Pink RAF Hercules
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In 1971 they were milk and plain chocolate wit a white cockpit in NEAF. I believe a civil servant investigated how the RAF decided on camouflage patterns. He discovered there was no overall policy or design. He managed to run a trial with a Herc at Kingsfield in Cyprus. The aircraft was painted in a pinkish wash, the cockpit was covered and it was nigh invisible. He went on, I believe, with arctic camouflage etc, all in washable paint.
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I recall that there was an article about it in the Recognition Journal (or maybe Air Clues) at the time which gave some very good detail about the trials. I don't expect anyone thought that a year or two later significant amounts of the paint would end up being used.
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I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I am pretty sure that Kingsfield trial was 70s as by the late 80s I was well away from that sort of thing. The Herc trial pre-dated the snow camouflage that was applied to helos and harrier for winter ops.
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Ergo that picture was not from a 1970s Trial because MAROC wasn't fitted until post CORPORATE (and the Tankers got it first anyway).
You've had the Kingsfield explanation already (and the right ballpark 80s dates)....all of which is AFAIR correct.
Flew it on an aeromed in the late 80s.....tried desperately to convince a local likely lad at the airfield flying club that it was radar absorbant paint....a 'stealth Herc'; bless him, he never breathed a word (if he believed me..)....I so hoped the rumour would surface in a publication
Flew it on an aeromed in the late 80s.....tried desperately to convince a local likely lad at the airfield flying club that it was radar absorbant paint....a 'stealth Herc'; bless him, he never breathed a word (if he believed me..)....I so hoped the rumour would surface in a publication
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Bunta, don't dispute the picture or its date but whether it was the first trial.
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Pink Hercules
Last edited by 10KTens; 30th Jul 2017 at 09:53. Reason: Adding photograph.