135 Sq. RAF Hawker Hurricane serial numbers

Hello.
I'm trying to track down information on the specific Hawker Hurricanes flown by 135 Squadron, RAF. In particular, I'm interest in the Hurricane IIc aircraft they operated while stationed at Minneriya during the first half of 1944, around the time they started to convert to Thunderbolts.
From my reading so far, this seems to be a poorly documented and photographed period in 135's history. And, very frustratingly, the long list of specific aircraft at the back of Mason's "Hawker Hurricane" monograph makes no mention of the 135 Sq. Hurricanes, of any mark.
So I'd be very grateful for any help anyone can offer.

Grant Hutchison

 

Yes, thanks, I've got a lot of detail on the Thunderbolts. I have the daily reports from the squadron, so I know all the aircraft they were flying. There are also quite a number of photographs in existence of 135 Squadron's T-bolts during the Chittagong-Jumchar-Akyab period, so I can see the specifics of the SEAC markings in use. (I should mention my research is for a model-building project covering this squadron during 1944-45.)
But the Minneriya period is something of a documentary desert. I have the squadron's summary reports, so I know when the first T-bolts arrived, and I can see that sorties were flown by both Hurricanes and Thunderbolts until the squadron moved to Chittagong via Amarda Road. And I've been able to find references that will let me produce appropriate markings for a Hurricane IIc at that time and place. What I'd like to do is have a realistic tail number on the aircraft, and if possible the correct aircraft letter for that serial number.

Grant Hutchison

 

Semi-Off topic, for anyone searching 135 Squadron in the future.
RCAF 135 Squadron was a Canadian Home Front Squadron (ie Coastal Command) likewise flying Hurricanes.
It was based out of Patricia Bay, Victoria BC. (now Victoria Airport) 1942 - 1943
Annette Island, Alaska, May to November 1943
Terrace BC to March, 1944, thence back to Patricia Bay.

Good article at: http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/337/language/en-CA/Bull-Dogs-on-the-Coast.aspx

 

Oh, yes ...
The 135 Sq. RCAF Hurricanes are a fine source of false hits for anyone trying to research the 135 Sq. RAF Hurricanes!

Grant Hutchison

 

Well, I've come up with a partial solution to my problem.
The UK National Archive has nothing but summary reports for 135's time at Minneriya, and none of these mention specific aircraft. The detailed operations records of specific aircraft start up in November 1944, by which time conversion to Thunderbolts was complete and they were stationed at Chittagong.
There was one very short operational record file for January 1944 available, but I'd been ignoring it because it predated Minneriya.
Eventually, I downloaded it to take a look, and find it contains one entry - a fruitless scramble of two Hurricane IIc's: LB545 "D" and LA108 "A". I know 135 didn't lose any aircraft while at Minneriya (the summary records would have mentioned that), and I've been able to trace LB545's eventual fate: DBRed by an Indian Air Force Conversion Unit in 1945.
So I'm reasonably sure LB545 WK-D was on 135's complement while at Minneriya.

This may be the best I can do ...

Grant Hutchison

 

Here's where I would start: http://hawker-hurricane.org.uk

 

Thanks, but that site seems to have been broken for quite a while - it looks like a nest of error messages in my browser.

 

Chairman / Secretary / Membership Secretary

Tim Warrener,
19, Four Acres,
East Malling,
Kent. ME19 6AY
UNITED KINGDOM

Magazine Editor

Bob Hale,
Seamist,
66, Cuckoo Lane,
Stubbington,
Fareham,
Hants. PO14 3PE
UNITED KINGDOM

Webmaster email: webmaster@hawker-hurricane.org.uk

 

Thank you.

 

Some info from this link Royal Air Force Losses in World War Two

(my site)