The Official Camouflage, Colours & Markings of RAF aircraft, 1939-1945

bombing colours

British bomber camouflage and markings 1914-1937
BRUCE ROBERTSON
Kookaburra, Melbourne

BRUCE ROBERTSON'S Bombing Colours: British bomber camouflage and markings, 1914-1937 covers the development of the bomber as a weapon of war during the First World War and as an instrument for keeping the peace in the years that followed. The colours borne by the bombers were all indicative of their various roles. During the war the necessity for concealing bases brought about the camouflage of upper-surfaces, and night flying brought changes of shades. After the war when there was no aerial opposition, the bombers in the outposts of the Empire bloomed in bright silver finishes, as heat-reflection was all important. Unit esprit de corps brought squadron markings of heraldic devices; the relaxing of security measures led to serial numbers being marked boldly under wings, and a marking conflict developed between the fancy of individuals and the regularising service instructions. Theobjectof this indispensable book is not merely to show the aircraft modeller and enthusiast how bombers were marked, but to explain the significance of those markings, conditioned as they were by the history of the times. Bombing Colours is well illustrated with line drawings by Alfred M. Alderson, depicting particular aircraft or unit markings, and these are supported by 100 photographs.

This volume is a companion work to Fighting Colours: RAF fighter camouflage and markings, 1937-1975 by Michael J. F. Bowyer, and is based on a highly successful series of articles which first appeared in Airfix Magazine. Their popularity has led to this book which includes the original articles with additional data and eight highly detailed appendices. New chapters and illustrations have also been incorporated to make this a valuable reference work for the aircraft modeller and enthusiast.

BRUCE ROBERTSON AND ALFRED M. ALDERSON

Kookaburra Technical Publications Pty Ltd, 81 Potter St. Dandenong 3175, Victoria, Australia

introduction

BOMBING COLOURS first appeared as a series of articles by Bruce Robertson in Air fix Magazine, and has been put into book form as a companion volume to Fighting Colours by Michael J. F. Bowyer which is still in print. Extra text, drawings and photographs have been added to Bombing Colours to enlarge the coverage of bomber markings in the First World War and the years of uneasy peace that followed. A further book, by Michael J. F. Bowyer, is planned to continue the bomber marking story from 1937, throughout the Second World War and its aftermath, up to the present day.

The reason for the 'split' at 1937 is conditioned solely by the subject matter; that year saw the close of an era in British service aircraft markings and the start of a new. The shades of war, it could be said, were evinced literally by the changes in RAF aircraft colours in 1937.

The dual authorship of Michael J. F. Bowyer and Bruce Robertson is not a case of two writers being commissioned independently, for they have worked together on publishing ventures for 20 years. Continuity of presentation is maintained by the services of expert artist Alfred M. Alderson.

The authors and publishers would like to thank the contributors of photographs and they are credited in the captions. They are also grateful to Jack Long, Les Rogers and all others who contributed reference material.

author's preface

BOMBING COLOURS 1914-1937 aims not only to show how British bombing aircraft of this period were marked, but also to explain the significance of these markings. By British bombers I mean bombing aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps from 1914 to April 1918, when these two services merged to form the Royal Air Force which is then traced to 1937.

I have also included as bombers the early aircraft of 1914-16 whose duties, not clearly defined, included bombing. Fighter and training aircraft adapted for bombing are also featured. Aircraft that carried bombs, but whose primary task was general duties, such as the Westland Wapiti, army co-operation aircraft such as the Hawker Audax, or bomber seaplanes such as the Fairey IIIB, have not been covered since these may well appear in further books in the series, under titles defining other roles.

London, February 1972

Bruce Robertson

contents
	Introduction	5
	Author's Preface	6
	Illustrations	9
Chapter 1	Bombers before fighters	13
2	French and American bombers in British service	25
3	Camouflage introduced	29
4	The de Havilland day bombers—DH4 and DH9	35
5	The Handley Page night bombers—0/100, 0/400 and V/1500	43
6	Emergency and makeshift bombers	50
7	Experimentation and standardisation	54
8	Wartime bombers in post-war service—DH10 and Vickers Vimy	63
9	The RAF's mainstay in the 1920s—DH9A	67
10	The Vickers bomber transports—Vernon, Victoria and Valentia	73
11	Post-war single-engined bombers	83
12	The Virginia night bombers—Mks I to X	86
13	Handley Page second generation night bombers —Hyderabad and Hinaidi	93
14	The Boulton & Paul day bombers—Sidestrand and Overstrand	96
15	Fairey day bombers—Fox, IIIF and Gordon	105
16	Mainstay light bomber of the 1930s—Hawker Hart	110
17	Interim bomber—Hawker Hind	121
18	Last of the biplane bombers—Handley Page Heyford	129
19	First of the monoplane bombers—Fairey Hendon	134
20	Towards a new era in markings	141

