Avro York prototype - photo

[chevvron]

You didn't keep them that size (one size fits all) very long, you continually washed them to shrink them.

[Shackman]

The sqn badge on the nose looks very much 206 Sqn's Octopus (or was it a Squid?).

[dook]

Berets always look good on a woman.

[megan]

DaveRied post

the background (which is certainly too hilly to be Oakington!)

Dave, have a book "Lancaster to York" by Derek King which I find had the exact same photo as that in my #33, and it quotes the snap being taken at Merryfield. More likely?

I believe MW302 spent its entire RAF career at Lyneham with 511 Sqn

511 then to 206 then Lyneham Wing for Berlin Airlift then Hunting as G-AMVZ. Not used, but used as spares to repair G-AMXM, remains scrapped.

With regard to the OP's photo I wonder if it may be a 1332 Heavy Transport Conversion Unit aircraft. I suggest that because of the Liberator in the background. The squadron was established with fifteen Stirlings, four Liberators, and four Yorks at Longtown, Cumbria, moving to Nutts Corner, Belfast three months later, then to Riccall, Yorkshire after six months because of runway restrictions and proximity of the Belfast Mountains, and finally Dishforth, Yorkshire after seven months. Three different aircraft carried the "YY-K", MW105, MW223, MW144. 105 and 223 carried the same code during the same period of service, strange. A lot of aircraft are listed as "uncoded or code not known", which it seems from photos they just carried the serial number. Extremely detailed history of each aircraft built, including Lancastrians.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by megan

Dave, have a book "Lancaster to York" by Derek King which I find had the exact same photo as that in my #33, and it quotes the snap being taken at Merryfield. More likely?511 then to 206 then Lyneham Wing for Berlin Airlift then Hunting as G-AMVZ. Not used, but used as spares to repair G-AMXM, remains scrapped.

Interesting. If Derek says it's Merryfield then it almost certainly is - I have a huge amount of respect for his research on British aircraft. Can I ask where that apparently wrongly captioned "Oakington" photo came from?

With regard to the OP's photo I wonder if it may be a 1332 Heavy Transport Conversion Unit aircraft. I suggest that because of the Liberator in the background. The squadron was established with fifteen Stirlings, four Liberators, and four Yorks at Longtown, Cumbria, moving to Nutts Corner, Belfast three months later, then to Riccall, Yorkshire after six months because of runway restrictions and proximity of the Belfast Mountains, and finally Dishforth, Yorkshire after seven months. Three different aircraft carried the "YY-K", MW105, MW223, MW144. 105 and 223 carried the same code during the same period of service, strange. A lot of aircraft are listed as "uncoded or code not known", which it seems from photos they just carried the serial number. Extremely detailed history of each aircraft built, including Lancastrians.

Both 511 and 246 squadrons had Liberators at Lyneham, too, so the presence of one in the OP's photo isn't conclusive one way or the other.

But the nose code in the OP's photo only has one letter visible, even though the aircraft is angled slightly towards the camera, so I very much doubt that it's part of a XX-X code (otherwise at least part of the hyphen would be visible). My money is still on 511 Squadron (not least because of the camo), which would likely make it CK.

[megan]

Can I ask where that apparently wrongly captioned "Oakington" photo came from

Feb 2011 copy of "Aeroplane" magazine Dave.Re the last para, none of the aircraft carried a hyphen on the nose identifaction, as said previously KY-C would have KC on the nose. 99 Sqd had a code of "LN" and generally used a two letter aircraft identification ie LN-AT, though a few used three letter codes, ie LN-AOW. To confuse things I see some aircraft carried their radio code on the nose dome. About the only thing that can be said, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to markings, though I'm sure there was, just unknown to us.

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarch...0-%200391.html

Some 60% of 511's aircraft are listed as"uncoded or code not known". The squadron was coded "BC" but apparently was not used to identify aircraft, the identity used was either "Ax", "Cx" or "Dx". Two aircraft carried the "CK", MW288 (16 Apr 47 - 2 Jul 47) and MW302 (28 Aug 47 - 2 Jul 48). 288 initially went to 51 coded "TB-O" then 511, then 24 then 206 coded "QO" crashed during Berlin Airlift engine failure night take off Wunstorf killing all five crew.

[Krakatoa]

After reading the Posts about the York I dug out my old Flight Engineer"s Log Book to find I flew as passenger in York PE 104 with Flt Lt Roffey from Lyneham to Changi on 29.9.1950 arriving at Changi on 3.10.1950 we were told it was the last service by a York the route would be all Hastings. This began my Two and a half year Tour in the Far East. Looking back I remember the York was two class. You entered the door Officers and W.O. turned right onto a blue carpet and Other Ranks turned left on to a bare metal floor !

[megan]

it was the last service by a York

And likely the last trip to anywhere by 104 Krakatoa. Went to 12 MU, Kirkbride 20 Oct 50, declared NES (non effective stock) 22 Jan 51, sold 29 Jun 55 to Aluminium Refineries Ltd for scrap.

[Krakatoa]

RAF Yorks

I was at Aldergrove 1958 where the MU prepared a York for delivery to the French Navy.