AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST
WORLD WAR ERA
France: Salmson 2A2
The Salmson 2A2 entered frontline service in October 1917, and by the
end of WWI had built a reputation for ruggedness and accomplishment among
those who flew them.
In an era when most aircraft used rotary or inline aircraft, the Salmson
made use of a nine cylinder radial engine which gave it a top speed of
115 mph.
Besides France, other users of the Salmson include; the Americans, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Peru and Japan. The Japanese were to licence build around
300 of them between 1921 and 1927.
The earliest Salmson were finished in the the French 'Yellow" scheme.
Research by Allan Toelle suggests that some of these may also have been
finished in aluminum as per Nieuports. These 2A2s may also have had turned
polished metal panels with a'turned' appearance to them. Starting with
no.174, five-colour camouflage was worn. Unlike other aircraft types,
the 2A2s appear to have had similar patterns from the various manufacturers
and only the black 'footprint' may have differed between companies.
Two recent books devoted to the Salmson 2A2 are the Salmson book by FMP,
and Datafile no.109. Together they make a great combination of material.
|

Five colour pattern
|
|

Salmson 2A2
-
Escadrille SAL.1
-
Source: via Peter Leonard
|

Salmson 2A2 430x
Escadrille SAL.14
Source: Datafile No.109
|

Salmson 2A2 251
Escadrille SAL.16
Source: Datafile No.109
|

Salmson 2A2
Lt Gustave Collet
Escadrille SAL.18
Summer 1918
Source: http://albindenis.free.fr |

Salmson 2A2 945
Escadrille SAL.18
Source: Datafile No.109 |

Salmson 2A2 500
-
Escadrille SAL.28
-
Source: FMP Salmson book
|

Salmson 2A2 44x
-
Escadrille SAL.28
-
Source: FMP Salmson book
|

Salmson 2A2
Escadrille SAL.32
Source: FMP French book
|

Salmson 2A2 No.49
Delavenne
Escadrille SAL.33
-
Source: FMP French book
|

Salmson 2A2
Source: Datafile No.109
|

Salmson 2A2
-
June 1918
Source: OTF 8/1
|

Salmson 2A2
Source: FMP French Book
|

Salmson 2A2
Mid 1918
Source: Datafile No.109
|

Salmson 2A2
Source: Datafile No.109
|
|

American Salmsons
|

Polish Salmson |

Japanese Salmson
|
|