FAA/SEAC Roundals

Thanks Jeepman, your info fills in some gaps atleast. Just to clarify things a bit, the roundal style I’m interested in is the pure roundal, rather than the star-and-bar lookalike used by BPF.

Part of the reason I was surprised at the use of white in the normal FAA roundal was that I had always thought it was introduced on the BPF version to make it resemble the star-and-bar more closely.

What’s the number for the roundal police? 666?? 😀

Nee-nah, Nee-nah – Definitely one for the roundel police

RAAF were the first to remove red from the roundels – as could be mistaken for the Japanese Hinomaru marking – in the summer of 1942.

Got worse up to 1943 when there were a flurry of messages about the fact that the Americans were having difficulty in identifying British aircraft from their topsides bcause of the fading of the roundel blue into the top surface colours -leaving only the red centre portion visible – which was id’ as a Hinomaru by some in the heat of combat. In late June 43, the change was authorised for RAF aircraft – but it was subsequently found that the stark white and roundel blue markings compromised camouflage on the ground – hence the mixing of the pale blue for the centre portion (4 parts white to 1 part roundel blue)

Presumably FAA aircraft did not need the pale blue centre portion as there was no need for camouflage on the ground as with RAF aircraft.

Later BPF markings comprising an amalgam of the US star and bar and the RAF roundel( with the red bit removed) were intended to further aid recognition

Fully signed up members of the roundel police may know more