Appendix I	British aircraft serial ranges, 1912-37	143
II	Colouring and finishes of British bombers between the Wars	146
III	Characteristics of British bombers, 1914-37	150
IV	Airframe serial numbers of British aircraft types used as bombers or bomber trainers, 1914-37	152
V	British bombing aircraft manufacturers, 1914-37	163
VI	Chronology of British bomber markings—Official instructions, 1914-37	168
VII	Orders of Battle—Bombing units of the RAF— November 1918, mid-1925, mid-1930, mid-1935	170
VIII	Presentation bomber aircraft inscriptions	175

illustrations
1	RE1 of 1913 in clear doped fabric	17
2	BE2 of late 1914 showing absence of upper-surface markings	17
3	BE2 of late 1914 showing Union Jack markings under wings	17
4	Short 184, No 184	18
5	Breguet of RNAS with 'double-Jack' marking	18
6	BE2c 8416 of RNAS showing serial presentation on fuselage	18
7	BE2c 2008 of RFC showing serial presentation on rudder	18
8	BE 12 6478 with uncamouflaged fuselage but camouflaged rudder	18
9	BE2c 10000 built by Blackburn	19
10	FE2b 4962 in factory finish	19
11	FE2b A'9 as finished by the Royal Aircraft Factory	19
12	FE2d A'6389 as finished by Boulton & Paul	19
13	FE2b upper-surface roundels viewed from above	20
14	FE2b E7075 in night camouflage	20
15	DH4 showing blue/grey wood/fabric areas	20
16	DH9 showing blue/grey wood/fabric areas	20
17	DH9 of No 211 Squadron named Acme	37
18	DH4 in markings of No 5 Wing, RNAS	37
19	Roundel 'target marking' by cockpit position	37
20	DH4 A7783 in training use	38
21	Close-up of markings on DH4 A7783	38
22	DH4A F5764 in post-war finish on communication work	38
23	DH9 of J6957-6962 batch in aluminium finish	38
24	Handley Page 0/100 with large wing roundels	39
25	Handley Page 0/400 with small wing roundels	39
26	Handley Page 0/400 A1 of No 207 Squadron	39
27	Handley Page 0/400 with serial D8345 over fin flash	39
28	Handley Page 0/100 in German markings after capture	40
29	Handley Page 0/100 with roundels outlined in white	40
30	Rear-fuselage view of Handley Page 0/400 C9656	40
31	Handley Page V/1500 with rudder striping as only national marking	40
32	Experimental mottled finish for Handley Pages	57
33	Handley Page 0/400 F5417 civil conversion	57
34	Handley Page 0/400 showing observation panelling	57

