Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

Hi Vis Coloured Fins in RAFG

Wikiposts
Search
Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Hi Vis Coloured Fins in RAFG

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11th Jan 2021, 22:12
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Welwyn Garden City
Age: 63
Posts: 1,854
Received 77 Likes on 43 Posts
Hi Vis Coloured Fins in RAFG

Just wanted to confirm something, would I be right in recalling that toward the end of the cold war, RAFG aircraft started sporting bright coloured fins? I seem to recall this was an anti-collision aid due to the crowded airspace over the continent?

FB
Finningley Boy is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 07:24
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: 51st State
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Finningley Boy
Just wanted to confirm something, would I be right in recalling that toward the end of the cold war, RAFG aircraft started sporting bright coloured fins? I seem to recall this was an anti-collision aid due to the crowded airspace over the continent?

FB
Yes. Following a series of collisions and near misses over Europe and the UK a conspicuity trial was carried out, and just a few Bruggen and Laarbruch Tornados were painted with different coloured fins.
HaveQuick2 is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 15:34
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Norwich
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, Bruggen had a couple of Tornados painted with white and signal red fins. Soon dark grey with the heat from the the pre cooler exhaust on the fin. I don't think they were very effective. Wasn't that after the mid air that an A 10 was involved in and landed on a house killing German civilians? Late 1988?
Non Linear Gear is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 15:43
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Deepest darkest London
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I seem to remember the Harriers at Gutersloh and maybe the Phantoms at Wildenrath did it also. And the latter led to 19 and 92 keeping them or one each... Then Gutersloh had the special tail 4 Sqn anniversary jet(s) pre GR.5/7...

But it was 32 years ago now.... Dad certainly shot RAFG Tornados with red/white fins
Valiantone is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 15:45
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Swindonshire
Posts: 2,007
Received 16 Likes on 8 Posts
Some photos of some of the aircraft involved can be found here; ISTR that there were a couple of 92 Sqn Phantoms which had red fins as well.
Archimedes is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 16:08
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,923
Received 2,844 Likes on 1,215 Posts
Makes sense, didn't they have problems when they painted a Hawk in the WW2 Brown Green as a commemoration scheme in actually seeing them at low level.

Totally off topic did you notice the secret service defending the Capitol building doors had a red white diagonal stripe flash on the side of their pistol barrels so in the heat of the moment they would be able to recognize friendlies.
NutLoose is online now  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 17:09
  #7 (permalink)  
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,874
Received 60 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by Non Linear Gear
...Wasn't that after the mid air that an A 10 was involved in and landed on a house killing German civilians? Late 1988?
NLG, The A-10 crash at Remscheid wasn't a mid-air. A pair from Bentwaters got disoriented in clag at low-level, the Flight lead regained VMC, but the accident pilot came out of the bottom into an apartment block, killing 4 Germans along with himself.

It was notable for a piece of epic BFG HQ policy making when they decided that British Forces Germany would not hold any formal Christmas functions as a measure of respect for the victims. Remember, this was 8th December and in August of the same year that the Frecce Tricolori had just killed 70 people and injured 346 at the Ramstein Airshow. It wasn't the cancelling of Christmas parties that was the issue, it was the fact that only the Brits decided to impose this particular random act of governance among the NATO forces, so it was a fairly lacklustre Christmas in BFG that year, but clearly not for the Americans or the Italians...
Two's in is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 17:24
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: EGLL
Posts: 559
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by NutLoose
Makes sense, didn't they have problems when they painted a Hawk in the WW2 Brown Green as a commemoration scheme in actually seeing them at low level.

Totally off topic did you notice the secret service defending the Capitol building doors had a red white diagonal stripe flash on the side of their pistol barrels so in the heat of the moment they would be able to recognize friendlies.
Well, they can't use that again now, can they?
​​​​
G-ARZG is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 18:39
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,923
Received 2,844 Likes on 1,215 Posts
Originally Posted by G-ARZG
Well, they can't use that again now, can they?
​​​​
They could change the tape pattern, here is about it if your interested.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-capitol-siege
NutLoose is online now  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 19:37
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: EGLL
Posts: 559
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by NutLoose
They could change the tape pattern, here is about it if your interested.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-capitol-siege
​​​​​​Similar to 'colours of the day, then
G-ARZG is offline  
Old 12th Jan 2021, 20:54
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Next to Ross and Demelza
Age: 53
Posts: 1,234
Received 50 Likes on 19 Posts
I may be wrong but I thought the last straw was a 1989 collision between a German Alpha Jet and a RAFG Tornado that prompted the trial?
Martin the Martian is offline  
Old 13th Jan 2021, 16:17
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The problem with the white fins was that on a typical hazy, sunny day you it looked like your wingman in battle fmn didn't have a fin.......
60024 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.