Civil Aircraft Issued with RAF Serial Numbers for Diplomatic Reasons

[XV277]

The reasoning behind assigning military registrations was to give the aircraft diplomatic protection when transiting (especially to the middle East0 on trooping flights.

Aircraft issued with these inclded Vikings, DC-3s, Yorks, Hermes, Tudor 1& 2 and Bristol 170

[Warmtoast]

Thanks for all the replies to my original query - it's much appreciated.

Tony

[Speedbird48]

In the early and mid-fifties, when I started in this aviation business, I worked for Skyways of London at Bovingdon and Stansted. At Bovingdon we got the 10 Hermes from BOAC and converted them for trooping and they did not have military serials, although at the same time some of Airworks Hermes at Blackbushe did.

There was a connection between Skyways and Lancashire Aircraft Corporation so aircraft ownership was a bit mixed.

When the Bovingdon operation closed, after the 10 Hermes had been converted, I transfered to Stansted and saw several Yorks with military markings and the crews wore RAF/VR uniforms when flying them. I thought that the aircraft used their old military serials when flying these trips but I could be wrong at this late date!! I seem to remember numbers like MW???

There were also several Yorks on the dump/spares/awaiting conversion pile that had military marking and a civil registration hastily painted on. These were ferry markings to get them to Stansted from the RAF, MU's.

At the time the Yorks were busy with Middle East and Far East military contracts. The Hermes were used for Singapore trooper flights and to Cyprus. When the Hermes came on line the York flights were coming to an end.

[norilsk]

Military pilots were kept current on Viscount, Comet and later BAC111 to fly the Berlin corridors in case they were ever closed by the Russians

[Krakatoa]

I believe the Suez Canal Zone was under a lease agreement from the Egyptian government. This agreement only allowed military aircraft to operate in and out of the Canal Zone.