When these three aircraft were purchased, Latvia specified that they
must be equipped with the Mercury IX engine. This is the same engine already
in use in Latvia's Gloster Gladiators and they wanted to minimize the parts
and maintenance issues.
The three aircraft, in 1937, cost a total of 22, 479 British pounds.
With international tensions growing, the actual purchase agreement and
all other details were kept secret.
In 1939 two of these aircraft appeared on the roster of the 3rd Recon
Squadron (stationed in Riga) and the other was with the 7th Recon Squadron (Krustpils).
On the day of the Soviet ultimatum, one of the Riga aircraft was transferred to
the Krustpils location.
August, 1940 (Soviet occupation). The Hinds (along with the other more modern
latvian aircraft) were gathered together at Krustpils. Here, the Soviets stripped them
all of their armament and broke some of them down and put them in boxes for shipment to Russia.
Nothing further is know of what became of these three aircraft.
Sources
- Bruvelis, Edvins Latvijas Aviacijas Vesture
- Humberstone, R. (ed)Latvian Air Force 1918-1940