35	Vickers Vimy II F9569, only Vimy to reach Western Front	58
36	Vickers Vimy IV H651 in PC 10 finish	58
37	Handley Page 0/11 civil conversion from 0/400	59
38	Handley Page 0/10 civil conversion from 0/400	59
39	AEG GIV showing German printed fabric method	60
40	DH4 A7459 in special fawn and blue camouflage	60
41	DH6 B2678 showing roundels on all wing surfaces	60
42	Martinsyde Elephant 7474 in Middle East	60
43	Marking up roundels the 1914-18 way	77
44	Handley Page V/1500 at Ford Junction	77
45	HMA Silver Star, silver finished Handley Page 0/400	77
46	DH9A E9703 in factory finish by Mann, Egerton & Co	78
47	DH9A E8785 in North Russia with AMC marking characteristics	78
48	DH9A J8177 in blood-red finish as used by AVM Brooke-Popham	78
49	DH9A E878 at Karachi, 1929, in standard aluminium finish	78
50	DH10C E5557 port view of finish	79
51	DH10C E5557 starboard view of finish	79
52	DH10 E5507 in 'silver' finish	79
53	DH9A H3627 with embellished camouflage finish	79
54	Fairey Fox J9026 in standard finish	80
55	Avro Aldershot in standard finish	80
56	Fairey Fawn J7212 with No 12 Squadron's motif	80
57	Vickers Virginia J6993 at Hendon, 1923	97
58	Vickers Virginia J7566 of No 500 Squadron	97
59	Vickers Virginia J8240 of No 500 Squadron	97
60	Vickers Virginia J7715 photographed May 19 1928	97
61	Vickers Virginia J7438 of No 500 Squadron	97
62	Vickers Virginia J6856 with 'fighting tops'	98
63	Vickers Virginias in red finish for parachute training	98
64	Vickers Victoria III J7924 and J7922	99
65	Vickers Victoria III 7924 of No 70 Squadron	99
66	Vickers Vernon named Pelican	100
67	Vickers Valentia K2340 showing under-surface markings	100
68	Vickers Valentia K3165 showing upper-surface markings	117
69	Handley Page Hyderabad of No 99 Squadron	117
70	Handley Page Hyderabads of No 99 Squadron	117
71	Handley Page Hinaidi J9300 showing upper-surfaces	117
72	Handley Page Hyderabad prototype in aluminium finish	118
73	Handley Page Hyderabad production model in Nivo finish	118
74	Boulton & Paul Sidestrand prototype J7938	119
75	Boulton & Paul Overstrand prototype J9186	119
76	Boulton & Paul Sidestrand J9176 in production finish	120
77	Boulton & Paul Sidestrand J9187 in squadron service	120
78	Boulton & Paul Overstrands K4551, K4563 and K4559 of No 101 Squadron	120
79	Fairey IIIFs of No 45 Squadron	137
80	Fairey Gordon JR9161 of No 47 Squadron	137
81	Fairey Gordon KR2641 of No 47 Squadron	137
82	Fairey Gordon II K4005 in standard finish	138
83	Fairey Gordon K2768 of No 35 Squadron	138
84	Hawker Hart prototype J9052	139

85	Hawker Hart K2119 of No 11 Squadron	139
86	Hawker Hart survivor	140
87	Hawker Harts of No 12 Squadron	140
88	Hawker Hart K2435 of No 605 Squadron	140
89	Handley Page Heyford prototype J9130, dustbin extended	157
90	Handley Page Heyford prototype J9130, dustbin retracted	157
91	Handley Page Heyford 'K' of No 10 Squadron	157
92	Handley Page Heyford 'K' of No 7 Squadron	157
93	Hawker Hind K5558 of No 107 Squadron	158
94	Fairey Hendon K5085 in Nivo finish	158
95	Hendon New Types Park, June 25 1932	159
96	Handley Page Heyford	159
97	Handley Page Heyford detail view from rear	160
98	Handley Page Heyford detail fuselage view	160
99	Fairey Hendon prototype	160
100	Fairey Hendon production model	160
diagrams in text
Figure 1	The first squadron markings—introduced in April 1916	16
2	Roundel styles	26
3	Foreign aircraft in British service—Maurice Farman Shorthorn, Voisin, Curtiss JN4	27
4	BE 12 and Sop with ½ Strutter markings	33
5	Typical DH4 and DH9 marking schemes	41
6	Manufacturers' stylings in factory finish, DH4s and DH9s	42
7	Handley Page 0/100 and 0/400 finishing schemes	45
8	DH6 marking styles	51
9	Bristol Fighter as a bomber	53
10	Dazzle day scheme for DH9A	56
11	DH10 crew compartment detail	64
12	DH10 detail views forward and aft	65
13	DH9A unit marking schemes	68
14	Bomber transport squadron markings	74
15	Typical finishing schemes—Vernon, Victoria and Valentia	74
16	Aldershot and Fawn finishing schemes	84
17	Virginia finishing schemes	88
18	Virginia squadron markings	89
19	Hyderabad and Hinaidi marking schemes	94
20	Sidestrand and Overstrand marking schemes	102
21	Fairey day bomber marking schemes	107
22	Hart squadron marking schemes	112
23	Hind squadron marking schemes	124
24	Heyford squadron marking schemes	130
25	Hendon squadron marking schemes	135

Chapter 1

Bombers before fighters

MILITARY AIRCRAFT were developed for scouting, but when offensive action was first taken it was by bombing. Furthermore, it was carried out by aircraft designed for other purposes.

