Wirraway batch numbers – Mark II aircraft

For reference purposes I’ve collated a list of production batch numbers for the CAC Wirraway aircraft delivered to the RAAF between July 1939 and July 1946. This page contains the batch numbers for Mark II Wirraways, which were delivered under the CA-3, CA-5, CA-7, CA-8 and CA-9 production “contract” numbers. A summary of Mark II production is given in the table below:

Wirraway typeCAC Contract NumberRAAF Contract DemandOrdering entityOrder NumberQuantity deliveredCAC Constructor’s NumbersRAAF Serials
Mk IICA-3T.456DCB(unknown)6041 to 100A20-43 to 102
Mk IICA-5T.562DCB(unknown)32103 to 134A20-103 to 134
Mk IICA-7A.P.C.1APC(unknown)100135 to 234A20-135 to 234
Mk IICA-8A.P.C.81APC(unknown)200436 to 635A20-235 to 434
Mk IICA-9A.P.C.433APC(unknown)132636 to 766A20-435 to 565
Mk IICA-9A.P.C.739APCC.S.45256767 to 823A20-566 to 622

DCB = Defence Contracts Board
APC = Aircraft Production Commission

Batch numbers
Wirraway production was generally planned in batches of 10 aircraft. But there were two exceptions:

  • At the end of the CA-5 contract, batch “Q” consisted of 12 aircraft, to make up the total of 32 aircraft delivered against this contract
  • At the end of the CA-9 contract, batch “W” consisted of only 8 aircraft, to make up the total of 188 aircraft delivered against this contract

Batch numbers consisted of a letter for each batch followed by a number for each aircraft in that batch (e.g. A1, A2, A3, A4, etc)..The letters I, O, Q and V were generally not used as batch numbers, as they could be confused for numbers.

Usually a new contract (such as CA-1, CA-2, etc) started with batch “A”. However the CA-5 contract started with batch “N” (following from the final CA-3 batch which was “M”)

The definitive source for batch numbers is a ledger book kept by Mr Gordon Parker, Supervisor in the Sales Department, and one of CAC’s earliest employees from 1936. This book is now held in the collection of the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport. The list below is transcribed from the Parker list, and has been checked against photographic records as well as airframes and ID tags held in museums and private collections.

During production, batch numbers were temporarily attached to the firewall and then the rudder (once the engine was mounted). These temporary numbers are sometimes visible in factory photos.

Constructor’s numbers
These were a sequence of numbers allocated to each aircraft in the sequence that they came off the line. For example, Wirraways delivered under the CA-3 contract were given constructor’s numbers from 41 to 100.

RAAF stores number
All equipment in the RAAF was allocated a stores number for tracking and accounting purposes. Aircraft were tracked under the category “A” and each aircraft was given a specific number, Wirraway aircraft being allocated the category A20. These numbers are often referred to as the “serial number” of the aircraft in RAAF service.

Linking batch numbers, stores numbers and constructor’s numbers
Here are several photos showing Mark II Wirraways under construction, allowing us to link the batch codes to RAAF stores/serial numbers.

Mark II Wirraways commenced with the 41st aircraft, A20-44 (c/n 41) and in the photo below we see the last Mark I aircraft (A20-42, on the far side of the factory closest to the doors) and the first Mark II aircraft (furthest to the right, with G1 batch number on the rudder). Workers are pushing G4 in the foreground (A20-46).

Figure 1: CAC factory floor in mid February 1940, the point of changing from Mark I aircraft to Mark II aircraft (Australian War Memorial, ref 000626/06)

Early in CA-5 production the photo below shows six fins and rudders, from the left N8, with A20-110 also labelled, then N9 (batch label hidden) with its tail wheel on the ground, then N10 (batch label hidden), then P1 and P2 and finally P3 with its label hanging half-off. 

Figure 2: Early CA-5 production, showing the fins of N8 to P3, corresponding to A20-110 to A20-115 (Author’s collection)

The photo below shows a group of Wirraway aircraft under construction, late in the CA-9 contract, around March 1942. Batch numbers taped to the rudder of each aircraft are (from the left) P6-570, P5-569, P1-565, N9-563. These correspond to A20-570, A20-569, A20-565 and A20-563. Incidentally, these aircraft (the last 56 in the CA-9 contract) were originally intended for the RAF, but the War Cabinet decided to retain them in Australia. They were also delivered with two-bladed propellers, as De Havilland had run out of imported “spider” castings for three-bladed propellers.

Mark II Wirraways under construction (CA-9 contract)
Figure 3: Mark II Wirraways under construction for the CA-9 contract (Lewis Family Collection, State Library of South Australia, ref PRG 247/143/9, cropped)

The table below lists batch numbers and construction numbers for all Mark II Wirraway aircraft, delivered under the CA-3, CA-5, CA-7, CA-8 and CA-9 contracts. The batch numbers are transcribed from Gordon Parker’s delivery records, and have been cross-checked with photographic evidence where possible (some of which is shown above) and several frames and ID tags held in museums or private collections.

