RNZAF Serials allocation to Aircraft

[alanw]

Hi All,

A query for our forum Knowledge Trust

Up until now (probably naively) had thought that
our RNZAF F4U-1 Corsair Serials fell into the following
F4U-1A (A letter simply for clarification here)
NZ52**
NZ53**

F4U-1D
NZ54**
NZ55**

However just recently (as in yesterday) I discovered that
3 F4U-1D's bore the serials NZ5397 - NZ5399
and then 4 FU-1A's had the serials NZ5461 - NZ5465.

Then I also discovered further F4U-1A's ranging in serials
NZ5487, then NZ5501 - NZ5536
(this all comes from the ADF Serials site)

Now I know the Tonga P40E-1's received serials further along, than the
initial batches of P40E-1's - which is fine with me, they arrived later
got different numbers

With F4U's obviously I got my wires crossed?

The 3 1D's with the 53 prefix I can get, first in got the last of the 53 numbers series
However Did further F4U-1A arrive after F4U-1D's?

Would love some help on this one please

Thanks

Alan

[camtech]

Others will have theories, but in general, serials allocated in sequence of arrival/Bought on Charge/assembly.

[davidd]

The "out of block" serials, at least so far as the F4Us are concerned had various causes, such as original aircraft allotted to NZ by MAC(A) (Munitions Assignment Committee [Aircraft]) in Washington being damaged or written off en route to shipping ports, or aircraft arriving at assembly points late, as in NZ from Hawaii (PV-1s), or Suva from San Diego (PBYs, PB2B-1s) out of sequence because of various mishaps or ferrying delays.

Then there were cancellations of entire blocks of aircraft AFTER allocation by MAC (A) because of change of heart by the main recipient (this would in fact by COMAIRSOPAC or other worthies in the South Pacific command structure, which had full control of these aircraft), or it could be initiated by the RNZAF itself, in case of the later PB2B-1s, which were becoming an embarrassment to RNZAF which was not writing off the earlier ones at the agreed rate of attrition, and local commander agreed they would be of more benefit elsewhere.

Other allocated aircraft were diverted to other services due to sudden turn of events in the Northern hemisphere, which affected all the RNZAF' initial allocations of the FG-1Ds, which were ordered straight to the USMC in the Philippines, or perhaps Okinawa, so MAC(A) had to allocate later production aircraft to make up the deficit in our attrition allocations.

Finally there were also a few transfers "in the field" to make up for other diversions of "our" allocated aircraft. I think most of the ones you mention were as a result of such "diversions", which were made up from the local (Espiritu Santo) Marine or Navy reserve pools. The Americans were rarely EVER short of excess aircraft, although this could be disrupted if a certain type in full production turned out to have major deficiencies of one kind or another (such as B-29), or their planned replacements initially had too many bugs to be sent to the front lines.

Hope this is of some help camtech. Much of this sort of information was published in a couple of little books which I had some input into several years ago, under generic title of "Aircraft of the RNZAF".

David D

[camtech]

Thanks, David. I was trying to be non-specific, while being aware of the issues you mention. Perhaps guilty of over simplification.

[tbf25o4]

Greetings, As David has stated the allocation of serials was not straight forward on sequential delivery and often through shipping delays etc aircraft such as the Corsairs arrived in NZ or Espiritu Santo,
plus the attrition aircraft obtained from USN sources in that area

[alanw]

All your comments, make perfect sense, very much
appreciate you all taking the time to respond to my
query

Thanks/regards

Alan

[davidd]

The postwar delivery of 80 Mosquito FB Mk. VI's from the UK 1946 to 48, as well as eight trainer aircraft from Australia 1946 to 47 also followed the general pattern of leaving the allocation of NZ serial numbers until after they actually arrived in New Zealand.

As mentioned by camtech and tbf2504 above, the allocation of serial numbers to airframes often reflected the arrival date in New Zealand (or at the forward assembly points in WW2 as for the F4Us/FGs, at Hawaii for the PV-1s, or Suva for the PBYs/PB2B-1s).

Delivery flights of the twin-engine aircraft were undertaken in USA markings in case of the flying boats and C-47s, or part RNZAF/part USN for most of the PV-1s, with a few of the early PBYs as well as most of the 1943/44 C-47s being ferried out by American crews.

David D

[tbf25o4]

Towards the middle of WWII the allocations of serials began to fall into a pattern of "role" with fighters in the 50xx series, maritime in the 40xx series, ab initio trainers in the 19xx series etc.
However, it was not until 1984 that Cliff Jenks and myself re-wrote the RNZAF policy for the allocation of serial numbers that all the roles were identified with a specific range of numbers.
the allocations were assigned as follows:
10xx series ab-initio trainers, 20xx multi-crew trainers, 30xx helicopters, 40xx Maritime, 50xx strike, 60xx strike and strike trainer, 70xx Transport
in some areas duplication of old and new serials has occurred i.e. the Beech 350 2350-2354 (previously Mosquitos) T6C 14xx (previously Tiger Moths)