Hi my grandfathers log book has T2 written in section AIRCRAFT TYPE & No.for 6 ops in june 44 with 576 squadron. does this code mean it was in Lancaster LM439??? Were there other lancs with this code? It appears that of the 16 different lancs he flew in, 7 or possibly 8 were later shot down. Their numbers were: JB555 JB460 PB635 ME800 ND903 PB265 ME792 and possibly LM439
heres the logbook entries... June 12 1944 .................T2............F/O SARVIS................OP#2 Gelsen Kirchen(OIL PLANT)......6 x 1000lbs 11 x 1000lbs.... 5.25 NIGHT June 14 1944 ..................T2...........F/O SARVIS.................OP#3 Le Havre ()E Boat Pens...........4 x 500 lbs ..... 4.20 DAY June 16 1944...................T2...........F/O SARVIS.................OP#4 Sterkrade (Oil Plant).............4 x 500 lbs 6 x 1000lbs.......4.50NIGHT June 17 1944.....................T2..........F/O SARVIS..................OP#5 Aulnoye Railway Bridge...No Vis. Bombs brought back.......4.30NIGHT June 23 1944.............W2 ME900.........F/O SARVIS..................OP#6 Saintes Railway Marshalling Yard.......18 - 5000lbs.........7.55NIGHT June 24 1944.....................T2..........F/O SARVIS..................OP#7 Flers Pilotless Plane Base..........18 - 500lbs...............4.00 NIGHT June 27 1944......................T2.........F/O SARVIS...................OP#8 Chateau Bernapre...................18 - 500lbs................4.25 NIGHT
Clyde North Aeronautical Preservation Group - CNAPG. http://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_uknowncrashsites.pdf I See Your Thread on WW2 Talk Forums
V2 is the calling code (the one right of the roundel ) This allowed the identificiation of the Lanc . PB-265= UL (roundel) V2 from 576Sq.
The two letter and three number serial was exclusive to each aircraft produced. At the time PB265 was lost it was coded "UL-V2" but it was not the first Lancaster to carry that code which was lost, nor was it the last. JB460 was also coded "UL-V2" when it was lost on Flers on 24 June, 1944 as was ME671 when downed on ops over Lützkendorf on 4/5 April, 1945. Of all the serials you've shown here all of them were on 576 Squadron at one time or another. Very common for an aircraft to have worn several codes throughout its lifetime. Just to give you an example, throughout its time on 576 Sqn LM439 was known as UL-X2, UL-I2 and UL-E2 (when it was lost on a raid on Wemars Cappel on 18 August 1944.) It would not surprise me if it also wore UL-T2 as well.
Your grand dad has it written down as ME900 UL-W2. How about ME800, coded UL-W2 which was lost on Stettin 29-30 August, 1944? As far as I know there were no Lancasters manufactured with the serial ME900 or NE975
The logbook reads.... JUNE 23........W2 ME900.....F/O SARVIS..OPS#6 SAINTES R'LY MARSHALLING YARD 18-5000LBS .........7.55 NIGHT 10-9-44........NE975..P/O LEYDEN..#22 LE HAVRE GUN POSTS........3.40 DAY Can't find any reference to these lancs.
Have amended my search to: ME800 coded: UL-W2.............June 23 1944 NF975 coded: UL - ?..............Sept 10th 1944
At last mystery solved! UL-T2 in this case was Lancaster ME583 (according to the 576 Squadron ORBs, which i will try to upload onto my picture album today). Does anyone have any info on this lanc????
Simon, You might want to look at : http://www.bomber-command.info/550sc.htm ... under which ME583 is listed as one of 550 Squadron's BQ-P "Peter" aircraft. Website; http://www.550squadronassociation.org.uk/original-site-archive/histaircraft.htm ... does not contradict this. Website; http://www.cnapg.net/lancaster1.htm ... seems to corroborate this by stating: "allocated to 467 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. PO-Q 194? The aircraft was allocated to 550 Squadron. 194? The aircraft was allocated to 576 Squadron, Royal Air Force. UL-F2" What may be interesting to you is that I suspect this to be the aircraft discussed in the following websites: http://www.550squadronassociation.org.uk/original-site-archive/histmemsummons.htm http://www.550squadronassociation.org.uk/original-site-archive/lib/image148.jpg If this is the case, then my Grandfather flew (as bomb-aimer) in ME583 a before it reached 576 Squadron. Regards, Darren
