RAF Tail Markings [Archive]

ian16th

25th Oct 2009, 11:10

Can anyone please clarify a qustion about RAF tail markings.
Throughout my service, 1952-65, tail markings were red-white-blue from leading edge to trailing edge. As this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/ian16th/th_Lancaster.jpg

The Armee de l'Air used blue-white-red like this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/ian16th/th_scan0018.jpg

But I often see photos showing RAF/RFC a/c marked as this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz108/ian16th/th_pprune01.jpg

Were the RFC/RAF markings blue-white-red? If so when were they changed to Red-White-Blue?

Background Noise

25th Oct 2009, 17:23

WW1 allied aircraft of both Britain and France had 'French' tails, but with opposite coloured roundels ie RFC/RNAS with blue outer and red inner, the French with red outers.

RAF tail markings went red at the front quite a bit later, in about 1930 I think.

2 sheds

27th Oct 2009, 12:52

You might get confused sometimes by seeing the occasional restored/historic aircraft (or photo thereof) actually painted wrongly! I believe that the Avro Anson at Coventry was originally turned out thus. Also, it is not an unknown error on models or paintings.

2 s

WE992

27th Oct 2009, 18:23

Red, white and blue from the left is correct. However on the Air Cadet wooden glider fleet the red was wrapped around the front of the fin so that the colours where in reverseon the starboard side.

2 sheds

27th Oct 2009, 22:15

Red, white and blue from the left is correct.

What....?!