No. 75 (NZ) Squadron Wellingtons

[Dave Homewood]

After having the great pleasure a few weeks ago of meeting and interviewing Jack "Wakey" Wakefield, who served as a Rear Gunner on No. 75 (NZ) Squadron from November 1940 and through 1941, I have taken a bit of interest in the Wellingtons flown on that squadron.

I have not found any definitive list of aircraft the squadron used so I have begun to compile a list, based on entries from Jack's logbook, the logbook of Fred 'Popeye' Lucas, a list of Wellington losses on the squadron, the book Forever Strong by Norman Franks, info at Lost Bombers website, info on the Feltwell website, and other various sources.

Here is the list as it stands. I have placed the serials in alphabetical order rather than chronological order, but several entries in logbooks the aircrew have left off the prefix letter and only recorded the four numerals so there's a list of them which need the prefix added. Then later had two letters and three digits. If anyone can add serial prefixes, new serials and squadron code letters, please do so below and I'll then amend the list to add them in and make a more definitive list.

No. 75 Squadron
Vickers Wellingtons

Serial No Code Notes
RNZAF Serials
NZ300 AA-
NZ301 AA-
NZ302 AA-
NZ303 AA-
NZ304 AA-
NZ305 AA-

RAF Serials
L4330 AA-
L4340 AA-
L4350 AA-
L4355 AA-
L4360 AA-
L4387 AA-
L7784 AA-
L7797 AA-
L7818 AA-R
L7848 AA-V Nose Art – a skeleton with dice, “Cuthbert”
L7948 AA-BN2854 AA- Lost 24 July 1941
N2894 ---- Lost 30 May 1942 – attached from Central Gunnery School, Sutton Bridge
R3218 AA-F
P9205 AA-
P9206 AA-
P9207 AA-
P9209 AA-
P9210 AA-
P9212 AA-
P9292 AA- Lost 23 October 1940
R1038 AA-H Lost 11 September 1941
R1161 AA-
R1409 AA-
R1457 AA-
R1648 AA-K Lost 6 August 1941, maybe actually AA-R
R3156 AA-
R3157 AA-H Lost 21 May 1940
R3165 AA- Lost 20 July 1940
R3169 AA-P Popeye nose art, lost 6/7 May 1941
R3171 AA- Lost 15 July 1941
R3176 AA- Maybe Donald Duck nose art. Lost 3/4 of Aug 1940
R3211 AA- Lost 29 December 1940
R3235 AA- Lost 25 July 1940
R5618 AA-
R9250 AA-
T2463 AA-E Lost 20 September 1940
T2474 AA- Lost 22 December 1940
T2503 AA- Lost 21 February 1941
T2550 AA-L Lost 10 Jan 1941
T2736 AA-
T2808 AA-
T2820 AA- Nose art J. Wellington Wimpy – Lost in accident at Methwold Oct 40
T3231 AA-
W5621 AA- Lost 3 July 1941
W5663 AA- Lost 15 October 1941
X3205 AA- James Ward killed in this 15 Sept 1941
X3282 AA- Lost 12 March 1942
X3389 AA- Lost 28 August 1942
X3396 AA- Lost 3 September 1942
X3408 AA- Lost 2 June 1942
X3452 AA- Lost 28 July 1942
X3462 AA-N Lost 28 March 1942
X3482 AA-J Lost 15 May 1942
X3489 AA- Lost 5 April 1942
X3538 AA-
X3539 AA- Lost 29 June 1942
X3557 AA- Lost 8 July 1942
X3558 AA- Lost 28 July 1942
X3585 AA- Lost 12 March 1942
X3586 AA-A
X3587 AA- Lost 8 June 1942
X3588 AA- Lost 12 March 1942
X3646 AA- Lost 11 August 1942
X3652 AA-O Lost 25 March 1942
X3661 AA- Lost 5 April 1942
X3664 AA- Lost 28 July 1942
X3667 AA-D Lost 22 April 1942
X3714 AA- Lost 26 July 1942
X3720 AA- Lost 10 July 1940
X3751 AA-P
X3760 AA- Lost 20 June 1942
X3794 AA- Lost 3 September 1942
X3867 AA- Lost 6 September 1942
X3936 AA-
X3954 AA- Lost 13 October 1942
X9628 AA- Lost 8 November 1941
X9634 AA-V Lost 13 July 1941
X9648 AA-
X9759 AA- Lost 15 September 1941
X9764 AA-V
X9767 AA-S Lost 6 September 1941
X9834 AA- Lost 17 September 1941
X9914 AA- Lost 22 October 1941
X9951 AA- Lost 7 November 1941
X9976 AA- Lost 7 November 1941
X9977 AA- Lost 8 November 1941
X9981 AA- Lost 12 October 1941
Z1077 AA-
Z1083 AA-
Z1099 AA- Lost 30 November 1941
Z1570 AA-B Lost 28 July 1942
Z1573 AA- Lost 8 June 1942
Z1596 AA- Lost 26 July 1942
Z1616 AA-D Lost 29 June 1942
Z1652 AA- Lost 24 October 1942
Z8834 AA-P Popeye’s own aircraft by the looks
Z8909 AA- Lost 10 October 1941
Z8942 AA-J Lost 8 November 1941
Z8945 AA- Lost 15 October 1941

