the same area of the nose in reasonable detail. On the LH image, I’ve circled the small porthole in Green, the leading edge of the muzzle trough blanking plate (and screw) in Red and traced two lines of rivets in Black and have done the same with the RH image. Notice that between the two images, these items are each visible and remain in the same relationship with each other. This illustrates why I believe that the decal is applied to an Anson. None of the details visible on/under/or around the decal in the AWM image matches anything on any part of a Beaufort (or any other aircraft type that was “assessed” for similarities) and yet on that portion of an Avro Anson’s nose the details match perfectly. So, for me, there is no doubt that it is an Avro Anson and nothing else.

A quick bit of RAAF unit genealogy before proceeding:
Survey Flight formed on 04OCT39, was re-named Survey Squadron on 01NOV46 then was re-named as 87(Survey)SQN on 08MAR48 and, finally, re-designated as 87(PR)SQN on 01DEC49. It disbanded on 30AUG53.

1PRU formed on 08JUN42 and was disbanded on 09SEP44 when 87(PR)SQN was formed in its place (so, in effect, 1PRU was re-named 87(PR)SQN on 09SEP44). 87(PR)SQN disbanded on 24JUL46.

Notice that the wartime 87(PR)SQN had a different lineage to the post war 87(PR)SQN.

Back to the “What We See We Take” nose art decal.

Initially, I had thought that the device might have been a 1PRU (or 87SQN) design rather than a Survey Flight or Survey Unit design because a) I had been shown a picture of the same design in a digitized collection of 1PRU images and (bee) it seemed pretentious for a unit like Survey Flight to display a design suggestive of operating in a hostile environment since it never did.

But, neither 1PRU or 87SQN operated Anson’s. Survey Flight did operate Anson’s, using them through until 1946 or 1947. Similarly, I have not been able to find any evidence of Survey Flight Anson’s visiting Coomalie Creek (1PRU/87SQN’s base), although two Hudson’s did.

So, it seemed curious that design that seemed relevant to the operations of 1PRU/87SQN and which appeared in a 1PRU album, should appear on an aircraft type that was not operated by that unit or which (as a survey aircraft) had visited their base. To my mind the connection must be personnel.

There were some (senior) people with experience with both units. FLTLT Law as CO of Survey Flight from MAY40 until SEP42 and then CO 1PRU from JUN42 until SEP44 (one source says APR44) and then CO of Survey Flight again from (APR44) until JUL45. FLTLT Gamble was CO Survey Flight from SEP42 until APR44 and CO 87SQN from DEC44 to JUL45.

At this time, I do not know the identity of the Avro Anson.

I hope this helps.

Edit: Removed a "smilie" that inserted itself instead of the intended "b)".
Edit (again) because this system seems to want to put a smilie in when I don't want one ... so I've put in "[bee]". Who knows if that'll work (there - there's your smilie !) :rolleyes:

This post has been edited by Shep on Jul 8 2024, 08:38 PM

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