Hudson Nose Numbers

In common with some other Lockheed aircraft, Hudsons carried their MSN (or part thereof) stencilled on the nose. The first fifty RAAF Hudsons carried the last two digits of the MSN preceeded by a 1, 2 or 3. The reason for this is unknown. From A16-51 onwards, the full four digit MSN was used. Some nose numbers were later removed, either deliberately or through not being replaced after repairs or repainting.

The fuselage of Hudson A16-22, extant to this day, still carries the faded number 237 on the nose between the two rows of nose windows.

It is surmised that the first digit might have some relevance to the modification state of the aeroplane.

One known anomaly is A16-76 (MSN 1929) which carried the nose number 327 in larger, lighter digits than usual. It should be noted that A16-76 is thus far the only known example where a nose number does not correspond with an MSN.


When the very last Hudson rolled off the production line, it carried the nose number 414-7589 which comprised the model number (414) and the full MSN (7589).


RAAF NOSE NUMBER MSN
A16-1
150
1750
A16-2
178
1778
A16-3
179
1779
A16-4 to A16-50
255 to 303
1855 to 1903
A16-51 to A16-247
4 digits same as MSN

 

UNEXPLAINED ANOMALIES
A16-76
327
1929

 


SOURCE
The RAAF Hudson Story, Books 1 & 2, self-published by David Vincent, 1999 and 2010.




Issue Date Remarks
3 15OCT21
Added a guess at the significance of the first digit in the nose number of A16-22.
2 18FEB19
Page completely revised (after exactly 21 years!)
1 18FEB98
Original issue.




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