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WW2 RAF Bomb colour question


AltcarBoB

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I know what colour RAF bombs were painted as I have done a bit of googling and read a very interesting US document about RAF ordnance "British explosive ordnance 1946" https://archive.org/details/OP1665BritishExplosiveOrdnance/page/n1 my question is whats the latest in the war that the Buff/Mustard GP bombs would have been used by Bomber Command. I am guessing the Buff GP bombs lasted longer in use in the Med and Far East.

 

There are very well known photos of Stirlings and Wellingtons being bombed up with Buff GP bombs captioned 1941 but would a Wellington flying on Operation Gomorrah July 43 have still been carrying Buff ordnance.

 

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I'd imagine that would be unlikely. 1943 was a year of intense Bomber Command activity, and I would imagine all the older bombs would have been used up by that point.

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20 hours ago, Procopius said:

I'd imagine that would be unlikely. 1943 was a year of intense Bomber Command activity, and I would imagine all the older bombs would have been used up by that point.

Agree. That said, there will have been a transition period when both colours were in use, possibly even within a single bomb load (changes to military livery rarely go smoothly, even in peacetime - among many recent examples are red white and black Tucanos, and no fewer than six colours of Sea King wheels!). Equally, the last few buff bombs might have been repainted after the decision was made to change the paint scheme. Hard to say for sure. 

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