Pakistan Airforce- Copy to clipboard
- Thread starter
- Moderator
- #46
- Jan 25, 2024
- 111,139
- 831
- Origin
- Residence
Colours & markings
It is likely that the original 35 aircraft inherited from RAF stocks were painted in RAF colours. At the time the RAF used two schemes: the Day Fighter Scheme, with Dark Green and Ocean Grey disruptive pattern with Medium Sea Grey undersurfaces, and the Silver scheme with all surfaces painted silver. However there is no evidence of the use of the Silver scheme on Pakistani Tempests.
The 24 aircraft that were delivered from Hawker were painted in Desert Scheme of Dark Earth and Middle Stone disruptive pattern with Azure Blue undersurfaces, and Azure Blue spinner. Due to infrequent painting, repairs, and wear, aircraft started to look rather worn toward the end of their service. It seems after 1950 following the withdrawal of Tempests from operational units, the aircraft were gradually repainted in silver. Target tug aircraft had undersurfaces painted in a single colour, possibly yellow.
National markings consisted of the Pakistani roundel, white and green with yellow outline on wings and fuselage, and on the tail a green square with yellow outline and a white crescent with star, on both sides of the aircraft; the crescent faced to the rear on both sides. Serials were painted in black on fuselage sides and on wing undersurfaces in typical RAF pattern of the time. They were introduced on 6th December 1947.
At the same time quick identification markings were applied in the form of double white stripe around the rear fuselage, each band formed into a chevron on the fuselage sides (pointing forwards), and also double white chevrons at both wing roots and pointing towards the fuselage. There is a photo of a Tempest showing single black stripe at both wing roots, but it is uncertain if it is variation of the above marking or unrelated. Starting from 1949 those markings were gradually removed.
Spinners were painted in squadron colours, No 5 Sqn dark blue, No 9 Sqn red, No 14 Sqn white, left in factory colour or repainted, possibly with one of camouflage colours. No squadron emblems, popular on Sea Furies, were noticed on Tempests. There is a single photo of a Tempest showing an emblem on the cowling, which cannot be tied with any unit, possibly a personal marking.
Squadrons used code letters in white in front (to nose) of the fuselage roundels and in black on front bottom cowling. Later, in 1949, with the removal of identification stripes from the tail, code letters moved after the roundel (gradually on old aircraft, and immediately on newly delivered ones). It seems that white section on bottom of the front cowling was added as a background to the code at the same time, but no clear rule could be deduced. Only some aircraft received codes, probably those assigned to particular pilots, even if flown on availability basis. Favourite letters were used, eg. M for S/L ‘Bertie’ Mirza.
It is likely that the original 35 aircraft inherited from RAF stocks were painted in RAF colours. At the time the RAF used two schemes: the Day Fighter Scheme, with Dark Green and Ocean Grey disruptive pattern with Medium Sea Grey undersurfaces, and the Silver scheme with all surfaces painted silver. However there is no evidence of the use of the Silver scheme on Pakistani Tempests.
The 24 aircraft that were delivered from Hawker were painted in Desert Scheme of Dark Earth and Middle Stone disruptive pattern with Azure Blue undersurfaces, and Azure Blue spinner. Due to infrequent painting, repairs, and wear, aircraft started to look rather worn toward the end of their service. It seems after 1950 following the withdrawal of Tempests from operational units, the aircraft were gradually repainted in silver. Target tug aircraft had undersurfaces painted in a single colour, possibly yellow.
National markings consisted of the Pakistani roundel, white and green with yellow outline on wings and fuselage, and on the tail a green square with yellow outline and a white crescent with star, on both sides of the aircraft; the crescent faced to the rear on both sides. Serials were painted in black on fuselage sides and on wing undersurfaces in typical RAF pattern of the time. They were introduced on 6th December 1947.
At the same time quick identification markings were applied in the form of double white stripe around the rear fuselage, each band formed into a chevron on the fuselage sides (pointing forwards), and also double white chevrons at both wing roots and pointing towards the fuselage. There is a photo of a Tempest showing single black stripe at both wing roots, but it is uncertain if it is variation of the above marking or unrelated. Starting from 1949 those markings were gradually removed.
Spinners were painted in squadron colours, No 5 Sqn dark blue, No 9 Sqn red, No 14 Sqn white, left in factory colour or repainted, possibly with one of camouflage colours. No squadron emblems, popular on Sea Furies, were noticed on Tempests. There is a single photo of a Tempest showing an emblem on the cowling, which cannot be tied with any unit, possibly a personal marking.
Squadrons used code letters in white in front (to nose) of the fuselage roundels and in black on front bottom cowling. Later, in 1949, with the removal of identification stripes from the tail, code letters moved after the roundel (gradually on old aircraft, and immediately on newly delivered ones). It seems that white section on bottom of the front cowling was added as a background to the code at the same time, but no clear rule could be deduced. Only some aircraft received codes, probably those assigned to particular pilots, even if flown on availability basis. Favourite letters were used, eg. M for S/L ‘Bertie’ Mirza.
