RAF Tail Markings
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RAF Tail Markings
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/z..._Lancaster.jpg
The Armee de l'Air used blue-white-red like this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...h_scan0018.jpg
But I often see photos showing RAF/RFC a/c marked as this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...h_pprune01.jpg
Were the RFC/RAF markings blue-white-red? If so when were they changed to Red-White-Blue?
Throughout my service, 1952-65, tail markings were red-white-blue from leading edge to trailing edge. As this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z..._Lancaster.jpg
The Armee de l'Air used blue-white-red like this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...h_scan0018.jpg
But I often see photos showing RAF/RFC a/c marked as this:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/z...h_pprune01.jpg
Were the RFC/RAF markings blue-white-red? If so when were they changed to Red-White-Blue?
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.
RAF tail markings went red at the front quite a bit later, in about 1930 I think.
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.
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Former Home of the Hercules, Wilts
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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.
