I think that the markings on the Typhoon are dreadful and display a lack of proper investment in time and money. How is it that other NATO nations manage to achieve such a high standard for their aircraft paint designs and finishes. I know that the RAF does have somewhere, hidden away, some talented graphic designers who could do the aircraft justice. If this is what the RAF wants to display around the world on it's No1 Fighter aircraft, then I am disappointed.
As regards the TRIPLEX squadron markings, they are not because we all drank Batemans Triplex beer. Explanation below.
Since the late 1920s, the squadron marking has been three (red) Xs (XXX). Since this closely resembles the
Roman
numeral for "29" (XXIX) there is a "traditional" belief among current squadron personnel that this originated as a "misspelling" of the Roman numeral.
Although various versions of the tradition are put forward, the most common explanation is that a mis-understood instruction to ground crew to paint "2 X's in front of the
roundel and IX behind it" meaning "X,X,(roundel), and 'IX' or 'one-X')" resulted in "XX(roundel)'one times' X".