Jump to content

Why is the leading edge of the wing yellow on RAF fighters?


Neil.C

Recommended Posts

It's an identification marking to allow pilots and AA gun crews to tell friends from foe in case the aircraft is approaching frontally.

Was used on RAF fighters only with the day fighter scheme and was supposed to be used in the ETO. Aircrafts in DFS operating in other theatres sometime had these and sometime didn't

Edited by Giorgio N
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read somewhere that the Tempest Vs of 150 wing had them removed during their "Diver' Ops against the V1's which wouldn't seem to make sense as they'd be flying in their own AA gun areas!

 

Duncan B

 

Edit: It was a Unit called the UKAD which had the yellow markings removed from the leading edge of the wings on their Tempests not 150 Wing as i stated above. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a good thing that Airfix these days make those "yellow leading edges" as decals in some 1/72 kits (P-51D Mustang, Spitfire Mk.IX and Hawker Typhoon). But it wouldn't be bad as seen more common as decals in most  (Spitfire) kits...

 

Cheers / André

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know of any unit called UKAD, but Air Defence of Great Britain was the unpopular new name for Fighter Command in 1943 after the formation of 2nd TAF.  It returned to being Fighter Command in 1944.

 

There was an Air Defence of the United Kingdom but that was a mixed Army/RAF organisation between the wars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mmm...

One some japanese aircraft's the leading edges on the wings also was painted yellow.

 

Wonder if those decals for to the Airfix 1/72 Zero also can be used to an Spitfire or Hurricane albeit with som cutting. Is the yellow ok as trainer yellow?

 

Cheers / André

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

    I often wondered if the yellow paint was more a warning for groundcrew working around the aircraft 

 

  needed more on fighter aircraft due to the height of the leading edge.

 

  a bit like the yellow prop tips warning 

 

   cheers

     jerry

  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be more damaging to walk into the trailing edge, but there are no yellow markings there or on the tailplane or rudder for that matter.  All equally vulnerable to inattentive ground crew.  The point about the propeller tips being yellow is that this makes them more visible when the propeller is rotating and thus effectively invisible - not a problem with wings.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it was rather for RAF and especially USAAF bomber gunners - not to shot to all approaching airplanes, only to enemies...

J-W

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reference to the removal of yellow leading edge stripes ('yles') from Tempests  - this came about following a visit to ADGB units engaged in anti-Diver ops, by RAE in July 1944 to investigate wats of increasing fighter speeds. One of problems noted was that  reprinting of the yles was causing cracking of the surface of the leading edge which had an adverse effect, particularly on laminar flow wings, such as the Tempest and Mustang. 

 

I am away from my records at the moment but IIRC, the instruction, which applied to all aircraft engaged in anti-Diver ops, stated 'may' rather than 'should' be removed.  How widely this was carried out remains a mystery to me. However, there are many photos  of 501 Sqn Tempests (the only Tempest unit left in the UK for anti-Diver work after the others joined 2nd TAF) taken in Oct 44 and all those have yles. There are few photos of 150 Wing Tempests in the late Diver ops period but those which show leading edges still have their stripes.

CT

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...