Grumman Goose 749 NAS Yellow upper surface markings

[detail is everything]

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....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by detail is everything
correct typo

[72modeler]

I'm thinking, and this is just a wild guess on my part, is that the markings might have been used to align aircraft flying in formation? Kinda looks like a variation of the chevrons applied to prewar USN aircraft. See the attached link and scroll down to the section describing the F11C for a possible explanation?

Mike

 

http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Aircraft/YellowWings/index.html

[ClaudioN]

8 hours ago, detail is everything said:

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

I'd think high visibility markings.

The Geese operated from Piarco, Trinidad and by the time they received C type markings the danger of any enemy aircraft appearing must have been small.

Yellow chevrons denied the camouflage effect, but must have made the aircraft more conspicuous against the sea.

 

Claudio

[tonyot]

Send me a PM with your e mail address and I`ll send you some info,

 

The markings were applied to the Goose and also the Stinson Reliant,..... I`m assuming to make them easier to see if they put down in the sea and also from above in the air.

Cheers

          Tony

Edited October 12, 2019 by tonyot

[tonyot]

E Mails sent yesterday! 

[detail is everything]

Emails received with thanks.

 

Learning new things every day!