Aircraft Industry question.

[Airframes]

My older sister is composing a family history, and asked me if I could help regarding one of our Uncles.
He worked for Hawker, one time at Balckpool and later Surrey, during WW2, and was, apparently a colourder, or Colour DER operator, this being the description deciphered from a handwritten document.
Does anyone know what this is ?
I've tried searching, but haven't come up with anything.

 

[Robert Porter]

A Color DAR operator here in the US was someone that operated an Offset Color Printing equipment. Perhaps printing manuals or technical documents?

 

[stona]

There were so many different trades and crafts in the aircraft industry it would be almost impossible to list them, but by the time in question they were getting lumped together into more general categories like 'aircraft assembler' in an effort to get rid of the old craft and trade differentials, and also to allow jobs to be done by men with a lower rating (or, eventually, women with none at all!).
Having said that I don't recognise your deciphered job, nor can I recall seeing it mentioned anywhere.
Are you sure that you've read the relevant phrase correctly?
Cheers
Steve

 

[Crimea_River]

Something to do with mixing paints to match MAP standards perhaps?

 

[Airframes]

Thanks for the replies chaps.
Unfortunately, all I have at the moment is the info sent by my sister, who quoted the hand written notes. This could, of course, be a mis-spelling in the original document, or wrongly deciphered.
My first thoughts were something to do with colour printing, or painting, but I also wondered if the description should read Column DER operator, which could be a column drilling, engraving and reaming machine.
The other thing that's bugging me is, I'm not sure that Hawker's had any facility at Blackpool (Squires Gate) airfield, although Vickers certainly had a 'shadow factory' there, producing Wellingtons. With this (unknown to me) Uncle later being based in Surrey, he could have been working at the Hawker Kingston plant, or even at the Vickers Weybridge factory.

 

[A4K]

Terry, been trying to look this up on the net. If the first version (Colour DER operator) is correct, most sites are pointing to modulating colour types and intensity, mostly in relation to screens (radar, etc) and instrumentation.
I'm wondering if he had something to do with instrument panel and/or other flight system panel lighting?

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Evan.
I was thinking along similar lines, as the 'title' is very vaguely familiar.
However, I've just re-checked the original e-mail from my sister, and find that I mis-quoted her presentation of how it was shown in the hand-written notes.
The title should read - Coloureder operator (Aircraft), with an addendum from my sister suggesting Colour DER, and I suspect both of these are misinterpretations of the original hand-written notes, the origins of which I don't know.
My thoughts are that it possibly should be Colour reader operator, which would be in line with your suggestion Evan, where some type of spectrometer or colour analysier is involved.

 

[A4K]

Hopefully someone will know for sure Terry. If not, remind me to ask my rellies when I get back. Uncle George (of 'The Last!' fame) especially might know.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks again Evan, and I will do.
My sister has apparently been working on this for around 20 years, so a bit of a wait shouldn't be a problem.

 

[A4K]

Now that's devotion! Hope she gets the info she's seeking.

 

[GregP]

This makes a great question for, "What's My Line?"

 

[stona]

I doubt it has anything to do with the camouflage colors or finish of the aircraft. Both were matched to prepared samples by Mk I methods, eyeball and touch, by the factory and then, of course, by a MAP inspector..
Cheers
Steve

 

[fubar57]

Might be a long shot Terry but if you recall that book I sent you with every person serving in the RAF prior to the BoB from The King on down, it might have the job listing in there. It might not say exactly what the job was but it might tell you the department the job was in.

 

[Airframes]

I'll check it Geo, but this 'job' was in the civilian work place, either with Hawker's or Vickers, or both.