Table of Contents
Griffin Books

Preface Pages v to xiii

1. Type Summary 1-18

2. G-CY Register 193-200

3. Numerical Register 201-478

4. Instructional Register 479-492

5. Royal Canadian Navy Serials 493-495

6. British Military Serials 497-592

7. United States Army/AirForce Serials 593-597

8. United States Navy Serials 599-603

9. Canadian Civil Registration 605-607

10. Previous and Subsequent Canadian Civil Registrations 609-637

Chapter 7

UNITED STATES ARMY/AIR FORCE SERIALS

Web Image
John Alexander Griffin - 1922-2008 - Liberator Pilot, Aviation Historian, Author, Former Canadian Aviation History Society President

The United States Army Air Corps was formed officially on 2 July, 1926. The army aircraft serial system dated back to 1908, however, commencing with the numeral "1", and reached the 68500's by 1921. In 1922 the system was changed and the year of ordering was incorporated into the serial number. The year in this instance is the U.S. Government fiscal year, 1 July to 30 June, rather than the calendar year. In 1922, then, 22-1 opened the series and each year the secondary block reverted to the numeral 1, thus 23-1 was the first aircraft purchased in fiscal 1923. On 20 June 1941 the United States Army Air Corps became the United States Army Air Force and the fiscal system of serials continued in effect. However the display on the aircraft was reduced, in 1942, to the final numeral of the year with the dash omitted preceding the numerical sequence. For example Curtiss P40K serial 42-45921 was displayed on the aircraft as simply 245921.

On 18 September 1947 the United States Army Air Force became the United States Air Force and the above mentioned serial system continued with a refinement that the serial would always consist of at least four digits, eg. 2001 for 52-1. In 1958 the minimum was raised to five digits so that the 1958 aircraft series started at 80001 rather than 58-1. That the RCAF should have a series of United States Army Air Force, and United States Air Force serials may at first seem to be inconsistent with accepted military practice, but this was justified by local conditions. The same reasoning which permitted the continued use of RAF serials in the RCAF was if anything more applicable to USAAF and USAF serials. The aircraft involved were either on loan or subject to recall and, while on RCAF strength, modifications were made in accordance with United States instruction of the period. To have renumbered the aircraft in the RCAF series and carried out a constant cross-reference for modification purposes would have been an impractical procedure. The close liaison between the two Air Forces added to the logic of retaining the American serials for the relatively short period of service involved.

Briefly, the aircraft were acquired as follows. Two TG-3A Gliders were received for use by the Navy. One was transferred directly to the Royal Navy and the other remained with the Royal Canadian Navy with its U.S. serial permanently retained.

In 1956 a Boeing B-47B was received on loan to serve as a flying test bed for the Avro Iroquois engine then under development.

Six North American Mitchell 3A1's were received on loan for use by 3 (All Weather) Operational Training Unit at North Bay, Ontario.

A single Stearman PT 27 received on loan for three months in 1942 was used to prepare the Pilot's Notes for similar aircraft about to come off Canadian production lines. Nine Kittyhawks were used in the Aleutian Campaign of 1942-43. All were returned to the USAAF at the end of operations in this theatre.

The Lockheed T-33's were loaned to the RCAF to prepare aircrew for the Canadian production aircraft which were to be delivered in the near future.

One Sabre F-86A was loaned to the RCAF for design studies by A. V. Roe (Canada) which subsequently resulted in fitting the Orenda engine in Canadair's production F-86E Sabres. The three Vertol HUP-3 were taken on strength for use by the Royal Canadian Navy and since they had not developed a serial numbering system of their own they continued to use the USAF serial numbers as was the practice with USN aircraft taken on RCN strength.

The one hundred Texan aircraft which were received on loan in May, 1951, served to meet the RCAF's need for advanced trainers while waiting for the Canadian produced Harvard 4 delivered in the winter of 1951-52. Texans written off while on loan were replaced by Harvard 4s as they became available. JA Griffin et al 1968

