WW2 North Africa Plane Photos

[Cheshire Steve]

To mark the passing of my father 1232098 LAC Arthur Richardson, yesterday, I thought I would post some more pictures from North Africa that he took c1942/43 when he was in 58 RSU and also provide you with the aircraftman's version of the 10 commandments which he copied into his journal in September 1943, as follows :

1. Thou shalt not turn propellor without checking igniton switches.

2. Thou shalt not warm up engines without wheel blocks.

3. Thou shalt not leave aircraft without checking parking brake.

4. Thou shalt not leave aircraft without locking controls.

5. Thou shalt not start engines without seeing prop is clear.

6. Thou shalt not taxi airplane if not qualified to do so.

7. Thou shalt not clean aircraft inside hangers with flammable fluids.

8. Thou shalt not leave cowls where they will be blown away by other aircraft taxiing or warming up.

9. Thou shalt not leave a job until a final check indicates that it is finished.

10. Thou shalt not use jacks without being sure of capacity.

And thats about as religious as my father ever got.

I assume the aviation experts among you will be able to tell me the types of plane pictured.

If anyone's interested one of the other posters on here has kindly shared with me some of the logs of 58RSU which he studied at the National Archive. These have accounts of planes crashed and recovered by the RSU from June to Nov 1943 (all too often during training rather than enemy action), and details of vehicles moving in and out of the unit each month too. Could be useful if there is something specific you want to research. If the national archive was a bit nearer I would go there myself to get hold of the info for July 1942 until May 43 and see if I could tie them in with the photos - as my father was attached to 74 squadron in Nicosia from June to Nov 1943.

[Chris Hall]

Looks like a German ME109 and Italian FIAT G55 Centauro

[Cheshire Steve]

Thanks, I remember him telling me the military shipped an ME109 all the way back to Farnborough because it was a new version. Could be that one then ..

 

[Chris Hall]

I may have misidentified the Italian Aircraft, it could be a Macchi MC202 Folgore, reason being the markings indicate it as a96.Squadriglia, 9.Gruppo, 4.Stormo aircraft.

 

Interestingly I've just found out that  there is a 90.Squadriglia, 9 Gruppo, 4. Stormo aircraft in the Smithsonian.

 

http://www.eaf51.org/Photo_29_RA_C202.htm

Edited January 27, 2018 by Chris Hall

[mtskull]

That's a Macchi 202 for sure. The Messerschmitt looks like the 109G model to me.

[earlymb]

I'm very sorry to hear about your father.

 

Amazing photo's, thanks for sharing!

Edited January 27, 2018 by earlymb

[Enigma]

My condoleances on the passing of your father.

Thanks for posting those photo's, very interesting.