Thanks, very interesting about the Strike Sqns, but I am pretty sure (after all these years!) that my old dad said the underwing numbers on the Recce Sqn a/c were deleted. Am I right?
Didn't have much to do with the "flying camera" mob John, but my rememberance is that it would be unusual for a Canberra not to have the serial under the wing.
Of course, as with all things in those days, local circumstances prevailed and there were always kites coming off majors, or other servicings, having been not fully re-painted, etc. Also, sqns, and ASFs, in Germany had the ability to apply paint-jobs as necessary. When the 8s changed from black undersides to silver there were many and various "intrim" schemes extant - even within a single sqn! (Plays merry he££ with modellers these days.
) There is a very long "air-brake" panel along the underside of a Can's wing. If a new panel had to be fitted and a re-paint left out (and they were) the serial number could be seriously broken up so as to be virtually un-readable. So many variations that who's to say your dad is wrong. Don't recall if there was an actual order that serials had to be deleted underwing, but I doubt it.