Tracing a USAF serial number

jdeters79 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 22, 2015 2:20 pm **Posts:** 146

quemerford wrote:

The 'easiest' way would be to hope that '843 is the last three of the USAAF s/n (which it sometimes is). Then if you use a site like Baugher's USAF s/n listing you'll be able to list all AT-6s which had a last three of 843. There are likely to be a fair few, but so long as that 'last three' is indeed the final numbers of the a/c serial number, you'll 'only' have to request 10 or 20 record cards instead of trawling through thousands of AT-6 IARC's.

However I couldn't guarantee that the 'E-843' wasn't just a field-assigned number, so a bit of research would be needed before you get too carried away.

Not the case with recent research of my own.

JohnB wrote:

I'm no expert, but in my casual viewing, I don't think many airfield numbers...like E-843...corresponded to the aircraft serial.

Recent experience of my research has been in line with JohnB, that is, no correlation between fuselage code and USAAC/USAAF serial number. Consider BT-13A s/n 41-11538, as described in some detail in this post (and entire thread);

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57585&start=15#p597606

This aircraft was assigned to Greenville Army Airfield. Other fields may have operated differently.

An accident report from Greenville showing fuselage code and serial number (referenced in the above post).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/85883490@N00/albums/72157688327610631

If only it were that easy...

Post-war, radio call signs were based on aircraft serial numbers thus a correlation can be made, as described in Chuck Cravens book "Combat Vet P-51, The History of Sierra Sue II, World War II Survivor". This is evidenced on Korean War area B-26's (Douglas A-26 Invaders redesignated B-26) operating out of Kunsan.

Jordan

Buz · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2018 2:25 am

ArchiveFan

I've checked my reels of IARC's, but i'm afraid they stop a little before the serial you are after. Hopefully you don't have to wait to long for the IARC for the aircraft to arrive from the archives

Regards

Buz

ArchiveFan · **Joined:** Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:05 am **Posts:** 20

Buz wrote:

I've checked my reels of IARC's, but i'm afraid they stop a little before the serial you are after.

Thanks for looking Buz - much appreciated.

ArchiveFan · **Joined:** Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:05 am **Posts:** 20

Well those friendly & helpful folk at AFHRA have dropped an email regarding our serial number. The full card is on its way via mail, but as of now we know:

Received by USAF 13th Sept 1943.
Sent from Newark NJ 16th Sept 1943.
Accepted by 8th Air Force 26th Oct 1943.

Then it was recorded condemned due to non-battle damage on the 17th of June 1944. We know the date our aircraft (which may, or may not, be 22750) crashed (from a War Diary) on the 7th of May 1944.

Obvious questions: Should the date of condemning match the crash date? Or was there an admin lag? And if there is a lag between the event and the paperwork being updated, is 5 weeks anything like normal/expected?

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1387

Glad the card is on its way. Regarding date of condemning/authorized for reclamation/strike etc: it can often post-date the accident/incident for a number of reasons, including time spent to recover an aircraft etc. Often for those deemed repairable, a survey will render them a write-off at a later date due to many factors such as lack of time/manpower/spares or even the enemy coming over the hill.

ArchiveFan · **Joined:** Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:05 am **Posts:** 20

Well good to their word the helpful folk at AFHRA have ensured an early Christmas present arrived this morning. Its reasonably clear but (as expected) written in the USAF code. A screenshot is attached.

I have zoomed right in and taken a closer look to verify the text, and have appended the plain text below the handwritten lines.

Can anyone help with deciphering/translating the codes for us?

jdeters79 · **Joined:** Sun Mar 22, 2015 2:20 pm **Posts:** 146

ArchiveFan wrote:

Can anyone help with deciphering/translating the codes for us?

Best attempt at deciphering the record card. Date of loss of aircraft likely 17 Jun 1944 (or at least date deemed condemned) .

ArchiveFan · **Joined:** Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:05 am **Posts:** 20

jdeters79 wrote:

ArchiveFan wrote:

Can anyone help with deciphering/translating the codes for us?

Best attempt at deciphering the record card. Date of loss of aircraft likely 17 Jun 1944 (or at least date deemed condemned) .

Thank you so much for this - much appreciated.

The conclusion? This record card and serial number is not related or linked in any way to the crash site we are investigating. Either way, its progress though.

Back to square one!

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Tracing a USAF serial number

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