233 OCU badge & colours

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Airart,

PM inbound.

Thread carefully were GR7s and GR9s are concerned!

When the Dark Sea Grey GR7s were delivered to 233OCU (20Sqn) towards the end of 1992 the ‘grey’ portion of the panel on the left of the Welsh cat remained unpainted, displaying the original camo colour. When the all-green scheme came into use that same panel remained unpainted and, therefore, was erroneously changed to green. In 1995 the markings were printed as a decal and the original ‘grey’ portion was printed as green and that is how it was carried on the unit’s Camo Grey GR9s and two-seaters.

To add to that, the original pale blue background of the Welsh Cat was, for some unknown reason, changed to white from the original pale blue. It was only in 2008 that Flt Lt Norman Roberson from 233OCU presented detailed documented research to his CO who in turn received permission on 21 September 2008 from AOC No.1 Group to have these markings returned to their original colours, work that had to be done whenever aircraft went into servicing or repainting.

Full details, photographs and my drawings illustrating such changes were published in Model Airplane International No. 54.

RJC

The Harrier picture from John Aeroclub I have XV745 coded 27 of 233 OCU.

Mark G,

Thanks for the information that’s extremely useful.

Rob (KN52) 2366 ATC

John Aeroclub,

Many thanks for the info.

My interest in 233 OCU stems from it’s previous incarnation as a Hunter OCU at RAF Pembrey (see my avatar!) but I remember discussing the markings used on the later Harriers with someone once before. I think the conversation started with musings over the use of the ‘old’ squadron badge (and Welsh Wildcat) and motto (“Ymlaen” = Welsh for “forward” or “onward”) for the ‘new’ Harrier OCU.

Regarding the colours in the squadron bar I think we concluded that the black was…er…black, and the others were most likely to be…

BS381C:356 Golden Yellow
BS381C:538 Roundel Red
BS381C:638 Dark Sea Grey

…as they were standard colours in widespread use by the RAF anyway and therefore would require no special mixing to obtain.

Not sure about the light blue background colour though – maybe BS381C:172 Pale Roundel Blue?

Yes, Mick was at Wittering at the same time.

John

David,

Good call on Mick. He painted our Hunter F6 Cockpit XF522 in a 92 Sqn blue diamonds livery.

Thanks.

Kilo – Speak to Mick Allen at Turweston (Mick Allen and Son Aircraft Resprays)
as I believe he painted a few from memory.

You could go for this one.

John

XM692

Great shot. Where was it taken? You don’t happen to now if that’s painted on or is a decal? If painted do you know the code for the paints so we can match the colours?

Many Thanks

I can’t remember the serial, someone will know.

John