discussion Eduard Fw190 A3

[Tim Marlow]

Good build and interesting information. What’s not to like :thumb2:

 

[stona]

Probably so it doesn’t need to be assigned a British military or civilian registration code, yet can legally be flown. Similar to sticking dealer plates on a car that isn’t insured, has no MOT, etc. when taking it for a test drive.

They gave those flown by the RAF serial number. I have a list which includes those given a serial number and which were apparently not flown but 'used for spares only'. That's British bureaucracy! I assume that all these aircraft were technically on charge with the RAF.

Those captured at the end of the war got an Air Ministry number and some got a serial number too. AM1 was a Ju 88 G-6 (W.Nr.622983) captured at Schleswig. The highest number I know was AM114, a Do 24T (W.Nr.1135) flying boat, captured at Guldborg, Denmark, which also got a serial number VN865.

Aircraft captured in British areas of control but destined for the Americans were given a 'USA' number. Not all of them made it. At least one Me 262 (USA 4) ended up as a target at Orfordness. Those that did make it to the US were given EB (Engineering Branch) and later FE (Foreign Evaluation) numbers, eventually superseded by a T2 number. T2 indicated the Air Intelligence organisation of the USAAF/USAF.

The sad thing is that almost all these hundreds of aircraft were scrapped within a couple of years of the end of the war.

 

[Guest]

They gave those flown by the RAF serial number.

“Flown by the RAF” was probably different than “evaluation purposes”, though. Maybe the P was a temporary marking so they could fly it until an actual serial number was assigned? I have this feeling that the British bureaucracy you mention wouldn’t just hand one out the instant one was requested/needed, anyway

The sad thing is that almost all these hundreds of aircraft were scrapped within a couple of years of the end of the war.

Happens all over the place, unfortunately. With hindsight, you think: “Why didn’t they keep <whatever>?” but a lot of it wasn’t seen as anything special at the time.