AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ERA

No.3(N)Sqn RNAS / No.203 Sqn RAF


Formed at Dunkerque in December 1916, Naval Three made use of ex-Naval Eight Sopwith Pups and pilots from No.3 Wing. From February until June they operated under RFC control, at the conclusion of which they reverted to RNAS control and shortly after acquired Camels. During October 1917 they returned to England for a rest and during this period painted their aircraft in colourful markings as can be seen in Pierce's striped Camel.
The first 'Black Flight' was at Naval Three with their C Flight Pups carrying the Black prefix with Black Arrow, Black Bess and Black Tulip being noted as well as having black cowls. B Flight used red cowls - which can be seen to have varied in extent of coverage with either just the cowl, or cowl and flank panels being painted. The unit marking on their Camels was a white disc carried on the aft fuselage. During their RNAS days many wore the RNAS Eagle on the starboard side of the fuselage.
Among the many 'names' serving in 3N/203 were Collishaw, Breadner, Little, Rochford, Beamish. Both Collishaw and Rochford wrote about their time at 3N/203, however I have yet to find a copy of Rochford's book, while my copy of Collishaw's book "Air Command" went missing during a continent wide lending party.



Sopwith Pup N6171
FSL E Pierce
March-April 1917
Source: via Jack Herris


Sopwith Pup N6172
F/Cdr RG Mack
April 1917
Source: Sopwith Pup Datafile Special



Sopwith Pup N6179

Spring 1917
Source: Sopwith Pup Datafile Special

Sopwith Pup N6181
FSL Lloyd Breadner
April 1917
Source: Sopwith Pup Datafile Special


Sopwith Pup N6183
FSL J A Glen
Spring 1917
Source: C&C(GB) 19/1
updated 2013

 


Sopwith Pup N6205
FSL JST Fall
Spring 1917
Source: Osprey Pup Aces

Sopwith Pup N6207
FSL HS Murton
Spring 1917
Source: Speculative


Sopwith Pup N6162 ?
FSL WH Chisam
Summer 1917
Source: C&C(GB)19/1

 

 


Sopwith Camel B3781
FSL JWP Amos
August 1917
Source: The Camel File
updated 2013

Sopwith Camel B3858
FSL E Pierce
Late 1917
Source: Camel - King of Combat


Sopwith Camel

Late 1917
Source: Camel - King of Combat




Sopwith Camel X--77

Late 1917
Source: C&C(GB)19/4

Sopwith Camel B6242
FSL AB Ellwood
January / February 1918
Source: C&C(GB)19/4


Sopwith Camel B6401
F/Cdr Leonard Rochford
February 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat

 

 


Sopwith Camel B3809

February 1918
Source: C&C(GB)20/2

Sopwith Camel

February 1918
Source: C&C(GB)19/4


Sopwith Camel B6845

February 1918
Source: Sopwith Camel Datafile

 

 


Sopwith Camel B7275

April 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat

Sopwith Camel C61


Source: Camel - King of Combat


Sopwith Camel B3855
Captain H F Beamish
Spring 1918
Source: C&C(GB)19/4

 


Sopwith Camel

Spring 1918
Source: C&C(GB) 19/4

Sopwith Camel B6378
Captain Ronald Sykes
May 1918
Source: SK Taylor
updated 2013


Sopwith Camel


Source: Sopwith Camel Datafile

 


Sopwith Camel D3417
Major Raymond Collishaw
July 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat

Sopwith Camel D9638
Lt HW Skinner
October 1918
Source: RNAS Serials