IIRC it was only the 200 series engined aircraft that had camouflaged undersides in service, which was why the ones used for Falklands raids (300 series engines) had the undersides hastily repainted in Dark Sea grey using rollers from the local B&Q!

There are already campaigns in place to claim the Black Phantom and the Lightning, and whilst i would prefer to see them stay in Scotland, that may save them.

Can someone explain how the RAF 4 letter codes for Dakota squadrons worked?

Presumably the first two letters related to the Squadron but how did the “last two” relate to an individual aircraft.

For instance the BBMF Dakota’s (a 233 Squadron aircraft) last two is “UK” (5T-UK prior to application of invasion stripes)whilst KG348 of 512 Squadron carried HC-AO. However KG437 another 233 Squadron aircraft carried 5T-B

Thanks

5T and HC were the Squadron codes. The other codes were the individual codes – usually this was a single letter, but on larger squadrons, or for internal administration, two codes were used. The code was that allocated to the aircraft at that time. It could change

Wow!

What the hell’s the big aircraft in the background, though?

The one in the second photo is an Armstrong Whitworth Ensign

[ATTACH=CONFIG]229843[/ATTACH]

The one in the first is a Bristol Bombay

[ATTACH=CONFIG]229844[/ATTACH]

No, cancelled due to weather. Sea Vixen scrubbed too.

Sea Vixen had an engine problem. Pity about both Fury and Seafire, but weather was pretty dreadful.

I’m sure in the past they shipped the Swordfish to Leuchars by road to save on airframe hours.

Yep. Aeromilitaria. Probably early 1980s Graham.

Could this be it?

Vickers Wellesley. L2645, 47 Sqn, ‘B’. Burg-el-Arab in Apr1942 Photo.bw 1942 1986 3 64

Or

Vickers Wellesley. L2657, reduced to 4712M Photo.bw 1942 1988 1 24

http://www.air-britain.com/aeromil_index.pdf