RAF Serials with unknown prefix letter
1038 AA-
1162 AA- I think this is AA-Y w/ soda siphon spitting bombs nose art
1177 AA-
1237 AA-
1409 AA-
1458 AA-
1518 AA-
2474 AA-
2525 AA-M
2547 AA-
2747 AA-
2777 AA-
2805 AA-
2835 AA-
2837 AA-
2844 AA-
2854 AA-
3158 AA-
3164 AA-
3165 AA-
3166 AA-
3167 AA-R
3168 AA-
3172 AA-
3216 AA-
3235 AA-
3277 AA-
3297 AA-
9219 AA-
9280 AA-Z
9628 AA-A
9767 AA-

Later RAF Serials
BF434 AA-
BF451 AA-
BF518 AA-
BJ596 AA- Lost 8 September 1942
BJ599 AA- Lost 28 July 1942
BJ625 AA- Lost 11 August 1942
BJ661 AA-X Lost 28 July 1942
BJ708 AA- Lost 27 August 1942
BJ725 AA- Lost 24 October 1942
BJ765 AA- Lost 6 September 1942
BJ767 AA- Lost 11 August 1942
BJ772 AA-
BJ774 AA- Lost 20 August 1942
BJ828 AA- Lost 10 September 1942
BJ837 AA-
BJ854 AA-
BJ968 AA-W Lost 10 September 1942
BJ974 AA- Lost 19 September 1942
BK341 AA- Lost 11 October 1942
BK602 AA-
BK646 AA-
BK768 AA-
BK776 AA-
BK777 AA-
BK778 AA-
BF569 AA-
BK614 AA-
DF639 AA- Lost 6 October 1942
DF673 AA- Lost 28 August 1942
EH880 AA-

[Bruce]

As far as I could tell when I researched the Wellingtons for my model, that the 6 Mark Is NZ300- 305 never wore codes and NZ serials - they may have done once handed back to the RAF, but I understand these airframes went to an OTU, not 75 sqn as they were the very early version unsuitable for ops.

[Dave Homewood]

From what I can tell Bruce it was NZ306 onwards that went to OTU's and other units. NZ300-NZ305 definately were flown on the squadron according to Popeye's logbook and are recorded with their NZ numbers.

I wonder if any of them got nicknames/nose art. Perhaps kiwi placenames or wahtever.

[Dave Homewood]

I just checked and the NZ numbers for those six aircraft are recorded in Popeye's logbook from July to November 1939. So yes those six did fly with the squadron. Perhaps others did too on another Flight that Popeye wasn't in?

[errolmartyn]

For a listing of 75 Sqn Wellington, Stirling and Lancaster serials and code letters see:

'Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profile Number 20 - 75 (NZ) Squadron' by Chris Ward, self pub 1996.

No 'NZ' serials of course because these New Zealand Squadron (not Flight as some sources have it) aircraft were no longer on strength when 75 as formed in April 1940.

Errol

[errolmartyn]

"info at Lost Bombers website,"

This site is actually a plagiarised version of dedicated aviation historian W. R. (Bill) Chorley's 'RAF Bomber Command Losses' volumes.

