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Showing results for tags '749 NAS'.
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I was in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton, the other day and I was looking at a little watercolour sketch by S/Lt (A) Val Bennett R.N.V.R. who served with 1770 NAS. He wasn't an official war artist, but he recorded his surroundings as he travelled in service. So a unique (often colour) record. This sketch was a view of a couple of Grumman Goose and several Supermarine Walrus, parked up on hard standing in what seems a busy squadron scene. I assume it is 749 NAS as this seems to be where the FAA Geese ended up. I can't find a copy of this sketch on the internet, but for those who want to have a look, (if I remember correctly) it is in Hall 2 in the war in the pacific exhibition to the left of the hall. What drew my attention was the bright yellow markings carried by the Geese on their otherwise TSS upper surfaces. The fuselage spine is panted yellow with a chevron running from the centre front of the fuselage backwards so making an arrow shape. two more parallel strips are either side, spaced equally along the span of each wing so the pattern looks like / / /\ \ \. l Questions that come to mind are; Why were they applied? i.e. were they to help calibration, orientation or visability Were these markings standard throughout the squadron? i.e. there is a well known photo of FP503 code W2W (see Air Britain - FAA Aircraft 1939-45), It doesn't clearly show the upper surface and I wonder if it would have had said markings. When were they introduced? the sketched Geese appear to show type C.1 national markings, whilst FP503 has the earlier type A.1 markings, so the markings might not have yet been applied when the photo was taken. Discuss....