620 Sqn QS- Short Stirling Photos

[Marathonman]

Guy

QS was the designation for both 192 Squadron and 620 Squadron, would you like me to supply the full details of the squadron from formation to disbandment? post a reply here if you do.

BTW  QS-H  was designated from 6.43 to 9.46 to the Halifax VII PP365

Mike

[GuyMassey]

Hi Mike,
Yes please! I would be fascinated to see any information that you may have.
It is my understanding aircraft squadron codes were often duplicated across several different aircraft during WWII. My father tells me that they had one Stirling that flew several missions with different codes on each side until some erk noticed. It was the aircraft number that was supposed to be unique. However aircraft were frequently repaired from major parts of others and as a consequence even that unique number could be confused between more than one airframe. A sort of "cut and shut" out of wartime necessity. This led to some vary varied flying characteristics between otherwise identical models.
Regards
Guy

[Flakdodger]

Mike,
I am not sure about 192 Squadron using QS. As you probably know they were part of 100 Group (electronic countermeasures).
Guy, I have used the Mark 1 eyeball to go through the codes listing, looking for QS-H, in Air Britain's The Stirling File.
This throws up Stirling MkIII BF503 (previously coded U with 620 squadron).
BF503 was from a batch delivered between March and May 1943.
The aeroplane's record is 149 Sdn > 620 Sdn > 1665 Conversion Unit. It survived the war and was Struck Off Charge 28/03/46.
Dave

[GuyMassey]

Lots of log entries for BF503 one in particular as follows;

8.10.43 Ops BREMEN, Double fighter attack, ME110 & FW190 on bombing run. In all 7 enemy a/c sighted tonight in target area. Slight damage to a/c. Fighters engaged. No hits claimed. 5hrs 40mins

Father has noted in the margin "Goodbye 503, struck of charge 4/3/46 after two stints at Heavy Conversion Unit 1665"

Well done for tying this a/c to QS-H. Thank you.

[Marathonman]

Dave

I have a 'bible' with information of just about every RAF flying unit that has been in existance since 1912 giving their ancestry, formation and disbandment which is where I get this info from. It states that 192 Squadron were only allocated the QS designation for the period April to September 1939, but it was still allocated to them.  I can give you any info you want from this bible which was bought for 50p from a library sale and is a great help for the research I'm currently doing for a still living bomber pilot from 44 Squadron whose just celebrated his 90th birthday.

Guy here's the info for you:

620 SQUADRON

TF                  Allocated for the period April to September 1939.

Formed 17th June 1943 at Chedburgh from 'C' Flight of 214 Squadron.

QS (6.43-9.46) Stirling III EF197 QS-Z, IV LJ566 QS-L; Halifax VII PP365 QS-H.

D4 (3.44-9.46) Stirling IV LJ566 D4-Y; Halifax VII NA458 D4-A.

Also used         Stirling I W7465; Halifax III MZ682, IX RT769;
                     Dakota III KG344, IV KJ939; Horsa I LH403.

Disbanded 1st September 1946 at Aqir, Palestine, to become 113 Squadron.

[GuyMassey]

I am looking for other pictures of 620 Squadron Short Stirlings designated QS- My father flew in QS-H through to 1945. Picture of the a/c & crew attached. Most published pictures of Stirlings carry the ML- serial.

Crew:
George, Jonnie, Vic, Phil Dale (Pilot - awarded the Croix de Guerre for services to the resistance), Gus, Snowy, Barry (my father)  QSH Nov 1943 (RAF Keevil?)

I now believe that these pictures were taken at RAF Chedburgh, the aircraft is a MkIII and it was taken when he was with 620 squadron. Father later flew MkIV's from Keevil with 299 squadron during D-Day and Arnhem.

[DeeBoneham]

Have you thought of speaking to the RAF Museum at Hendon and the Imperial War Museum.
They have a huge number of photographs.  They won't probably be able to pinpoint a particular crew but they will be able to search under 620 Squadron.  A friend of mine went to the IWM and got links to about 30 x 75(NZ)Sqn photos!
Dee

[Philip Reinders]

The Royal Air Force at Arnhem.

http://www.aviationmegastore.com/img/prod/full/4/9/85827_0.jpg

[vividvanautu]

Please find some photos of 620 SQN My Dad James Read severed with them from 1943 to 1946.