PRU roundel types

[wally7506]

Been thinking about doing a "Dicer" PR Spit and have seen different roundel types on the PRU Spits.

It looks like early on ('39-'40) they used type A roundels in six positions. At some point, they stopped putting roundels on the lower wings.

My question is, when did they make the move to B type roundels on the fuselage and upper wings. This change seems to be uniform so there is probably a directive somewhere spelling this out.

After looking at some of the available research it looks as if the A types were used up until May 1942, about the same time the (overall) switch to the C type roundel was made.

Some of the profiles I have seen show 140 Sqn Spit VII type Gs with A type roundels in early 1942 and I want to be sure this is correct.

(would these aircraft possibly have type B roundels on the upper wings instead of A type?)

TIA

[Colin S-K]

Wally,

It's a good question, that deserves a good answer........

But I suspect you are not going to get one, not definitively.....

So much of it is wrapped up in the history and development of the PRU and the establishment of the first Recce Sqn's.....

The answer I would give, is it occurred when the first 'specific' PR colour schemes were established, which is probably when they introduced PRU Blue, in Europe, as a result of a study which investigated how well certain colours looked at high altitude. Despite the evidence concluding that a darker blue was most effective at high altitude, the powers that were, decided to go for the colour we now know as PRU Blue....

Bearing in mind you are looking upwards at an aircraft in these colours, to paint an 'A' roundel on the lower wings, was regarded as painting a target on the aircraft, white rings in contrast to the darker colours stood out a long way away.... Bearing in mind the aircraft were unarmed, and engaged on strategically important missions, you can soon appreciate why they got rid of the under wing roundels and changed to the more drab 'B' roundels...

All of this coincided with the introduction of the first truly PR Spitfires and Mosquito's. All painted PRU Blue underneath at least, if not overall.

So if you are looking at doing a 'Dicer' aircraft, which often operated at lower levels, it comes down to individual aircraft.... They were after all camouflaged to the altitude they flew at, and had a variety of markings, some of which were historically painted on the aircraft.

If you could give us a better idea of what specific aircraft you want to portray?

Photo's would be good.

I have quite a few photos myself that might help.

Colin

Photo Recce SIG