The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter. The Hudson was the first significant aircraft construction contract for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation—the initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command but also in transport and training roles as well as delivering agents into occupied France. They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force's anti-submarine squadrons. Based on the Lockheed Model 14 'Super Electra', due to the United States then-neutrality, early series aircraft were flown to the Canadian border, landed, and then towed on their wheels over the border into Canada by tractors or horse drawn teams, before then being flown to RCAF airfields where they were dismantled and "cocooned" for transport, unarmed as deck cargo, by ship to Liverpool.Once in England they were fitted with the Boulton-Paul dorsal turret. Though soon outclassed by larger bombers, the Hudson layed some milestones in the first half of WWII. On 8 October 1939, over Jutland, a Hudson became the first RAF aircraft to shoot down a German aircraft. A Hudson of Royal Canadian Air Force Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron 113 became the first aircraft of RCAF's Eastern Air Command to sink a submarine, when Hudson 625 sank U-754 on 31 July 1942 Following Japanese attacks on Malaya, Hudsons from No. 1 Squadron RAAF became the first aircraft to make an attack in the Pacific War, sinking a Japanese transport ship, the Awazisan Maru, off Kota Bharu, one hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor.Local time would have been 01:18,making this an extraordinary night operation. A Hudson was the first Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft in air combat in the Pacific theatre when on 23 Nov 1942. F/O George Gudsell's NZ2049 was engaged by three Japanese floatplane fighters after spotting an enemy convoy near Vella Lavella. After skilled evasive manoeuvring at less than 50' above the sea, the Hudson returned to Henderson Field with no casualties. (Lockheed Model 14 / Hudson...available now.) Also in this image..the return of 'Tailspin' Turner..He was released from Hospital yesterday at 11:30.I agreed to the staff having an extended lunch break to greet him.I was not so happy when they sat waiting for him til 16:30...it's only 2.5 miles to the Hospital....on reflection I could have picked him up. On a sad note Suki has left us, she was involved with the unfortunate U-Boat inccident the other day. I am very sorry to everyone at the U-Boat Preservation Trust at Woodside.However on a brighter note, the damage will keep the Cammel Laird apprentices in training for another 3 years. Sukis replacement Dr Von Krupp starts on Monday, I don't know much about him other than he is a speciallist in rocketry and big guns....will share news when I know more..