AIRCRAFT COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF THE FIRST
WORLD WAR ERA
'Z' Flight / No.139 Sqn RAF
No.139 Sqn was formed from 'Z' Flight which was a flight of Bristol
F2bs used for long range reconnaissance on the Italian front. Arriving
in Italy in March 1918 and initially attached to No.28 Sqn (Camels), they
were soon transferred to No.34 Sqn (RE8s) were they remained until a second
flight arrived in June, and on 3 July 'Z' Flight was retitled as No.139
Sqn RAF under the command of Captain AA Harcourt-Vernon. On 15 July WG
Barker assumed command, which he held until 30 September when Capt Dalrymple
took over until the arrival of Major H H Kitchener.
Z Flight had used two bands around the fuselage as their marking and
this was continued on their Bristols when they became No.139 Sqn. After
Barker assumed command he added these stripes to his Camel, and then expanded
them to four white and three black and ultimately 7/6 on his Camel, while
the Bristols had 13/12 respectively.
While at No.139 Sqn, Barker kept his 'personal' Camel, B6313, which
had served him at Nos. 28, 45 and 66 sqns, and which ultimately became
the aircraft in which the most victories of any one pilot were claimed.

Bristol F2b D8078
Summer 1918
Source: LA Rogers
|

Bristol F2b D8063
Summer 1918
Source:
|

Sopwith Camel B6313
Maj W G Barker
Summer 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat
|

Bristol F2b E2285
Capt Hursthouse / Lt Smith
Summer 1918
Source:
|

Sopwith Camel B6313
Maj W G Barker
September 1918
Source: Camel - King of Combat
|

Bristol F2b D8084
Capt Sydney Dalrymple
September 1918
Source: Bristol F2b - King of Two-Seaters
|
|

Bristol F2b E2187
December 1918
Source: F2B Datafile Special 1
|
|
|