Note that it is possible that not all batch numbers correspond exactly according to Gordon Parker’s list as transcribed below. There may have been periods where a welded frame with a given batch number was taken from stock and assembled into an airframe with a different constructor’s number. For example, the first aircraft supplied under the CA-5 contract, the famous A20-103 (C/N 103) in the War Memorial, should have the batch number N1 according to Parker’s list (as shown below), however a collector has a bracelet with the N1 batch number in a private collection. So the frame in A20-103 may not have been the frame labelled N1 as would be expected.

CAC Contract Number CA-CAC Constructor’s NumberRAAF SerialBatch Number
341A20-43G1
342A20-44G2
343A20-45G3
344A20-46G4
345A20-47G5
346A20-48G6
347A20-49G7
348A20-50G8
349A20-51G9
350A20-52G10
351A20-53H1
352A20-54H2
353A20-55H3
354A20-56H4
355A20-57H5
356A20-58H6
357A20-59H7
358A20-60H8
359A20-61H9
360A20-62H10
361A20-63J1
362A20-64J2
363A20-65J3
364A20-66J4
365A20-67J5
366A20-68J6
367A20-69J7
368A20-70J8
369A20-71J9
370A20-72J10
371A20-73K1
372A20-74K2
373A20-75K3
374A20-76K4
375A20-77K5
376A20-78K6
377A20-79K7
378A20-80K8
379A20-81K9
380A20-82K10
381A20-83L1
382A20-84L2
383A20-85L3
384A20-86L4
385A20-87L5
386A20-88L6
387A20-89L7
388A20-90L8
389A20-91L9
390A20-92L10
391A20-93M1
392A20-94M2
393A20-95M3
394A20-96M4
395A20-97M5
396A20-98M6
397A20-99M7
398A20-100M8
399A20-101M9
3100A20-102M10
5103A20-103N1
5104A20-104N2
5105A20-105N3
5106A20-106N4
5107A20-107N5
5108A20-108N6
5109A20-109N7
5110A20-110N8
5111A20-111N9
5112A20-112N10
5113A20-113P1
5114A20-114P2
5115A20-115P3
5116A20-116P4
5117A20-117P5
5118A20-118P6
5119A20-119P7
5120A20-120P8
5121A20-121P9
5122A20-122P10
5123A20-123Q1
5124A20-124Q2
5125A20-125Q3
5126A20-126Q4
5127A20-127Q5
5128A20-128Q6
5129A20-129Q7
5130A20-130Q8
5131A20-131Q9
5132A20-132Q10
5133A20-133Q11
5134A20-134Q12
7135A20-135A1
7136A20-136A2
7137A20-137A3
7138A20-138A4
7139A20-139A5
7140A20-140A6
7141A20-141A7
7142A20-142A8
7143A20-143A9
7144A20-144A10
7145A20-145B1
7146A20-146B2
7147A20-147B3
7148A20-148B4
7149A20-149B5
7150A20-150B6
7151A20-151B7
7152A20-152B8
7153A20-153B9
7154A20-154B10
7155A20-155C1
7156A20-156C2
7157A20-157C3
7158A20-158C4
7159A20-159C5
7160A20-160C6
7161A20-161C7
7162A20-162C8
7163A20-163C9
7164A20-164C10
7165A20-165D1
7166A20-166D2
7167A20-167D3
7168A20-168D4
7169A20-169D5
7170A20-170D6
7171A20-171D7
7172A20-172D8
7173A20-173D9
7174A20-174D10
7175A20-175E1
7176A20-176E2
7177A20-177E3
7178A20-178E4
7179A20-179E5
7180A20-180E6
7181A20-181E7
7182A20-182E8
7183A20-183E9
7184A20-184E10
7185A20-185F1
7186A20-186F2
7187A20-187F3
7188A20-188F4
7189A20-189F5
7190A20-190F6
7191A20-191F7
7192A20-192F8
7193A20-193F9
7194A20-194F10
7195A20-195G1
7196A20-196G2
7197A20-197G3
7198A20-198G4
7199A20-199G5
7200A20-200G6
7201A20-201G7
7202A20-202G8
7203A20-203G9
7204A20-204G10
7205A20-205H1
7206A20-206H2
7207A20-207H3
7208A20-208H4
7209A20-209H5
7210A20-210H6
7211A20-211H7
7212A20-212H8
7213A20-213H9
7214A20-214H10
7215A20-215J1
7216A20-216J2
7217A20-217J3
