........hey RAV
.......heres the timelime to look under theres bound to be a photo or two in some ones personal WW2 collection
....i trolled through my 2500 or so AWM pix last night but also came up blank
quote"
By the 19th July 1943, a section of the Squadron had travelled by sea directly to Pachino in Sicily to join up with the rest of the Squadron who had arrived via Malta with some of the latest Kittywawk IVs. These aircraft were also called P-40N Warhawks and many pilots described them as being the best of all the Kittyhawk models they'd flown. The aircraft were 350 pounds lighter than the previous models with a top speed of 378 miles per hour at 10,500 feet. They were armed with 6 guns and could carry a 500 pound bomb under each wing. As well, a completely redesigned cockpit canopy had greatly improved pilot's visibility.
At this stage, there were seven Australian squadrons attached to the various R.A.F Wings operating from six widely spread bases in the Mediterranean area and they flew six different types of aircraft. Three had single engine Kittyhawks and Hurricanes and the others had Wellington, Baltimore, Hudson and Halifax bombers. Another nine Australian squadrons were based at R.A.F. stations in the United Kingdom, making a total of sixteen Australian squadrons poised for an intended attack on German dominated territories including Italy.
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and BLONDIE
......the 24th's main code was GR- and for some strange beaurocratic(it wasnt the c/o idea) reason single letter U
they were one of the first to paint out the red spot in the roundel and use FOLIAGE GREEN paint and white empenage and/or nose paint (similar to BOOMERS in the future)
but in this timeline probably used RAAF DK GRN/FOLIAGE GRN and RAAF EARTH
...aircraft in the rabaul incident A20-128-single code -U
Other Wirraways destroyed there:A20-71+, A20-128+, A20-177+,A20-179+ A20-303+, A20-304+, A20-319+,
A20-321-intact, A20-436? & A20-437?: Hudsons A16-13, A16-91, A16-146,
with A16-145 missing on Ops (Source 24Sqn A50 Sheet).
.........which serial da ya want??
...................../i'm using colors in pix but matt)
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The Royal Australian Air Force's No 24 (City of Adelaide) Squadron was first formed at Amberley, near Ipswich, Queensland, on 17 June 1940. The squadron, which was equipped with CAC Wirraway aircraft, then moved to the then new Garbutt Airfield at Townsville on 15 October 1940, receiving four Lockheed Hudsons on 27 October 1940. Based at the Stock Route satellite airstrip, the squadron carried out maritime reconnaissance duties until 21 December 1941, when the squadron was moved to Rabaul, New Britain, operating from the Lakunai and Vunakanau airstrips as an Advanced Striking Force.
On 20 January 1942 over 100 Japanese aircraft struck the island. No 24 Squadron Wirraways took off to intercept the raiders but were immediately attacked by a large force of Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters. Against such odds no effective defence could be offered; three Wirraways were shot down, two crash landed and another was damaged. With only two Wirraways and one Hudson remaining, the sick and wounded were evacuated whilst the remainder of the battered Squadron's personnel trekked through dense jungle until their eventual rescue by Empire flying boats.
