Lockheed Hudson III

After the retreat from Burma, reconnaissance over the Bay of Bengal was carried out by Catalinas, Blenheim IVs and Hudsons of the R.A.F. The Hudsons were ‘militarised’ transport aircraft and when in February 1942, No. 139 Squadron R.A.F. took over responsibility from the Coast Defence Flights, No. 3 Flight at Calcutta manned by the IAFVR, also received a small number of Hudson Ins in May, the Hudsons being better suited for general reconnaissance work with their longer range and better armament. In June 1942, No. 353 Squadron R.A.F. was raised on the Hudson III at Dum Dum and No. 3 C.D.F. formed a flight of this unit, moving to Charbutia on 4th August 1942.

Until the disbandment of Coast Defence Flights at the end of 1942, No. 3 C.D.F. carried out reconnaissance and attacks on installations along the Arakan coast and including Akyab with its concentration of Japanese shipping and supply bases. Two Hudsons were lost, one in bad weather over the sea, the other during an offensive reconnaissance against the Japanese fleet in the Bay of Bengal.

Notes
The first Hudson, a military reconnaissance bomber variant of the commercial Model 14, flew on December 10th 1938 and nearly one thousand Marks I-IVA were supplied, mostly to the R.A.F., both before the war and under the lend-lease act in April 1941. The Huson III was powered by two 1200 h.p. Wright Cyclone GR. 1820-G205A radials.