Pg Serial Type Manuf C/N TOS SOS Reg Base Acc Remarks
595 41-25453 Stearman PT-27 4125453  1942-03-26  1942-06-09 01/01/0001 00:00:00 Pilot's Notes written
595 41-34177 NA AT-6D Texan 4134177  1951-05-21  1952-09-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34244 NA AT-6D Texan 4134244  1951-05-12  1953-10-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34304 NA AT-6D Texan 4134304  1951-05-12  1952-10-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34335 NA AT-6D Texan 4134335  1951-05-12  1952-05-31 Cat A 04/16/1952 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20331
595 41-34488 NA AT-6D Texan 4134488  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34491 NA AT-6D Texan 4134491  1951-05-12  1952-09-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34546 NA AT-6D Texan 4134546  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34548 NA AT-6D Texan 4134548  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 41-34549 NA AT-6D Texan 4134549  1951-05-12  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44432 NA AT-6D Texan 4244432  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44454 NA AT-6D Texan 4244454  1951-05-29  1952-09-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44469 NA AT-6D Texan 4244469  1951-05-12  1953-09-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44571 NA AT-6D Texan 4244571  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44613 NA AT-6D Texan 4244613  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44644 NA AT-6D Texan 4244644  1951-05-12  1952-10-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-44732 NA AT-6D Texan 4244732  1951-05-29  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45921 Curtiss P-40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245921  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45944 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245944  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45945 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245945  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45951 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245951  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45952 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245952  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 Cat C 10/12/1942 00:00:00
595 42-45954 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245954  1942-11-26  1943-08-12 Cat A 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-45977 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4245977  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-46003 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4246003  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-46004 Curtiss P40K-1 Kittyhawk 4246004  1942-11-26  1943-06-23 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-53113 Schweizer TG-3A 4253113  1946-12-04  1946-12-04 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-53119 Schweizer TG-3A 4253119  1946-12-04  1949-07-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-80858 NA AT-6D Texan 4480858  1951-05-12  1953-09-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-80866 NA AT-6D Texan 4480866  1951-05-12  1953-09-25 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-80932 NA AT-6D Texan 4480932  1951-05-18  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-80949 NA AT-6D Texan 4480949  1951-05-18  1953-09-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-81042 NA AT-6D Texan 4481042  1951-05-21  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-81071 NA AT-6D Texan 4481071  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 44-81078 NA AT-6D Texan 4481078  1951-05-12  1951-07-24 Cat A 01/01/0001 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20315
595 42-84324 NA AT-6D Texan 4284324  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84331 NA AT-6D Texan 4284331  1951-05-18  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84388 NA AT-6D Texan 4284388  1951-05-12  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84481 NA AT-6D Texan 4284481  1951-05-21  1952-09-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84488 NA AT-6D Texan 4284488  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84650 NA AT-6D Texan 4284650  1951-05-12  1952-08-13 Cat A 08/01/1952 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20468
595 42-84660 NA AT-6D Texan 4284660  1951-05-12  1953-08-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84680 NA AT-6D Texan 4284680  1951-05-12  1953-10-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84757 NA AT-6D Texan 4284757  1951-05-29  1952-10-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84832 NA AT-6D Texan 4284832  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84838 NA AT-6D Texan 4284838  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84841 NA AT-6D Texan 4284841  1951-05-12  1953-02-13 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84844 NA AT-6D Texan 4284844  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84847 NA AT-6D Texan 4284847  1951-05-12  1952-12-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84933 NA AT-6D Texan 4284933  1951-05-12  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84962 NA AT-6D Texan 4284962  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84965 NA AT-6D Texan 4284965  1951-05-12  1953-02-13 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-84971 NA AT-6D Texan 4284971  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85041 NA AT-6D Texan 4285041  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85043 NA AT-6D Texan 4285043  1951-05-12  1953-09-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85052 NA AT-6D Texan 4285052  1951-05-18  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85056 NA AT-6D Texan 4285056  1951-05-12  1953-01-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85060 NA AT-6D Texan 4285060  1951-05-20  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85071 NA AT-6D Texan 4285071  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
595 42-85165 NA AT-6D Texan 4285165  1951-05-29  1952-04-04 Cat A 03/26/1952 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20364
595 42-85174 NA AT-6D Texan 4285174  1951-05-18  1951-09-29 Cat A 01/01/0001 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20457
595 42-85256 NA AT-6D Texan 4285256  1951-05-12  1953-09-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85357 NA AT-6D Texan 4285357  1951-05-21  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85359 NA AT-6D Texan 4285359  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85360 NA AT-6D Texan 4285360  1951-05-12  1953-01-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85404 NA AT-6D Texan 4285404  1951-05-18  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85465 NA AT-6D Texan 4285465  1951-05-21  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00 .