At the beginning of the First World War the British navy and army each had their separate air arms, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps respectively. The standard finish in both Services was plain doped white fabric and varnished wood, so that their colouring was 'natural'. Their only mandatory marking was a serial number and the two Services had agreed a common numbering system in November 1912 for all aircraft.

Aircraft were simply numbered from No 1, replacing earlier markings used by units which varied considerably. RNAS aircraft, belonging to the senior service, were allotted Nos 1 to 200 and the RFC No 201 upwards. However, by August 4 1914, the day the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, the Navy had taken up their first 1-200 allocation and had been allotted a further batch of numbers—801-1600, later they took up 3001-4000 and 8001-10000. The RFC used the intervening numbers and thus, for the period 1914-16 before prefix letters were introduced, it was possible to differentiate between aircraft of the RNAS and RFC by the blocks of numbers issued.

In 1914 the numbers were marked on the rudder as it was the only position which could be standardised. Maurice Farman pushers and Bleriot tractor monoplanes had no covered fuselage and therefore the rudder was the only covered vertical area. The RFC marked the numbers, in general, in black 18-inch digits, while the Navy, to give the numbers more emphasis, first painted a white patch on the off-white finish of the rudder fabric as a background for the number.

Undoubtedly the most famous bomber of 1914 was No 50 a BE2a used as the personal aircraft of Commander C. R. Samson. After being flown to Belgium in late August 1914, with other aircraft from Eastchurch, to form a nucleus of a naval wing guarding the Channel ports and to attack Zeppelin bases, it made its first bombing flight on September 14. On that occasion, Samson set out from Dunkerque (Dunkirk) at 08.50 hrs and made a 100-minute flight over Armentieres, expending two bombs on a group of four cars with some 40 men around them.

When the RNAS launched an air attack from Antwerp on the Zeppelin sheds at Diisseldorf and Cologne on September 23, Major C. L. Gerrard, Royal Marine Light Infantry, set out on No 50, followed by No 149 Sop-with Churchill, No 169 Sopwith Tabloid and No 906, an impressed Sopwith Tractor Biplane. None of these aircraft bore any marking other than their black serial number on a white patch.

An epic attack by Sopwith Tabloid No 168—a type regarded later as an embryo fighter rather than a bomber—resulted in the Zeppelin Z.IX being blown up in its hangar at Diisseldorf on October 8.

Perhaps the most famous of all the early bombing raids was that by a batch of Avro 504s, straight from the factory, taken by ship and rail to Belfort to carry out an attack on the Friedrichshafen Zeppelin sheds on the banks of Lake Constance. Four Avros were sent—No 179, the naval prototype and Nos 873, 874 and 875, the first production for the RNAS. No 179 unfortunately broke a tailskid on take-off and was grounded, but the other three attacked, damaging a Zeppelin and destroying the associated gas works. No 873 was lost on the raid.

The first Avro 504s in naval service were known as Avro 179 Type after the serial number of the prototype—a case of a serial number conditioning the type name. The famous Short 184 seaplanes also derived their type number from the serial number of the prototype—184.

National markings introduced

In 1914 there was no internationally accepted ruling on marking aircraft with an indication of their nationality, although the French had led the way in 1912 with a representation of their Tricolour in the roundel form which they use to this day. The need for such markings by the British and German forces had not been foreseen, until the roar of musketry that greeted friend and foe alike in the air decided the issue that some indication was necessary.

The Germans used their Black Cross marking from as early as September 28 according to a report on that day by Lieutenant Osmond, RNAS, who made his observation from an armoured car. By that time several British pilots, having been fired upon by their own infantry, took the initiative and painted a Union Jack under the wings of their craft. This was also marked on the rudder, fin or fuselage sides, for in a forced landing British pilots were often treated with suspicion or hostility by the French who had no means of checking their identity. Thus, the first markings on British service aircraft, apart from serials, were to protect the crews from their friends !

