"Dingo" wrote in message
...

This image has been sitting on my desktop for about a year now. It's a
screen grab of part of a database of Spitfires exported to Russia during
WW2. I've Googled until I've gone ga-ga trying to figure out what the
entry
"Hapmat" means. Is it an acronym, a location code .... or what?

Any ideas, chaps ?
~~
Dingo





Quickly checking a couple of the Googlable sources that you've probably
covered ....


Looking at SS Empire Archer and SS Empire Celia, both cargo ships were part
of Convoy JW 63 to deliver Spitfires and other war material to the Kola
Inlet (presumably docking in Murmansk)

Hence, I don't think Hapmat refers to a Persian or Russian airfield, as has
been suggested in other forums (fora ???)


This is only a guess, but I'd say it's the chemical spray-on protective
material that would keep the salt spray out of the plane.

http://www.airteamimages.com/pics/159/159971_800.jpg


Just a thought.





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Cheers

Dave Kearton