ANOMALIES & MYSTERIES
The following is a list of
"out of place" serial numbers, designations and general "misplacements" etc. There are also some aircraft whose histories and dispositions just don't add up. Please e-mail the author: sdbeck AT caverock DOT net DOT nz with any information or your own theories... |
![]() Drawing Credit: USAF. |
World War II |
Grasshopper Series Was there ever 3 Aeronca L-3C airframes allocated to the US Navy as the JR-1? Theres no records for this designation and no s/n's recorded, one apparently had a civil reg.: N47051. What's the correct c/n allocation for the Piper L-4B? Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor What was the date of first flight for the C-45? Was BuNo. 89466 / 89494 (29) designated as the JRB-5 or JRB-6? I have them as JRB-6 at the moment. Details for a Beechcraft Model D18S issued s/n: 89-0126 in 1988-1989? Was RAF Expeditor Mk. I (HB759), delivered? Answer: RAF logs don't record a delivery. Boeing-Stearman PT-13 / PT-17 kaydet A photo depicting an N2S-5 Kaydet with BuNo. 52941 has been published in several books. However, the s/n batch for BuNo. 52627 / 53049 was cancelled according to every source I can locate? Curtiss P-40 Warhawk C/n's for the P-40F and P-40L. Douglas A-20 Havoc Were the 240 Boeing DB-7B (AL263 / AL502) designated as Boston Mk. III or Boston Mk. IIIA in RAF service? The Boeing built DB-7B's had electrical system differences over the Douglas built DB-7B's, but was this enough to warrant them as Mk. IIIA? The RAF version of the A-20C was Boston Mk. IIIA as these had armament and fuel capacity improvements. Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Skytrain Allocations for RAF Dakota s/n: FG857, TJ170, TP181. Did RAF s/n: HK993 exist, or was it really HK893? Grumman F4F Wildcat Some Martlet Mk. III serial numbers seem to duplicate themselves with those of the Martlet Mk. I. These are s/n: AX733 and AX824 / AX829. Grumman Goose Were Goose Mk. I (Mk. II?) RN s/n: FP738 / FP747 assigned to a batch not delivered but returned to the USN? Was Goose Mk. II RCAF s/n: 398 assigned? Lockheed Twin Series Hudson Mk. III (RAF) V9069 (414-3714) is quoted as being converted on the factory floor and delivered as an L-18-07 c/n: 18-2111, then impressed as a C-56C s/n: 42-57212. It is known to have existed up to 1982 where it then disappeared? However, sources also quote V9069 (414-3714) being completed and sent to the RAF and RCAF before being struck off charge in 1948? Were there two airframes built with s/n: V9069? Present Answer: Was most likely built. Was USAAF s/n: 41-23629 (414-6446) - (RAF) BW767 - (RNZAF) NZ2048 built as an A-29 or A-29A? What was the distribution of the B-34 Lexington to the USAAF, RAF, RAAF, RCAF and RNZAF, did the RAF receive any aircraft? Did the 18 B-37 aircraft built have c/n: 137-1001 / 1018 or c/n: 437-6476 / 6493 or were both issued? Lockheed C-69 / C-121 Constellation Were the 9 C-121A Constellations built as the Model 749 or Model 749A? North American AT-6 Texan (Harvard) Harvard Mk. II serial numbers: (RAF) AH185 / AH204 (20) (RCAF) 2501 / 3013 (513) (RNZAF) NZ901 / NZ967 (67) All were produced between c/n: 66-2234 / 2833 (600). What was the distribution within this c/n range? Some sources quote these RAF serial numbers: EZ100 / EZ208 (109) EZ259 / EZ458 (200) as being Harvard Mk. IIA where others quote them as being Harvard Mk. III's. Present Answer: They are Harvard Mk. III. North American B-25 Mitchell Of the 162 Mitchell's for the NEIAF (N5-122 / N5-283), what number were B-25D's and B-25J's? There appears to be various s/n to c/n "mismatches" for the B-25J, especially in the later batches. North American P-51 Mustang Are the c/n's for the two XP-51J 105-47446 and 105-47447 or the more likely 105-47444 and 105-47445? Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Was the P-47 company model number AP-10 or P-44? Stinson L-5 Sentinel Details required on post-WW2 Stinson production concerning left-over airframes which were built and sold on the civil market from 1945 - 1950? |
Post World War II & The Modern Era |