The site's creator was a Mr Sharp (as in sharp practice!). Now deaded but the site continues, still with out acknowledgement to the compiler who did all the work in the first place, and still retains Sharp's transcription errors.

So if referring to the Lost Bombers site it's also helpful to note where the info really came from.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that info Errol. I was not aware of that book and that this has all already been done. Do you know how and where a copy can be purchased or is it one of those books that is now very hard to find?

I'm actually curious to know the total number of each type the squadron used. I'm also curious to know if they had other aircraft on strength as hacks or instrument trainers (Oxfords, Ansons, Tiger Moths or whatever).

I didn't get much from that Lost Bombers site at all, just a few squadron code letters of lost aircraft which were not noted in Norman Franks' book.

You make a very good point about the NZ serials only being in the New Zealand Squadron, not No. 75 (NZ) Squadron. That would therefore apply to other serials I have noted above from Popeye's logbook also.

[errolmartyn]

Dave,

"Do you know how and where a copy can be purchased or is it one of those books that is now very hard to find?"

Here:

search.ianallanpublishing.com/search?keywords=no.75+squadron

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol. One day when I'm feeling rich I might have to get a copy. Is it all just serials or is there more to this book?

[oggie2620]

Am going to have to look up the Trumpeter model Reg no that my friend made up for me recently. It went to another sqn and then to an OTU where it was CAT2'd.. Ref the books try also www.abebooks.com and www.alibris.com for second hand and sometimes signed copies.
Dee

[oggie2620]

Looked at the Trumpeter site and it was T2835 AA-C. Hope this helps.

[oggie2620]

Alibris, Amazon and Abebooks are all more expensive than the Ian Allen site at the moment so go for that. I do have a contact in New Zealand who acquires books but I doubt if his are as cheap as that though you will have hefty postage on top.
Dee

[Dave Homewood]

That book is too expensive for me for what it is. I was collating these serials as a reference for myself and placing them here a service for others as I did not know it had already been done. Now that I know it has been done before I won't bother any further.

[camtech]

Just checked some logbook details of J N Collins, and he flew Wellingtons with NZ serials NZ301 to NZ305 between 7 july and 13 November 1939. NZ301, reserialled L4330 was last flown as 301 13 Nov, then as L4330 15 November.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Les, that is interesting. I didn't realise the NZ serials that were in service were re-serialled with new RAF serials.

[errolmartyn]

The re-serialling took place as a result of the New Zealand Government handing the aircraft it had ordered to the RAF as a result of war being declared.

Wellington I delivered to the New Zealand Squadron:

NZ300 became L4311
NZ301 - L4330
NZ302 - L4340
NZ303 - L4350
NZ304 - L4355
NZ305 - L4360

Wellington IA re-serialled prior to delivery to the New Zealand Squadron:

NZ306 - N2874
NZ307 - N2875
NZ308 - N2876
NZ309 - N2877
NZ310 - N2878
NZ311 - N2879
NZ312 - N2937
NZ313 - N2938
NZ314 - N2939*
NZ315 - N2940*
NZ316 - N2941*
NZ317 - N2942

* historical footnote - all delivered to No.9 Sqn and all shot down 18 Dec 39 on the disasterous shipping raid off Wilhelmshaven.

Errol

[Tony]

May 18, 2011 21:21:47 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Thanks Les, that is interesting. I didn't realise the NZ serials that were in service were re-serialled with new RAF serials.

They reverted to their original serials

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that detail Errol. Very interesting. That is sad about the No. 9 Squadron disaster.

[errolmartyn]

May 18, 2011 23:11:57 GMT 12 Tony said:

May 18, 2011 21:21:47 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Thanks Les, that is interesting. I didn't realise the NZ serials that were in service were re-serialled with new RAF serials.

They reverted to their original serials

This is not correct. The original serials were their 'NZ' ones. They were then re-serialled with RAF serials, not reverted to RAF serials.

Errol

[Tony]

Thanks for the correction Errol. Way back in the dim past I was told (or read) that ours were re-serialled (similar to US practice even today).

Pleased you sorted that out for me (us).

Did Vickers have construction numbers or, like Shorts - Shop
Orders or was the aircraft identification the serial number?