The Admiralty on October 26 made Union Jack markings on the underside of wings compulsory for RNAS aircraft, but by that time the RFC had already found the marking impracticable. It is an indisputable fact that shape is more easily discerned at distance than colours, and the central Red Cross of St George, that forms the basis of the Union Flag, was the most prominent feature of the marking—and easily confused with the German Cross. The RNAS also came to realise this a little later and each service issued their separate instructions.

By the end of 1914 two different forms of national markings were in use. The General Headquarters of the RFC in the Field decreed a roundel form on December 11, based on the French roundel but with the order of the colours reversed; six days later the Admiralty issued instructions to mark a red ring with a white centre on the wings of all RNAS aircraft. For a time the Union Jack remained officially appropriate for fuselage sides and rudders, but some pilots marked the Union Jack under wings additional to roundels, lest the significance of the latter would not be appreciated.

Bombing aircraft of both services were probably the first to bear the new national marking forms. In the RFC the aircraft were predominantly reconnaissance aircraft, used for occasional bomb-dropping and the odd Tabloid was used for scouting, not fighting. In the RNAS bombing aircraft were undoubtedly the first to bear the new red ring marking. These were the Short Seaplanes taken in carriers of the Harwich Force to attack Cux-haven; Nos 119 and 120 were on Engadine, Nos 135, 136 and 811 on Riviera and Nos 812, 814 and 815 on Empress. Para 11 of the operational orders issued by the Commodore of the Harwich Force as early as December 2 state: 'It is probable that our seaplanes will be attacked by hostile seaplanes. Aerial guns are to be manned, and the greatest care is to be taken that our seaplanes are not fired at by mistake. They can be distinguished by a large ring painted in red under each wing, and also Union Jacks'.

During 1915 the national markings on aircraft were further modified and then standardised. In May 1915 the RFC introduced rudder striping in national colours, with the blue leading from the rudder post, then white and red trailing. From this same time it was notified that Union Jacks on fins or fuselage sides were no longer appropriate. Next month the RFC made it mandatory for all aircraft with covered fuselages to have roundels on fuselage sides and wings. By late June the markings had been standardised throughout the aircraft of the RFC on the Western Front. The actual aircraft concerned are those shown tabulated by squadrons on page 22.

Presentation markings

Organisations in Britain and the Colonies early in the war launched a scheme to raise an Imperial Air Flotilla. For every £1500 donated a BE2c would be given a name decreed by the donor; for larger sums other aircraft types could be 'purchased'. In fact the money went to a central fund and a normal production aircraft bore the presentation details.

The Overseas Club were responsible for raising money for several hundred aircraft and these aircraft bore names of faraway places; eg, Overseas Club No 33, an RE7, bore the name THE AKYAB in No 19 Squadron with which it served before the squadron left for France. A similar fund was started in India; a resulting example in No 16 Squadron was BE2c, PUNJAB No 2. A fund started by a Mr Alma Baker in Malaya brought a good response to which a No 52 Squadron BE2c bore witness with the marking MALAYA XVI MENANG on the fuselage.

Squadron markings

Early in 1916 a need for the identification of particular squadron aircraft had arisen and some units had experimented with embellishing their aircraft, to the wrath of GHQ who banned all unofficial markings, but did introduced a standard scheme, promulgated on April 23 1916. This consisted of simple devices and bars marked on the fuselage side. Initially only ten squadrons, all equipped with BE2cs, were concerned; these were Nos 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 16 Squadrons.

New trend

Until the end of 1916 bombing was mainly carried out by BE squadrons as a role additional to their normal spotting tasks. When replaced by RE8s in 1917 they concentrated more on their primary task and bombing became the work of specialist bombing squadrons.

Another new trend in 1916 was probably the greatest change in the character of British service aircraft ever to take place—the adoption of camouflage colours for aircraft throughout the two Services.

RFC aircraft on the Western Front, June 30 1915, listed by serial number
{These aircraft were predominantly reconnaissance aircraft, but with a capacity for bombing.)