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor Did T-34A BuNo. 147543 / 147547 exist as a foreign export? Why did seven T-34A sold to Spain have newly assigned c/n: X-100 / X-106? What is the status of these Model B-45 c/n's: CG-11 CG-48 / CG-57 CG-61 / CG-72 CG-74 / CG-110 CG-114 / CG-121 CG-200 / CG-203 Was Fuji T-34A c/n: KD-50 (JG-50) built or cancelled? Convair T-29 & C-131 Samaritan The first flight of the XT-29 is given as 22 September, 1949 but records show the first one wasn't manufactured until 15 February, 1950? Douglas C-74 / C124 Globemaster Was C-124C s/n: 53-001 originally assigned cancelled s/n: 52-1090? and does it actually carry c/n: 43999? Fairchild C-82 / C-119 Flying Boxcar Why were the USMC R4Q-2 Packet's redesignated as C-119F's in 1962 and not C-119G's, did they not have "G" variant features? What year did the C-119L first enter service? Fairchild C-123 Provider Why do onboard C-123 data-plates list the Chase Model No. MS-8B instead of the Fairchild Model No. 205? General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Did F-111A-CF s/n: 66-9277 exist? Why the dual c/n's on the F-111E and F-111F variants? Grumman AF Guardian Did AF-2S BuNo. 124210 exist? Grumman F9F Panther / Cougar At what point (BuNo.) was F9F Cougar production transferred from Bethpage to Calverton? Did F9F-8T BuNo. 143013 exist? Grumman S2F Tracker What are the c/n's for the XS2F-1 and YS2F-1? The first batch of S2F-1 c/n's seem to be out of sequence: BuNo. 133043 / 133328 are listed as c/n: 14 / 299. The c/n's should be 16 / 301, if they are to line up with the YS2F-1 and the next batch of S2F-1's which start at c/n: 302. This maybe to do with the first two S2F-1 airframes originally ordered as the XWF-1 (BuNo. 133043, 133044) prototype which was then cancelled. What are the c/n's for S2F-1 BuNo. 149843, 149844? The USAF s/n: 59-5919 / 59-5921 (3) were assigned from what batch of S-2 Tracker? Need further details on CS2F-1 s/n: (RCN) 1500, 1501? Whats the first flight and production dates for the CS2F-2? Lockheed F-104 Starfighter Were the construction numbers for the Aeritalia F-104S 783-1001 / 783-1246 or just 6701 / 6996? Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk USAF serial numbers and construction numbers maybe inaccurate? Lockheed P2V Neptune Did the 3 P2V-7 BuNo. 144732 / 144734 exist? Lockheed S-3 Viking Are the c/n's for S-3A BuNo. 160567 / 160607: 394A-1147 / 1187 or 394A-3147 / 3187? McDonnell F-4 Phantom II Some details surrounding JASDF F-4E(J) s/n: 8324 / 8332 - did they carry a 37 or 47 prefix? North American F-86 Sabre / F-100 Super Sabre Were the original serial numbers for the YF-86D prototypes actually: 49-577 and 49-578 and were these later re-serialled to: 50-577 and 50-578? A photo exists (below) of YF-86D 50-577 at Edwards AFB in the early 1950s with "9577" on the tail indicating a FY1949 s/n of 49-577. North American T-28 Trojan Why were the two USN Trojans (T-28B / C), given USAF designations and not Navy ones when the 1962 Tri-Service system wasn't in place until 1962? Present Answer: Aircraft were procured through USAF so had USAF designations with USN serial numbers. North American OV-10 Bronco Did the charge number NA-404 ever exist for the OV-10E? Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter The following countries assembled F-5's but I have no references to what serial numbers were built and when: Korean Airlines Co. Ltd., Aerospace Division (KAL), Seoul, South Korea, 1981 - 1986, 48 KF-5E / 20 KF-5F "Chegong" (Skymaster). Swiss Federal Aircraft Factory (F&W), Emmen, The Netherlands, 1978 - 1985, 90 F-5E / F-5F. Aero Industry Development Center (AIDC/CAF), Taichung, Taiwan, 380 F-5E. Bell H-13 Sioux HTL-1 BuNo. 122452 / 122461 appear to clash with the BuNo.'s of the Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune? Hiller H-23 Raven HTE-1 BuNo. 129169 / 129184 (16) - counted as cancelled? H-23G s/n: 66-13106 / 66-13195 (90) - counted as cancelled? Kaman H-2 Seasprite Is the SH-2G Super Seasprite still in production? Did UH-2B s/n: BuNo. 150621 / 150623 exist? Piasecki (Vertol) H-21 Workhorse / Shawnee Was CH-21C s/n: 52-8680, c/n: C-176? Some Canadian deliveries had previous USAF serial numbers which don't line up against the delivery dates for the numbers assigned: CH-21B, s/n: 59-2331 / 59-2336 (6). CH-21B, s/n: 59-5927 (1). Model 44A, s/n: 60-5445 / 60-5449 (5). Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw Require accurate production totals for civil (S-55A, S-55C) built airframes. Require serial numbers for foreign built (France and Yugoslavia) airframes. Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw Was H-34A s/n: 58-1721 assigned? Was UH-34D BuNo. 154045 assigned? SH-34J BuNo. 149840 (c/n: 58-1611) was assigned to Netherlands MDAP sale s/n: 135, but some sources also has it assigned to HSS-1N Chile sale s/n: N-51 (c/n: 58-1429). UH-34D BuNo. 150729 (c/n: 58-1725) was built for the USMC, but the BuNo. also appears to have been assigned to an SH-34J Netherlands MDAP sale s/n: 134 (c/n: 58-1597). Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe Were c/n's: 64-068 and 64-069 ever built as the civil S-64E? Sikorsky H-3 Sea King Were SH-3D BuNo. 158874, 158875 & 159026 / 159029 cancelled airframes? Present Answer: Yes. Did CH-3C s/n: 65-12511 exist? Were USCG HH-3F with US Navy BuNo. 158847 / 158858 built? Martin B-57 Were there 823 or 925 UK built Canberra bombers? |
