RAF National Markings III; starting from when?

[Flavio]

Hi all,

please apologize me if my question appears trivial , but I am not able to find when the National Marking were changed. To be precise, I am interested to know when the Spitfires of Fighter Command replaced their fuselage roundels from the unofficial designation "Type A1" to "Type C1". Is it possible they received the order already in May 1942?

 

Thank you for the help.

Flavio

[Black Knight]

AMO

A.664  Camouflage, Colouring and Markings of Aircraft

(2 July 1942)

5.            Dimensions of national markings.- (i) The sizes of roundels and flashes are shown in the following table.  The sizes for single-seater fighters are those shown for medium­sized aircraft, the larger sizes for heavy bombers, and the small sizes on light trainer types of aircraft or other aircraft which have slim or boom type fuselages where it is im­practicable to apply the larger size of roundel.  Where the fin is only large enough to take a flash of the smallest dimension it does not necessarily follow that the roundel used on the sides of the fuselage should also be of the smallest dimension.  Manchester aircraft and other aircraft of similar size are included with four-engined aircraft in the description 'large aircraft', but Wellington and Whitley aircraft are classified as medium aircraft.

(ii)  Matt finish paints are to be used for the national markings and dull red code letters.

Indent MarkingType of aircraftWidth of flash inches 

For roundel, diameter of the circle formed by the outside edge of each colour (in inches).  For flash, width of each colour (in inches)

 

[303sqn]

Change from A to C mid-May 1942.

[Flavio]

Thank you for the replies,

 

I also suspected the timeframe was May-June 1942. Somewhere I read that the publication of AMOs usually ran behind the actual issue of the new instructions which were normally first published as signals, postagrams of even letters.

 

Flavio