7218A20-218J4
7219A20-219J5
7220A20-220J6
7221A20-221J7
7222A20-222J8
7223A20-223J9
7224A20-224J10
7225A20-225K1
7226A20-226K2
7227A20-227K3
7228A20-228K4
7229A20-229K5
7230A20-230K6
7231A20-231K7
7232A20-232K8
7233A20-233K9
7234A20-234K10
8436A20-235A1
8437A20-236A2
8438A20-237A3
8439A20-238A4
8440A20-239A5
8441A20-240A6
8442A20-241A7
8443A20-242A8
8444A20-243A9
8445A20-244A10
8446A20-245B1
8447A20-246B2
8448A20-247B3
8449A20-248B4
8450A20-249B5
8451A20-250B6
8452A20-251B7
8453A20-252B8
8454A20-253B9
8455A20-254B10
8456A20-255C1
8457A20-256C2
8458A20-257C3
8459A20-258C4
8460A20-259C5
8461A20-260C6
8462A20-261C7
8463A20-262C8
8464A20-263C9
8465A20-264C10
8466A20-265D1
8467A20-266D2
8468A20-267D3
8469A20-268D4
8470A20-269D5
8471A20-270D6
8472A20-271D7
8473A20-272D8
8474A20-273D9
8475A20-274D10
8476A20-275E1
8477A20-276E2
8478A20-277E3
8479A20-278E4
8480A20-279E5
8481A20-280E6
8482A20-281E7
8483A20-282E8
8484A20-283E9
8485A20-284E10
8486A20-285F1
8487A20-286F2
8488A20-287F3
8489A20-288F4
8490A20-289F5
8491A20-290F6
8492A20-291F7
8493A20-292F8
8494A20-293F9
8495A20-294F10
8496A20-295G1
8497A20-296G2
8498A20-297G3
8499A20-298G4
8500A20-299G5
8501A20-300G6
8502A20-301G7
8503A20-302G8
8504A20-303G9
8505A20-304G10
8506A20-305H1
8507A20-306H2
8508A20-307H3
8509A20-308H4
8510A20-309H5
8511A20-310H6
8512A20-311H7
8513A20-312H8
8514A20-313H9
8515A20-314H10
8516A20-315J1
8517A20-316J2
8518A20-317J3
8519A20-318J4
8520A20-319J5
8521A20-320J6
8522A20-321J7
8523A20-322J8
8524A20-323J9
8525A20-324J10
8526A20-325K1
8527A20-326K2
8528A20-327K3
8529A20-328K4
8530A20-329K5
8531A20-330K6
8532A20-331K7
8533A20-332K8
8534A20-333K9
8535A20-334K10
8536A20-335L1
8537A20-336L2
8538A20-337L3
8539A20-338L4
8540A20-339L5
8541A20-340L6
8542A20-341L7
8543A20-342L8
8544A20-343L9
8545A20-344L10
8546A20-345M1
8547A20-346M2
8548A20-347M3
8549A20-348M4
8550A20-349M5
8551A20-350M6
8552A20-351M7
8553A20-352M8
8554A20-353M9
8555A20-354M10
8556A20-355N1
8557A20-356N2
8558A20-357N3
8559A20-358N4
8560A20-359N5
8561A20-360N6
8562A20-361N7
8563A20-362N8
8564A20-363N9
8565A20-364N10
8566A20-365P1
8567A20-366P2
8568A20-367P3
8569A20-368P4
8570A20-369P5
8571A20-370P6
8572A20-371P7
8573A20-372P8
8574A20-373P9
8575A20-374P10
8576A20-375R1
8577A20-376R2
8578A20-377R3
8579A20-378R4
8580A20-379R5
8581A20-380R6
8582A20-381R7
8583A20-382R8
8584A20-383R9
8585A20-384R10
8586A20-385S1
8587A20-386S2
8588A20-387S3
8589A20-388S4
8590A20-389S5
8591A20-390S6
8592A20-391S7
8593A20-392S8
8594A20-393S9
8595A20-394S10
8596A20-395T1
8597A20-396T2
8598A20-397T3
8599A20-398T4
8600A20-399T5
8601A20-400T6
8602A20-401T7
8603A20-402T8
8604A20-403T9
8605A20-404T10
8606A20-405U1
8607A20-406U2
8608A20-407U3
8609A20-408U4
8610A20-409U5
8611A20-410U6
8612A20-411U7
8613A20-412U8
8614A20-413U9
8615A20-414U10
8616A20-415W1
8617A20-416W2
8618A20-417W3
8619A20-418W4
8620A20-419W5
8621A20-420W6
8622A20-421W7
8623A20-422W8
8624A20-423W9
8625A20-424W10
8626A20-425X1
8627A20-426X2
8628A20-427X3
8629A20-428X4
8630A20-429X5
8631A20-430X6
8632A20-431X7
8633A20-432X8
8634A20-433X9
8635A20-434X10
9636A20-435A1