No 1 Sqn No 2 Sqn No 3 Sqn No 4 Sqn

Avro 504A BE2a Morane Biplanes BE2a

752 336 and Parasols 234

758 492 1849

769 1862 BE2b

773 BE2b 1866 493

2859 396 1870 705

4223 1873 796

BE2c 1874

Morane 1652 1875 BE2c

1885 1657 1881 > 1678

1896 1659 5021 1686

1897 1660 5023 1698

5006 1662 5033 1701

1669

Candron 1687 Voisin

1884 5028

1885

1891 Morane

587

Bristol Scout

1603 Bristol Scout

648

Martinsyde

748

No 5 Sqn No 6 Sqn No 7 Sqn No 8 Sqn

Avro 504A BE2a RE5 BE2c

637 206 617 1665

750 241 631 1702

755 468 674 1750

782 677 1783

783 BE2b 678 2030

4225 484 2457

2458 BE8

Vickers BE2c 740

Gunbus 1680 Voisin 2130

1637 1781 1883

1651 1898 Bristol Scout

2873 Bristol Scout 5001 1610

1611 5014 1613

Bristol Scout 5025

1603 5026

Martinsyde Bristol Scout

2823 1606

NB: Squadron Nos 9-15 had not yet arrived at the Front

23

No 16 Sqn In reserve Under repair or reconstruction

BE2c Caudron Avro 504A FE2b

1676 5016 398 4292

1684 5020 2858

1694 5031 Martinsyde

1699 5032 BE2a 2449

1752 5035 242

1792 5038 314 Maurice

385 Farman

Maurice Martinsyde 666 1857

Farman 743 5036

5004 BE2b

5009 Maurice 687 Morane

5015 Farman 1863

5019 1869 BE2c 1882

5027 1893 1656 5007

5008 1658

5030 1668 Vickers

1670 Gunbus

1748 1616

Morane Voisin 1753 1638

5034 1850 1782 1650

1860 1784

Vickers 1879

Gunbus 1890 Bristol Scout

1639 5017 1608

RFC aircraft on the Western Front, August 31 1915, listed by serial number
(This list makes an interesting comparison with the previous one, which gives the position two months earlier, by showing the gradual attempt at type standardisation within each squadron and the large change in the aircraft held during those two months of continuous operations.)

No 1 Sqn No 2 Sqn No 3 Sqn No 4 Sqn

Avro 504A BE2c Morane BE2a

758 (Renault engine) 1849 368

769 1652 1863

773 1657 1870 BE2b

4223 1659 1874 493

1881 746

Morane BE2c 5033

1894 (RAF engine) 5034 BE2c

1897 1669 5039 (RAF engine)

5006 1687 5041 1658

5046 1703 5044 1678

5048 1710 5045 1701

5051 1716 5055 1726

5052 1729 1781

1732 2001

Caudron 1734 2007

1884 2673 2035

1885

Bristol Scoot Morane

4667 587

Bristol Scout

684

24

No 5 Sqn No 6 Sqn No 7 Sqn No 8 Sqn

Avro 504A BE2a RES BE2a

783 206 617 336

784 2457

785 BE2c 2458 BE2c

4225 (RAF engine) (RAF engine)

1680 Voisin 1704

Vickers 1706 5001 1709

Gunbus 1713 5025 1711

1651 1714 5028 1721

2874 1718 1723

2878 1740 Bristol Scout 1725

2031 4668 2008

Bristol Scout 2674 2030

1603 BE2c 2039

FE2a (Renault engine)

BE2c 2864 1788

(RAF engine) 4227

1728 4253 BE2c

1736 (RAF engine)

1784 Bristol Scout 1719

2043 1611 1722

1735

1739

1758

2005

2010

2041

No 10 Sqn No 11 Sqn No 16 Sqn Aircraft Parks

(Quantities held)

BE2c Vickers BE2c

(Renault engine) Gunbus (RAF engine) Avro 504A 1

1674 1632 1705 BE2b 3

1682 1643 1707 BE2c 2

1789 1647 1712 (Renault engine)

1648 1717 BE2c 6

BE2c 1649 1731 (RAF engine)

(RAF engine) 2866 2033 Bristol Scout 2

1708 2875 2037 Caudron 2

1715 2876 FE2a 1

1733 5454 Maurice Maurice Farman 5

1737 5455 Farman Martinsyde 2

2004 5004 Morane 3

2032 5015 Vickers Gunbus 4

2036 5019

2044 5030

2671 5036

Bristol Scout

4670

NB: Nos 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Sqns had not reached the Front by this date.



Airfix magazine May 1963 Vol.3 No.12

19.10.2019

The Official Camouflage, Colours & Markings of RAF aircraft, 1939-1945