AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c


The BE2c served long enough to go through a variety of markings. Intially in plain finish with just serials on the rudder, they added Union Jacks to the rudder and lower wing of some aircraft in October 1914. Roundels supplanted the jacks on the wings shortly after as they were often mistaken for crosses at a distance. Some had roundels on the tailplane. By June 1915, the roundel was standardized on wings and fuselage, and striping on the rudder. Unit markings were usually black on CDL aircraft and white on PC10


RAF BE2c
March-April 1915


RAF BE2c
RNAS 1915

 


RAF BE2c
Mid 1915 on


RAF BE2c
April 1916 on

 


 


RAF BE2c
-
No.2 Sqn RFC
Late 1916
Source: Harleyford Camouflage book
updated 2013


RAF BE2c 1701
-
No.4 Sqn RFC
Late 1915
Source: BE2c Datafile
updated 2013



RAF BE2c 2742
Lt Easom
No.5 Sqn RFC
September 1916
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013


RAF BE2c 1671

No.6 Sqn RFC
April 1915
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013



RAF BE2c 2750
2/Lt Goodson
No.7 Sqn RFC
June 1916
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013

 


RAF BE2c 1709
-
No.8 Sqn RFC
February 1916
Source: BE2c Datafile


RAF BE2c 2611
Lt Albert Ball
No.8 Sqn RFC
July 1916
Source: Bowyer - Albert Ball, VC

 


RAF BE2c 2508

No.9 Sqn RFC

Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013

RAF BE2c 4128
-
No.12 Sqn RFC
Spring 1916
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013


RAF BE2c 2546
2/Lt AB Raymond-Barker
No.12 Sqn RFC
October 1916
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013

 


RAF BE2c 2502
Lt G F Knight
No.12 Sqn RFC
November 1916
Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013


RAF BE2c 2535

No.13 Sqn RFC

Source: LA Rogers
updated 2013

 


RAF BE2c 2612
-
No.16 Sqn RFC
Early 1916
Source: C&C(GB) 14/2


RAF BE2c 2693
2/Lt W Leefe-Robinson
No.39(HD)Sqn RFC
September 1916
Source: FMP VC research
Revised 2009

 


RAF BE2c 10000
-
RNAS Observers' School
July-August 1917
Source: Datafile No.42

RAF BE2c 1099 w/top view
-
Whitley Bay NAS
1915
Source: Datafile No.42 (BE2c)