9637A20-436A2
9638A20-437A3
9639A20-438A4
9640A20-439A5
9641A20-440A6
9642A20-441A7
9643A20-442A8
9644A20-443A9
9645A20-444A10
9646A20-445B1
9647A20-446B2
9648A20-447B3
9649A20-448B4
9650A20-449B5
9651A20-450B6
9652A20-451B7
9653A20-452B8
9654A20-453B9
9655A20-454B10
9656A20-455C1
9657A20-456C2
9658A20-457C3
9659A20-458C4
9660A20-459C5
9661A20-460C6
9662A20-461C7
9663A20-462C8
9664A20-463C9
9665A20-464C10
9666A20-465D1
9667A20-466D2
9668A20-467D3
9669A20-468D4
9670A20-469D5
9671A20-470D6
9672A20-471D7
9673A20-472D8
9674A20-473D9
9675A20-474D10
9676A20-475E1
9677A20-476E2
9678A20-477E3
9679A20-478E4
9680A20-479E5
9681A20-480E6
9682A20-481E7
9683A20-482E8
9684A20-483E9
9685A20-484E10
9686A20-485F1
9687A20-486F2
9688A20-487F3
9689A20-488F4
9690A20-489F5
9691A20-490F6
9692A20-491F7
9693A20-492F8
9694A20-493F9
9695A20-494F10
9696A20-495G1
9697A20-496G2
9698A20-497G3
9699A20-498G4
9700A20-499G5
9701A20-500G6
9702A20-501G7
9703A20-502G8
9704A20-503G9
9705A20-504G10
9706A20-505H1
9707A20-506H2
9708A20-507H3
9709A20-508H4
9710A20-509H5
9711A20-510H6
9712A20-511H7
9713A20-512H8
9714A20-513H9
9715A20-514H10
9716A20-515J1
9717A20-516J2
9718A20-517J3
9719A20-518J4
9720A20-519J5
9721A20-520J6
9722A20-521J7
9723A20-522J8
9724A20-523J9
9725A20-524J10
9726A20-525K1
9727A20-526K2
9728A20-527K3
9729A20-528K4
9730A20-529K5
9731A20-530K6
9732A20-531K7
9733A20-532K8
9734A20-533K9
9735A20-534K10
9736A20-535L1
9737A20-536L2
9738A20-537L3
9739A20-538L4
9740A20-539L5
9741A20-540L6
9742A20-541L7
9743A20-542L8
9744A20-543L9
9745A20-544L10
9746A20-545M1
9747A20-546M2
9748A20-547M3
9749A20-548M4
9750A20-549M5
9751A20-550M6
9752A20-551M7
9753A20-552M8
9754A20-553M9
9755A20-554M10
9756A20-555N1
9757A20-556N2
9758A20-557N3
9759A20-558N4
9760A20-559N5
9761A20-560N6
9762A20-561N7
9763A20-562N8
9764A20-563N9
9765A20-564N10
9766A20-565P1
9767A20-566P2
9768A20-567P3
9769A20-568P4
9770A20-569P5
9771A20-570P6
9772A20-571P7
9773A20-572P8
9774A20-573P9
9775A20-574P10
9776A20-575R1
9777A20-576R2
9778A20-577R3
9779A20-578R4
9780A20-579R5
9781A20-580R6
9782A20-581R7
9783A20-582R8
9784A20-583R9
9785A20-584R10
9786A20-585S1
9787A20-586S2
9788A20-587S3
9789A20-588S4
9790A20-589S5
9791A20-590S6
9792A20-591S7
9793A20-592S8
9794A20-593S9
9795A20-594S10
9796A20-595T1
9797A20-596T2
9798A20-597T3
9799A20-598T4
9800A20-599T5
9801A20-600T6
9802A20-601T7
9803A20-602T8
9804A20-603T9
9805A20-604T10
9806A20-605U1
9807A20-606U2
9808A20-607U3
9809A20-608U4
9810A20-609U5
9811A20-610U6
9812A20-611U7
9813A20-612U8
9814A20-613U9
9815A20-614U10
9816A20-615W1
9817A20-616W2
9818A20-617W3
9819A20-618W4
9820A20-619W5
9821A20-620W6
9822A20-621W7
9823A20-622W8

I welcome feedback on the table above, with supporting evidence of any possible inaccuracies.

References:

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. Sales Department Aircraft Delivery Ledger; Kept by Gordon Parker. CAC Collection, Australian National Aviation Museum.

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. Aircraft Drawing Office Manual. Incorporating up to Amendment List No. 2, Melbourne, Australia, 1946.