Defiant L7015 - HELP

[tim]

Best of luck with the quest. Most of the researchers regarding defiants are also members so hopefully something will come up..please let us all know if it does.

[alfie]

Time for an update...

I have continued to trawl various books looking for any definitive information on 141 Sqn and their part in the Battle of Britain. There are several accounts of how 141 Sqn came to be decimated on the 19th July 1940, but this is from 'The Most Dangerous Enemy - A History of the Battle of Britain' (Stephen Bungay). At 1223 9 aircraft of 141 Sqn (they had 12 on strength) took off to patrol the area south of Folkstone. They were spotted by Me 109s of JG51 and were attacked. 5 aircraft were shot down and of the 4 that made it back to Hawkinge, 1 crashed on landing and another was so severely damaged that it was written off. The remainder of 141 Sqn were withdrawn back to Scotland.

I have managed to find 1 photograph of a 141 Sqn Defiant in 'The Battle of Britain' (Derek Wood). Page 169 shows a crashed Defiant N1795 coded as TW-W (at Gravesend).

Squadrons of the Royal Air Force 1918-88 (James J Halley) lists 141 Sqn being equipped with the Defiant I Apr 1940-Aug 1941 and gives L7036 coded as TW-H.

Fighter Boys (Patrick Bishop), Scramble (Braham - CO 141 Sqn) & RAF Fighter Squadrons in the Battle of Britain (Anthony Robinson) add nothing to the debate.

Airfix Magazine June 1978. Squadron codes and colours 1939-56 series lists 141 Sqn as TW. Defiant L7009 is identified as TW-H.

Turret Fighters (Alec Brew) shows several photographs of 141 Sqn aircraft: TW-P L7006? - the photo is very fuzzy, TW-L N1752 (late 1940 Gravesend), N1564, TW-O. Nothing that puts serial to code though.

The search continues...

I'm particularly interested in 141 Squadron's time at Turnhouse before they were sent south. Does anyone have any contacts for RAF Turnhouse historians? I believe that the airfield is now Edinburgh Airport.

Alfie

[theplasticsurgeon]

Thanks everybody for all the help.
Nobody was able to find this plane to know it's letter - so I left that bit blank. I might have cramped the space a bit with the roundel as well.
Anyway here is the model, that I've just completed tonight.

[alfie]

Jul 16, 2009 21:26:06 GMT theplasticsurgeon said:

Thanks everybody for all the help.
Nobody was able to find this plane to know it's letter - so I left that bit blank. I might have cramped the space a bit with the roundel as well.

I understand the need to get the model completed, but.... I haven't given up yet. I still have other avenues to explore.

Alfie

[theplasticsurgeon]

Jul 16, 2009 21:45:31 GMT alfie said:

I understand the need to get the model completed, but.... I haven't given up yet. I still have other avenues to explore.

Alfie

In that case I'd be more than happy to repaint the rear fuselage, and apply decals for the codes that are found. Then do some fresh photos of the model.

[rossm]

Information you've already seen I know but I was amazed (and others may be interested) to find the Form 541 online www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/f5411412.html. I couldn't find an index for any others there may be - trying to track back in the site navigation menus just gave more general pages.