British WW2 aircraft colour shades

[Vingtor]

A quick question. I know that Air Ministry specified the camouflage schemes (e.g. Temperate Land Scheme, Day Fighter Scheme etc.) But which ministry specified the actual colour shades (by paint chips) for British WW2 aircraft colours (e.g. Dark Green, Ocean Grey, etc). Was it the Air Ministry or the Ministry of Aircraft Production?

 

Nils

[Graham Boak]

Certainly the Air Ministry at first.  The colours were developed by a camouflage section at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, then approved by the Air Ministry, and most if not all of the well-known colours were established before the creation of the Ministry of Supply.  The MoS took over control of the production of the paints.  I do not know which. if any, of the colours were actually introduced by the MoS during its existence.  

[Vingtor]

Thanks for your reply, Graham. I wanted to get this right for an article.

 

I have several times seen the colours referred to as MAP Dark Green, MAP Ocean Grey etc. Would this be (completely) wrong?

[Graham Boak]

You are quite right: I had omitted the Ministry of Aircraft Production which was established in wartime, to be later (postwar?) folded into the Ministry of Supply.  The familiar paint chart from the Arms&Armour/RAF Museum book on RAF camouflage and markings was a copy of that produced mid-war by the MAP, and at this time it would have been quite right to call them MAP colours.  Earlier they would have been Air Ministry colours.

 

Although not specific, and indeed not (as I remember) ever mentioning colours, you may find Anthony Furse's biography of Sir Wilfred Freeman a good guide to these changes, and a fine description of the work of this highly significant figure.