| World Air Forces |
Netherlands
Naval Aviation
Aircraft Serial Numbering:
The MLD has changed it's aircraft serialling system a number of times during the course of it's existence:
Pre-World War Two
The original serialling system comprised a letter and a one or two digit number, separated by a dash. eg: Do-24K X-37. The letter indicated the aircraft type, and the number was the individual airframe number, allocated sequentially from 1.
World War Two
Except for the Catalinas in the Far East, all MLD aircraft in Royal Navy or RAF service carried British serial numbers (i.e. two letters and three numbers) eg: KG869.
1946-1959
A new system was introduced after the war. Serials were now made up of two sets of numbers, separated by the fuselage roundel eg: 13-9. The first number indicated the role of that aircraft, and the second number was the individual identity. The individual number counted from 1 for each role, although some numbers were re-used upon the retirement of the previous type. The role number was derived from the position in the alphabet of the role initial letter - initially Dutch words were used, but in 1950 this was changed to English words:| 1 | = | A | |
| 2 | = | B | Bomber |
| 6 | = | F | Fighter |
| 8 | = | H | Helicopter |
| 10 | = | J | Jager (Fighter) |
| 11 | = | K | Konvooi (Patrol) |
| 12 | = | L | Les (Instruction) |
| 13 | = | M | |
| 16 | = | P | Patrol |
| 17 | = | Q | |
| 18 | = | R | |
| 19 | = | S | |
| 20 | = | U | Utility |
| 23 | = | W |
A change in role for a given type (eg: relgation to second line duties) resulted in a change in serial prefix , but not of the sequence number.
21 August 1959 onwards
A new system of was introduced at this date, comprising a single series of 3 digit sequential numbers starting from 001 eg: 200. All aircraft then on charge were reserialled. The system continues to the present day. Serial numbers appear beneath the port wing, above the starboard wing and on both sides of the nose, Helicopters have serial numbers on the fuselage belly and sides.
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| First Created: 20 September 1996 - Last Revised: 10 May 1997 | ||||
| Copyright © 1996 John Hayles. e-mail: john@aeroflight.co.uk | ||||