AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

No.10(N)Sqn RNAS / No.210 Sqn RAF


Formed at St.Pol from pilots of No.3 Wing and using a mix of Sopwith1 1/2 Strutters and Nieuports, Naval Ten soon acquired the Sopwith Triplanes that were to make them famous - especially those of Collishaw's "Black Flight". They flew these until August when they were replaced by the Camels (and pilots) from Naval Six.
The Sopwith Triplanes of the Black Flight have been described in many sources, however those of the other flights are still lacking confirmation. The cowl, wheel covers and flank panels were in the flight colour of red, black or blue respectively. Additionally the fin may have been painted as well. Later, individual letters were added to each Triplane based on the pilot's last name: Collishaw (C), Sharman (S), Kent (K). However, if a newcomer arrived and a letter was already taken he had to make do with another: Saunders (Q), Saint (B)
The markings of Naval Ten's Camels consisted of one white stripe forward of the fuselage roundel, and one half way between roundel and tail. Also each aircraft of the same flight would have carried the flight letter immediately in front of the forward stripe. On Boxing Day 1917 (Dec.26) the pilots added the now familiar markings of white flank panels extending from the rear of the cockpit to the nose, with two stripes in the flight colour. Each aircraft was further identified by an individual design on the wheel cover. According to Mel Alexander these markings didn't last very long and were ordered removed after a senior officer's staff car broke down in the neighbourhood and he saw their handiwork.
However research by Mike Westrop shows that " . . apart from those lost in action, and one delivered back to Dover, the stripes survived until 4th February when 9(N) swapped their Bentley Camels for 10(N)'s Clerget ones. All of A flight were striped, most of B flight were striped, but only one aircraft from C flight was striped. If an order was issued to remove the stripes, I have never found it, and it was obvious that 10(N) ignored it, as a couple of replacement Camels were painted up in January. Most of the striped camels flew all normal patrols, not the one patrol you mention. Several times they went out as mixed flights, that must have been good to see." Going by this, my C Flight Camels would appear to be in error.
In March 1918 the marking became a white disc, and in October/November it was changed to a dumbbell.
At war's end the squadron had 345 victories claimed, against 105 casualties – the most suffered by any British scout squadron.

Since v.1 of this CD was originally completed, Mike Westrop has published his history of 10N. I have yet to read it and look forward to doing so.



Sopwith Triplane N5376
FSL GE Nash
June 1917
Source: RNAS Serials


Sopwith Triplane N5487
FSL WM Alexander
June 1917
Source: OTF 4/2
Revised 2006



Sopwith Triplane N6307
FSL JE Sharman
June 1917
Source:
Revised 2006

Sopwith Triplane N5358
FSL Robert Saunders
June 1917
Source: SK Taylor Photo


Sopwith Triplane N5357
FSL RL Kent
July 1917
Source: RNAS Serials

 


Sopwith Triplane N533
Flt/Lt Raymond Collishaw
July 1917
Source: Sopwith Triplane Datafile

Sopwith Triplane N6295
Flt/Lt Howard Saint
August 1917
Source: C&C(GB) 10/1


Sopwith Triplane
A Flight
June-July 1917
Source: Conjectural

 


Sopwith Triplane
C Flight
June-July 1917
Source: Conjectural

Sopwith Camel B3855
FSL Norman M MacGregor
September 1917
Source: Conjectural


Sopwith Camel B5658 or 5659


Source: SK Taylor Photo

 


Sopwith Camel B6289
Alexander or Nelson (depends on source)

Source: Camel - King of Combat

Sopwith Camel B6320
FSL F V Hall
January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence


Sopwith Camel B5663
Flt/Lt WA Curtiss
January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence

 


Sopwith Camel

January 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat

Sopwith Camel B6289

January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence


Sopwith Camel B6299
F/Lt Norman M MacGregor
January 1918
Source: JMB/GSL

 


Sopwith Camel B6449


Source: MJ Westrop Correspondence

Sopwith Camel B3950
F/Lt JG Maxwell

Source: SK Taylor Correspondence


Sopwith Camel B6211
FSL H B Maund
January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence

 


Sopwith Camel B6358
Flt/Cdr LP Coombs

Source: MJ Westrop Correspondence

Sopwith Camel B5664
FSL HJ Emery
January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence


Sopwith Camel B5669
FSL FP Humphrey
January 1918
Source: SK Taylor Correspondence

 


Sopwith Camel F5914
Capt HT Mellings
July 1918
Source: LA Rogers

Sopwith Camel F6193
Lt Kenneth Unger
November 1918
Source: Mike O'Neal Correspondence

Sopwith Camel D9496
Lt John E Berry
Late 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat