In article , ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
writes
In article ,
Bill Burns wrote:
I came across an interesting reference in a history of aircraft markings
book to an apparently short lived, early war upper-wing national marking for
WW1 RAF night bombers. The reference described it simply as a white disc

Nitpick, perhaps (though it might be useful when chasing this out) -
if it was early WW1 then the bombers would have been RNAS (Royal Naval
Aviation Service), not RAF (which wasn't formed until 1918). Naval
aviation markings were initially rather different from those adopted
by the army (Royal Flying Corps), so the best place to start looking
is sources on naval aviation - have you tried contacting the Fleet
Air Arm museum at Yeovilton?


I have just taken a look at some photos of RNAS Westgate in 1914/1915,
and it looks as though their aircraft may have had no identification
marking up to the start of WWI. Pre-war there are no fuselage markings;
just a serial number on the rudder. (Any wings markings there might
have been are not shown on the photos due to the angle of the shots.)

By 1915 the RNAS machines have normal three-colour roundels on fuselage
and wing, and a tricolour flash on the rudder - no apparent difference
to those of the RFC. The photos show the Bristol Scout and the B.E.2.c.

I don't have any information about other RNAS stations or any other
types of aircraft, but I hope that the above helps a bit.

Cheers,

Dave

--
Dave Eadsforth