Present Day |
Boeing Military Airliners Model 737 Did USAF C-40B 01-0005 exist, or did it become 01-0041? Answer: 01-0005 was not taken up. Was C-40C s/n: 02-0204 cancelled? Answer: Cancelled. Grumman E-2 Hawkeye What factory was the E-2 / C-2 built in? Lockheed U-2 / TR-1 Dates of first flights for the U-2A/B/D? Factory locations and production dates for the U-2 / TR-1? McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle What is the c/n for F-15C s/n: 81-0056, some sources quote it as 046 but this clashes with s/n: 81-0002 for Saudi Arabia as 1322? McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet The Northrop YF-17A prototypes featured s/n: 72-1569, 72-1570. However I have seen pictures with the tail number on 72-1569 being "01569"? Theres some conflicting details over Australian Hornet construction numbers, are they: AF/A-18A c/n: mixed 228 to 834 or as I have presently listed c/n: mixed A181 to A581. AF/A-18B c/n: 213, 214 or as I have presently listed c/n: B041, B042. AF/A-18B c/n: mixed 215 to 632 or as I have presently listed c/n: mixed B043 to B097. Bell UH-1 Iroquois / AH-1 Cobra UH-1 Was the official first flight October 20th or 22nd, 1956? Did s/n: 70-4507 / 70-4510 (4) for the UH-1D exist, some sources quote them as being an export sales batch? Did UH-1F s/n: 62-5434 (c/n: 7000) exist? Were the 4 UH-1F (s/n: 66-15358 / 66-15361) really cancelled, as some sources quote they were sent to Colombia? Was UH-1H s/n: 68-15779 / 68-15794 (c/n: 17001 / 17016) an export order or cancelled? Did UH-1H c/n: 16001 / 16027 exist as an export order or was it cancelled? Did UH-1H s/n: 72-22068 / 72-22071 exist as an export order? Did Bell 212 c/n: 30500 exist? Some documents quote such a number. Details of civil Bell 204B c/n: 1501, 3001, 3002 that went to Japan. AH-1 Was s/n: 64-7015 (c/n: 2600) and s/n: 64-7016 (c/n: 20001) ever assigned to any of the AH-1 Cobra prototypes? Is AH-1F s/n: 83-24065 / 83-24076 a cancelled contract? Is AH-1W BuNo. 165445 / 165450 a cancelled contract? Was AH-1W c/n: 26245 built? Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey Year of first flight of the CV-22B? Was the first 6 MV-22B aircraft designated as NV-22A? Seems to be some c/n conflicts in various production batches? Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook Is CH-47D s/n: 98-02000 (c/n: M-3462) for the US Army new built or re-manufactured? Does Singapore s/n: 88199 (199) CH-47SD exist or was it even delivered? Has production in Italy and Japan finished? Hughes (McDonnell Douglas / Boeing) AH-64 Apache YAH-64A s/n: 74-22247 clashes with s/n for Bell YAH-63? Are YAH-64A s/n: 79-23257 / 79-23259 in the FY'77 or FY'79 year? What is the c/n for the WAH-64D, s/n: 92-05408, for the British Army? Hughes OH-6 Cayuse / Model 500 Would like more details on foreign delivered OH-6A helicopters in the c/n group 1072 / 1078 (7) and 1079 / 1099 (21). What are the c/n's for OH-6A s/n: 66-17905, 66-17918? Details on the A/MH-6M? Sikorsky H-53 Sea Stallion The model number for the CH/MH-53E is the Model S-80 but the c/n's still list a "65" prefix? Whats the status of CH/MH-53E c/n: 65-604, 65-605? Were they built? Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk UH-60A s/n: 85-25511, 85-25512 clash with s/n for Bell UH-1H. The US Army spells the name as two words: BLACK HAWK, but the US Navy spells the name as one word: SEAHAWK, various other "Hawk" names are spelt as one or two words as well, which is correct? McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier Was AV-8B+ batch BuNo. 165020 / 165027, completed by Italy? Some sources quote Spanish AV-8's as being designated as the AV-8G? Raytheon T-6 Texan II Did the modified Pilatus PC-9 with US civil reg.: N26BA also have a modified c/n, possibly being either PT-1 or T-1? |