HD 50896 has become one of the most promising candidate WR+collapsar systems (Moffat 1982) exhibiting optical light, RV and polarisation variations with a 3d.763 period (cf Firmani et al. 1980) yet direct evidence for its postulated n.s. component is lacking. UV spectra of analogous OB X-ray binaries show P-Cygni profile changes as a function of binary phase which are well understood in terms of anisotropic wind ionisation caused by X-ray emission from the accreting n.s. - the Hatchett & McCray (1976) effect. Observations of such UV variability in WR+c candidates with a clear phase dependence would thus provide good evidence for any n.s. companion. To this end we have obtained IUE spectra of HD 50896 in sequential NASA/VILSPA shifts over 6 consecutive days in 1983, together with complementary IUE data secured at various epochs during 1978–82, to search for the Hatchett & McCray effect in this star.