Quote:
Originally Posted by Crumpp
Why are you trying to force an answer on this issue without all the facts?
Why do you insist that you know all the facts and the only operational document that definately tells us is wrong while you are right?
We happen to be lucky enough that the Operating Notes is a legal document published by the Air Ministry and will reflect how the type was operated.
The regular squadron maintenance personnel did not handle this and that is why the order specifies Service Inspection. RAF squadron did not perform that inspection. RAF squadron personnel performed daily and routine maintenance. The CRO performed major alterations.
In NEW engines but the RAF already had ~700 Hurricanes and Spitfires in the inventory during the time the instructions came out. Consider that meant some ~1400 to 2100 engines in maintenance stocks that also had to be modified.
The new production also has to cover maintenance stocks, too.
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We don't know when the changes were first installed on new engines, we do know that the changes were already in place so a number of the 700 would already have them. We also know that the engines in service would have already gone through service inspection, so that would account for a number more.
In the three months following the issue of the paper a high proportion of the engines would be serviced or in the case of Hurricanes, newer arcraft would have replaced the ones in the squadrons in March.
I personally consider combat reports and station/squadron records as official documents, you may not but I do on that we will have to differ