RAF Vickers Wellingtons in Desert Scheme

[Don Boose]

I am looking for information and images of Vickers Wellington aircraft operating in WWII in North Africa, the Middle East, and East Africa in brown and tan (stone) camouflage (Desert Scheme).

Based on Michael JF Bowyer, Bombing Colours: RAF bombers, their markings and operations 1937 – 1973, Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stevens, 1973, the situation was this:

The first Wellingtons in the Middle East (mid-summer 1940) were those of No. 70 Squadron sent to the Suez Canal Zone and those of No. 148 Squadron, which reformed at Luqa, Malta. Both units' aircraft were in Green/Brown with black undersides and grey individual aircraft letters with no squadron codes. [p.105]

In December 1940, No. 257 Heavy Bomber Wing (No. 37 Squadron, Code LF; and No. 38 Squadron, Code HD) arrived in the Canal Zone. The 37 and 38 Squadron Wellingtons were either repainted or arrived painted in Dark Earth/Mid Stone with Night undersides and Medium Grey codes and serials. [p.105]

From 2 August 1941, aircraft delivered to the Middle East theater arrived in Dark Earth/Mid Stone with Azure undersurfaces and white codes (changed to red in 1942). The Wellingtons, however, retained their Night (black) undersurfaces and Medium Grey codes. One example was LF-K (no serial given) of No. 37 Squadron. [p.107]

In October 1941, 104 Squadron deployed to Malta equipped with Wellingtons in Dark Brown/Mid Stone/Night color schemes and Medium Grey codes. The squadron codes were later deleted. [p.108]

I suspect that in late 1940 and early 1941 (and maybe later) there were still some green/brown Wellingtons in the Middle East. Bowyer doesn't provide photos of any of these aircraft.

Can anyone provide additional information, sources, and/or images?

 

[SaparotRob]

Hello Don. I expect you'll get some responses from the more knowledgeable soon. In the meantime, welcome.

 

[Snautzer01]

Hi and welcome.

Did you go trough:
Vickers Wellington

 

[Don Boose]

Thanks for the welcome SaparotRob and Snautzer01, and thanks for the recommendation, Snautzer01. I found several reelevant images in that thread, especially one of a No. 70 Squadron Wellington that appears to be in the desert scheme.

I am still finding my way here, and appreciate the welcome.

 

[Snautzer01]

Thanks for the welcome SaparotRob and Snautzer01, and thanks for the recommendation, Snautzer01. I found several reelevant images in that thread, especially one of a No. 70 Squadron Wellington that appears to be in the desert scheme.

I am still finding my way here, and appreciate the welcome.

You are welcome. This site has a large knowledge base. I hope some others will chip in too. Calling Airframes
Have fun !

 

[fubar57]

From "RAF Camouflage of World War 2", "....The green and brown finish was quite unsuitable for desert areas where most of the fighting was taking place. As early as August 1940 Blenheims were being ferried to the Middle East with the dark green of their upper surfaces replaced by a tan shade, but it was August 1941 before a new colour scheme for the theatre was finally promulgated. Green areas in the upper camouflage would now be changed to Middle Stone and under surfaces Azure Blue, these colours applying to fighters, day bombers and some transports....".

 

[Don Boose]

Thanks, fubar. I have that book and find it very useful.

 

[lawqbarr]

Hi Don
You ask an interesting question ...
I might be able to assist a bit
Dad flew Whimpies in North Africa out of Blida with 142 Squadron - code QT - (part of 205 Group)
As best I recall he was posted to the Squadron in 1942
Their area of ops was over Europe ) Italy, Romania, Austria and southern Germany
They flew exclusively at night
I have dad's log book confirming all of the above
Dad did 2 models of his favourite Wellington - both were painted by him in Dark Earth and Green with Black/ Night ( a shade of black) sides and under-sides and standard RAF dark red squadron codes and serial numbers
Doing the best can it would appear that the camouflage applied ( desert or European ) depended on the particular squadron's principal area of operations.
You can establish where a particular sqadron flew by reference to published squadron histories
The pictures I have of 142 squadron aircraft are (sadly) only B+W They depict very worn and faded camouflage and tired looking airframes and men - That makes sense ... they flew off compacted dirt 'strips in really harsh conditions
Hope that helps
Regards
David

 

[Don Boose]

David - Thank you very much for sharing this first hand primary source information based on your Dad's recollections and his log book. It is further evidence that some Wellingtons were operating in North Africa in green/brown/black camouflage into 1942 and, as you say, one of the factors would have been the operational environment. I very much appreciate this response and I appreciate hearing about a veteran of that long and difficult campaign. Best wishes, Don

 

[EwenS]

As David will no doubt be able to confirm from his Dad's log book, 142 squadron flew with Bomber Command in Britain until flying out to Blida in Algeria in mid-Dec 1942 following Operation Torch. Blida is about 30 miles south west of Algiers in a fertile coastal plain area with plenty of vegetation. After the surrender of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943, it moved forward to bases in Tunisia where it remained until moving to southern Italy in Dec 1943 eventually settling at Regine in July 1944. It disbanded there on 5 Oct 1944.On 25 Oct 1944 it was reformed back in Britain on Mosquitos.

So Dark Green / Dark Earth upper surfaces would make far more sense to this squadron in the relevant timeframe than one whose aircraft would be spending their time on the ground on airfields in the dusty, desert like conditions of the Canal Zone in Egypt, where the Wellington squadrons in the Middle East were mostly based 1940-43.

 

[Don Boose]

Many thanks for this additional information, Ewen.

Is there any information on whether in cases of repainting fabric-covered aircraft like the Wellington, the previous dope or paint was removed, or just oversprayed?

Don