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Airworthy aircraft with no apparent markings

Not exactly “historic” but I have a query…..(Mods pls relocate as required)

Visited Cardiff (Rhoose) yesterday to see any aircraft that might have arrived in connection with the Wales/France match. In the early part of the afternoon a Falcon 50 and Falcon 900 arrived . Guess they brought in “Monsier Le President” to watch the French team be defeated!!

The aircraft were painted all white with a blue cheat line down the fuselage. They carried French national insignia and the legend “Republique Francais” but no other apparent markings….checked them at fairly close range with binoculars. It was not possible to see the upper or undersides of the wings.

Question I have is, is it legal for these aircraft to fly without any apparent exterior identification? Clearly they were French Government aircraft. Any comment welcome.

Planemike……..

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By: zoot horn rollo - 20th March 2008 at 09:49

And the U-2s carried false markings for their visits to the UK back in the 70s as most famously did one the 55SRW RC-135s when it went into the hangar at Mildenhall with one serial and came out the next day with a different serial…

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By: glhcarl - 18th March 2008 at 01:33

At the end of its career the only markings of the SR-71’s carried were the serial number on the vertical stabilizers. Not even a national insignia.

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By: Arabella-Cox - 17th March 2008 at 23:55

Both aircraft appeared similar to that illustrated in your link Future Pilot.

Zoot Horn Rollo Yes, remember when quite a few French Military a/c carried the information you describe. Often it was very small and inconspicuous but at least it was there and readable if you were close to the a/c or had some decent binoculars.

Thanks for the info guys,…………….

Planemike

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By: Future Pilot - 17th March 2008 at 14:53

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6160430

I’m thinking this it it? honestly I wouldn’t know what the reg would be from that angle, nothing in the way of letters/numbers to ID it. Unless you have to put it under infrared lights to see it or something 😀 :diablo:.

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By: A330Crazy - 17th March 2008 at 13:46

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=722448

Possible this is what you saw – they carry usually onlt one or two numbers as far as i know?

Hope this helps.

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By: zoot horn rollo - 17th March 2008 at 13:17

Thye are military aircraft and as such they used to carry the aircraft c/n number and type in small numbers/letters on the fin.

No worse than the anonymous USAF B757s…

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By: Ren Frew - 17th March 2008 at 11:32

I guess you are talking about the registration mark as opposed to general markings or insignia ? I suspect there may have been something on the wing but I don’t know in this case.

As for displaying registrations generally (on airliners) are there any hard and fast rules as to where and how many times it must be displayed ? I note not every airliner carries an over or under wing reg these days…

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By: Lindy's Lad - 16th March 2008 at 23:44

Well, the SAS use un-marked helicopters. There are several re-fuelling cards with made up registrations on them….. 😮

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