596 42-85477 NA AT-6D Texan 4285477  1951-05-12  1953-01-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85550 NA AT-6D Texan 4285550  1951-05-12  1954-02-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85585 NA AT-6D Texan 4285585  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85599 NA AT-6D Texan 4285599  1951-05-18  1954-02-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85691 NA AT-6D Texan 4285691  1951-05-18  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85739 NA AT-6D Texan 4285739  1951-06-15  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85740 NA AT-6D Texan 4285740  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85741 NA AT-6D Texan 4285741  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85800 NA AT-6D Texan 4285800  1951-05-12  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85802 NA AT-6D Texan 4285802  1951-05-18  1953-02-13 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85804 NA AT-6D Texan 4285804  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85813 NA AT-6D Texan 4285813  1951-05-21  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85823 NA AT-6D Texan 4285823  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85913 NA AT-6D Texan 4285913  1951-05-29  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85923 NA AT-6D Texan 4285923  1951-05-12  1953-09-02 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-85938 NA AT-6D Texan 4285938  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86027 NA AT-6D Texan 4286027  1951-05-29  1952-09-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86053 NA AT-6D Texan 4286053  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86161 NA AT-6D Texan 4286161  1951-07-03  1952-12-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86211 NA AT-6D Texan 4286211  1951-05-12  1952-11-19 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86328 NA AT-6D Texan 4286328  1951-05-12  1954-02-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86374 NA AT-6D Texan 4286374  1951-05-12  1953-10-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86465 NA AT-6D Texan 4286465  1951-05-18  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86544 NA AT-6D Texan 4286544  1951-05-12  1953-01-27 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 42-86545 NA AT-6D Texan 4286545  1951-05-12  1952-10-07 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30314 NA Mitchell 3A1 4430314  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30390 NA Mitchell 3A1 4430390  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30439 NA Mitchel 3A1 4430439  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30442 NA Mitchel 3A1 4430442  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30444 NA Mitchel 3A1 4430444  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-30449 NA Mitchel 3A1 4430449  1954-08-26  1955-06-23 North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81152 NA AT-6D Texan 4481152  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81197 NA AT-6D Texan 4481197  1951-05-12  1953-09-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81201 NA AT-6D Texan 4481201  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81433 NA AT-6D Texan 4481433  1951-05-15  1952-08-05 Cat A 07/25/1952 00:00:00 Replaced by RCAF 20316
596 44-81440 NA AT-6D Texan 4481440  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81464 NA AT-6D Texan 4481464  1951-05-15  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81470 NA AT-6D Texan 4481470  1951-05-18  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81482 NA AT-6D Texan 4481482  1951-05-12  1953-09-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81488 NA AT-6D Texan 4481488  1951-05-12  1953-09-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81493 NA AT-6D Texan 4481493  1951-05-12  1953-10-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81494 NA AT-6D Texan 4481494  1951-05-12  1954-02-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81506 NA AT-6D Texan 4481506  1951-05-12  1953-10-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81514 NA AT-6D Texan 4481514  1951-05-12  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81525 NA AT-6D Texan 4481525  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81528 NA AT-6D Texn 4481528  1951-05-29  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81566 NA AT-6D Texan 4481566  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81569 NA AT-6D Texan 4481569  1951-05-12  1953-09-24 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81577 NA AT-6D Texan 4481577  1951-05-12  1953-11-10 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81601 NA AT-6D Texan 4481601  1951-05-12  1953-10-26 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 44-81634 NA AT-6D Texan 4481634  1951-05-21  1953-02-12 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 49-1069 NA F-86A Sabre 491069  1951-10-17  1953-12-29 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 51-2059 Boeing B-47B 512059  1956-03-05  1959-05-22 X059 01/01/0001 00:00:00 Iroquois Test bed
596 51-6713 Lockheed T-33 516713  1952-08-05  1955-02-03 Cat B 09/09/1952 00:00:00
596 51-6714 Lockheed T-33 516714  1952-09-05  1955-02-03 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 51-6715 Lockheed T-33 516715  1952-08-05  1953-04-30 Cat A 04/16/1953 00:00:00
596 51-6716 Lockheed T-33 516716  1952-08-05  1953-09-08 Stn North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 51-6717 Lockheed T-33 516717  1952-08-05  1953-10-01 Stn North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
596 51-6743 Lockheed T-33 516743  1952-09-05  1953-09-08 Stn Chatham 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-6744 Lockheed T-33 516744  1952-09-05  1953-09-08 Stn Chatham 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-6745 Lockheed T-33 516745  1952-09-05  1953-10-01 Stn North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-6746 Lockheed 1-33 516746  1952-09-05  1953-09-02 Stn North Bay 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-6747 Lockheed T-33 516747  1952-09-05  1953-10-01 Stn Chatham 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-16621 Vertol HUP-3 5116621  1954-05-11  1964-01-18 945 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-16622 Vertol HUP-3 5116622  1954-05-11  1963-12-04 946 01/01/0001 00:00:00
597 51-16623 Vertol HUP-3 5116623  1954-05-11  1964-01-18 247/947 01/01/0001 00:00:00
1
Page 1 of 1