Dark Green/Dark Earth camouflage implementing date

[DominikS]

Hello! 

I was wondering if you could help me with one issue. What was exact date (for example Signal date) of implementing Temperate Scheme? Was it during the Munich Crisis or earlier? Unfortunately my knowledge base in this matter is very, very poor. I only know that all "Silver Wings" were camouflaged during that crisis (but I'm not sure if it hadn't been done earlier). Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

Cheers! 

 

Dominik 

[Hepster]

According to Michael JF Bowyer's 'Fighting Colours', PSL 1969, the decision to camouflage was made early in 1937.  He goes on to say that it was used on new-build types like the Hurricane in from 1937 onwards, but took several months to apply to legacy types.

 

The companion volume 'Bombing Colours' gives the date that the instruction was issued as April 1, 1937.

[DominikS]

Thank you Hepster. 

Cheers

[Smithy]

On 11/21/2017 at 4:59 PM, Hepster said:

According to Michael JF Bowyer's 'Fighting Colours', PSL 1969, the decision to camouflage was made early in 1937.  He goes on to say that it was used on new-build types like the Hurricane in from 1937 onwards, but took several months to apply to legacy types.

 

The companion volume 'Bombing Colours' gives the date that the instruction was issued as April 1, 1937.

 

Actually could it not be earlier? There were 3 camouflage scheme drawings drawn up in June 1936 (AM 1157, AM1158, AM1159) for Dark Green, Dark Earth and Night to be applied on twin engined monoplanes - heavy bombers,  single engine monoplanes - medium bombers, and twin engine monoplanes - medium bombers. These were applied to Harrows, Battles and Blenheims. Bomber Command isn't my big interest but maybe someone can confirm when this was first implemented on these types.

 

I agree with that for "high speed interceptor monoplanes" the introduction wasn't until after the submission of the Air Diagram 1160 on the 25th March 1937 which obviously took some time to implement properly.

 

Tim

 

 

[vildebeest]

I remember from somewhere that the Harrow was the first to be in dark green, dark earth from production. They came into service early 1937, so I too am thinking it must have been pre 1937

 

Paul

[John Aero]

April 29th 1937, Flight ran a three page spread entitled Warpaint with the announcement that shadow shading was now adopted for Bombers and Army co-op aircraft with illustrations of A and b schemes. Photographs of camouflaged types had already appeared in the magazine.

 

John

[Troy Smith]

you may find some dates in here, as it covers the changeover

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings/05-Gladiator-Gauntlet

 

note the entire series is available as scans here

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings

 

while old (from around 1970) they are still one of the best primers on the subjects, and sadly long out of print,  so the scans are very useful!

[Graham Boak]

The first Harrow first flew in late October 1936.  It was photographed in November 1936 flying in camouflage - according to the caption in Putnam's Handley Page Aircraft.

 

This is confirmed in Ian Allan's RAF Bomber Command and its Aircraft 1936-40, with the Wellesley appearing in January 1937 in camouflage, and the first production Whitley in March 1937.  The Harrow entered service in January 1937, the Whitley and Blenheim in March 1937, the Battle in May 1937.  All in camouflage.

 

By the way, the two Ian Allan Bomber Command and its Aircraft books can be seen as a re-write, differently organised, of the material for an unpublished Ducimus follow-on to the Fighter series above.  Ducimus published a rather less-complete series on the USAAF in Europe, then went out of business.  It is only my presumption that there was to be a Bomber Command series, but the timing and general appearance of the Ian Allan books is otherwise remarkably coincidental.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Graham Boak

[Procopius]

22 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

you may find some dates in here, as it covers the changeover

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings/05-Gladiator-Gauntlet

 

note the entire series is available as scans here

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings

 

while old (from around 1970) they are still one of the best primers on the subjects, and sadly long out of print,  so the scans are very useful!

Wish they were PDFs, they'd be perfect for tablets.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

Wish they were PDFs, they'd be perfect for tablets.

easy enough to make into PDF's,  D/L the pages,  use a  PDF maker. (or has this now become difficult?)

Also,  if U.S. ISP's don't block Russian sites like bookfi.org, (as they do in the UK , but you can use a TOR browser for  them)  they  were all available from places like that as PDF's

 

I did'nt  think I'd have to tell a young 'with-it' chap like you this though....

[Procopius]

32 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

easy enough to make into PDF's,  D/L the pages,  use a  PDF maker. (or has this now become difficult?)

Well, I'm very lazy.

[DominikS]

Sorry everyone for late reply. 

Great Thank You everyone for your help.