I’m trying to model an Airfix 1/48 Mk1 Hurricane after an aircraft in the Canadian No 1 Fighter Squadron (later to become the 401) and I’m trying to find information on the aircrafts markings. Does anyone know what ID codes the squadron and groups in the squadron used?
There are no shots of Hurris on this page, but you may be interested in these photos of 401 Sqn aircraft:
No. 401 ‘Ram’ Squadron Photographs
There’s a buncha shots of captured aircraft as well. Interesting stuff.
Here’s a shot of a 401 Sqn Hurricane II coded YO-N, serial Z3658. Photo is from July 24th 1941…
As to the markings of aircraft while the unit was still numbered as 1Sqn, I’ll have to see what I have in the archives.
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I just found it in my handy SAM Hurricane book, profile and all, so scratch the info below, unless it does apply to the same Canadian squadron. For 401 Squadron of the RCAF we have squadron code YO. The a/c in the profile is in the later green/gray day scheme and the ship is a IIB. I know this is later than what you are modeling, but did the squadron letter codes changes with the squadron number?
But now I’m confused. In my SAM Hurricane reference book they show a photo of birds (these are Hurricane IIc’s) identified as being from 1 Sqn., with the code letters JX. But are the various commonwealth aircraft numbered under their own systems? Did Australia and South Africa each have their own No. 1 Sqn.?
There is, further, a profile of a Hurricane Mk. I from this squadron, JX*G. It has a black spinner whose nose half is red. And, oddest of all, at least to me, is the rudder, which is a series of blue, white and red vertical stripes, with the blue stripe fathest aft, then white, then red foward. Tyhere is no find flash. I’ve never seen this on an RAF aircraft, but with its “sand and spinach” camo and the unusual markings, it is an attractive bird. The letters, of course, are in gray, but I always forget which gray.
I hope there is a grain of help in here amidst a whole pile of confusion.
TOM
Osprey Aircraft of the Aces #18 “Hurricane Aces 1939-1940” has pictures & profiles of two No.1 Squadron Hurricanes. The codes are JX B & JX G. The JX B is the famous " Bee" flown by Flt. LT. A. V. Clowes. The code colors are shown in the typical Medium grey.
Regards, Rick
YO was the code for 1 Sqdn and 401 Sqdn. However JX was also the code for 1 Sqdn who had Hurricanes Mks 1. I have a picture of Hurricane Mk1 JX B P3395 of No 1 Sqdn ( at Wittering) in 1940. There is a colour side view of this a/c in the Osprey Hurricanes of the Aces.I think 401 Sqdn adopted the code YO at the very end of 1941 and had Spitfires MkVb. P3395 was at Northolt (just west of London) and was shot down on 1/9/40 by 109’s. According to the SAM Book Superscale do Decals for this a/c in 1:48 scale.
To clear some things up…
Aircraft marked with the code ‘JX’ were from 1 Sqn RAF, not 1 Sqn RCAF.
1 Sqn RCAF was renumbered to 401 Sqn RCAF on March 1st, 1941. This was done to avoid confusion with 1 Sqn RAF and similar renumbering of many, if not all, RCAF squadrons in England also took place at this time, from what I can gather.
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I have yet to come across any wartime photos of 1 Sqn RCAF aircraft, but here are two shots of the old CWH Hurri…
I dunno if this is the aircraft that burned in the CWH hangar fire… I think it is. Anyhoo, seeing as it’s a restored aircraft it shouldn’t be used as a prime reference, but I believe that it’s probably a very good representation.
Will post anything else I find.
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Yes, I found Capt. Clowes JX*B Hurricane 1, with the bee on the nose, listed as 1 Sqdn. at Collyweston in Nov. 1940, with nine kills recorded. This a/c is on Sky Decals sheet 48 051"Hawker Hurricane Part 1." It is an outstanding AM sheet that includes markings for 15 different machines on it. Sky Decals is an Italian firm that makes excellent markings with, in my experience, perfect register and careful color matching. The sheet also includes all the MacRobert memorial Hurricanes. I highly recommend it. I don’t have the link, but I Googled it a while back and got a look at their current list of sheets.
TOM
Quote: "I dunno if this is the aircraft that burned in the CWH hangar fire… I think it is. "
Yes, sadly, YO-A was lost in the hangar fire in Feb. 1993 at CWH.
Are you looking for pics of No. Squadron Hurcs that were in use in Canada or after it went overseas. I have at least 1 pic of a 1 Sq. aircraft near Vancouver, but nothing from when it was based in Nova Scotia. If you should get any from the N.S. period, I’d like to get copies, as I am originally from Nova Scotia.
I’m particlary looking markings for RCAF Squadron No. 1 that fought in the Battle of Brittain. It was the only Canadian squadron in the BoB. They changed from No 1 Squardon to the 401 because of confusion with the RAF No 1 squardon and a Polish No 1 squardon.
This makes it kind of difficult on web searches because of the mutiple No 1 squadrons and because the change from No 1 to 401.
One story I read that described the reason for the change in squardon numbers was that one day the Canadian, British and Polish squadrons were at the same airbase and the tower gave clearance for No 1 squadron to take off and all 3 squadrons took off at the same time!
Thanks, all, for your help on this!
Clowes was British (born in Derbyshire) and ended up a Flt Lt. He appears to have served with 1Sqdn RAF, among others. I Sqdn RCAF bore that title during the BoB - as BW - says it did not change until 1941 - the BoB lasted from July to October 1940 officially. I have a list of 1Sqdn RCAF who fought in the BoB whcih may help identify a/c. On the basis that YO was the code for 1Sqdn RCAF
I can offer “id” letters of YO-C P3080 (recorded sept 1940) which woud make it a BoB a/c and another book (Hurricane - Francis Mason) records this at Croydon with 401 Sqdn RCAF - shot down on 15/09/40 - Flown by F/O Nesbitt (wounded). He is in the list mentioned above as a member of No. 1 Sqdn RCAF. He was Canadian. I have a picture of him (in a book). He returned to action in October (still BoB time) in P2993, it says, but this a/c was also recorded as being flown by "Ginger"Lacey!! The colours appear to have been the conventional earth/green/sky - serial in black -codes in “grey”- no “band” near tail. Spinner appears invaribly black - save for Mr Clowes a/c.
If any one is interested, I am in the Bob group with Aurora-7 and I too am building a RCAF 1 sqdn Hurricane. In my research I found a list of aircraft codes and serials used durring the BoB. You can find it in the Bob Group build on page 46 (halfway down). The list was at the end of an article about RCAF 1Sqdn in ‘High Flight’ mgagazine Vol1 No1. The list was compiled from actual ammunition usage reports and accidient reports from the BoB. It is not a complete list but it is very useful. The codes even check out with a Hurricane production list found on http://www3.mistral.co.uk/k5083/APS.HTM
If anyone finds this useful, please let me know.