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[Kopfdorfer]

Greetings Skinsters,

I have come across a very interesting PS to a letter regarding 1841 Squadron Royal Navy in 1945, written by the Squadron CO, LCdr Bigg-Wither, which suggests that the commonly accepted paint scheme for Lt. Robert Hampton Gray's Corsair IV, which he flew to his death and to earn the last VC of WWII, is commonly presented incorrectly.
                                         

Usually accepted paint scheme and markings :


LtCmdr (Rtd) Bigg-Wither...
"  It has always annoyed me slightly that the markings on Hammy's Corsair in Canada and elsewhere, in Soward's book for instance, are wrong. Many years ago Philip Markham asked me to tell him, which I did:- 1*15 {1 rondel 15}. Apparently he also asked the MOD who said that all Corsairs squadrons in the Pacific were marked *115 {rondel 115}. This was quite correct until after the 'ICEBERG' Ops in April/ May 45 SAKASHIMA's. Because of the Kamikaze's, followed by a disastrous hangar fire in FORMIDABLE, we completely re-equipped on return to Sydney. I decided to alter the new aircraft markings, placing the 1 before the roundel to distinguish 1841 from 1842, so in the final Ops on Japan these were the markings.



One of our Army liaison Officers on board was quite an artist and did a water colour of my own a/c showing marking 1*11 which I still have so there is no doubt whatever about it. 1841 markings went from 1*11 to 1*24 followed by 1842's *125 to *148. "

Furthermore, historical documents - Sqdrn Logs  - state that Gray could not have flown his normal mount, aircraft 1*15, as it was inaccessable for launch on Aug 9 stored in the hangar
below between two other aircraft.

                                 

From further records, it can be ascertained that Gray could not have flown any of the other following 1841 Sqdn aircraft, as they were recorded as flying in subsequent missions :
1*11, 1*15, 1*16,1*17,1*19,1*21,1*22,1*23,1*24

1841 and 1842 Pilots would sometimes be allocated aircraft from the other squadrons equipment pool, and in the same manner, the following 1842 Sqdn Corsairs can be eliminated as Gray's final mount :
125,132,134,135,136,138,140,142,144,146

This leaves a list of the following as his possible equipment for his final mission :
1*13,1*14,126,127,128,129,130,133,139,143

By assuming that 1) military behaviour being what it is and was, the likelihood was that Gray would be assigned to an aircraft from his own squadron if available, and 2) that due to the morning's flight schedule, we know that Corsair 1*13 had put down at 0815 on 9 Aug, and his final flight took off at 0826  (11 Minutes later), I would guess that Gray flew his final mission in 1841 Sqdn Corsair 1*14.

Would one of you enterprising skinners out there be able to lash up an 1841 Sqdn Corsair IV with a tail marked "X" for Formidable, and markings 1*14 ( 1 rondel 14)?

If you are feeling energetic, it would be nice to have 7 other 1841 Sqdn marked Corsair IVs to make up Hamptons last command of 7 other Corsairs from 1841 Sqdn : 1*12,1*16,1*17,1*18,1*20,1*21,1*22,1*24.




Thanks a bunch.

Kopfdorfer