Philip B

On 5/9/2018 at 4:51 PM, Ron said:

I have just a few pictures of RAF 741's and I don't think there was anything specific about the markings. I guess it was just decided at unit level.  They did seem to often display a roundel. The bikes would have been supplied in service colour. (US Olive Green?)

The inspection picture in Jerusalem in 1945 is probably post war and by now it looks to me as if they have painted the left side of the tank in shiny blue with a roundel (anxious to show their true colours I expect) With a serial number on the white tips of both  mudguards.  

If I was going to depict my 741 as RAF (and it could well be?) I would paint a roundel on each side of the tank with a black serial number on white on the mudguards. No RAF records survive, so it's make it up time. The numbers that I can see in the Jerusalem picture are RAF 10108? - 10010? - 99263?   Ron

Hello again Ron,

Thanks again for the info regarding the book, I was able to buy a copy of it on eBay.

I'm making a ultra low budget documentary on a motorcycling theme and as part of it I filmed a dear old 93 year old gentleman who was in the RAF and rode Indians. He talks of having been in Jerusalem, amongst other places in North Africa, and may well have been at this base.

I also note with interest from the photo of the parade that at that time the bikes seem to have been painted in camouflage just like the planes and that the RAF roundel looks to have been divided across it's diameter with darker tones on the opposing side of it - no doubt to make the rider and machine less of a target!!

Hi Ron,

Thank you very much indeed for your help!

On 5/9/2018 at 4:51 PM, Ron said:

I have just a few pictures of RAF 741's and I don't think there was anything specific about the markings. I guess it was just decided at unit level.  They did seem to often display a roundel. The bikes would have been supplied in service colour. (US Olive Green?)

The inspection picture in Jerusalem in 1945 is probably post war and by now it looks to me as if they have painted the left side of the tank in shiny blue with a roundel (anxious to show their true colours I expect) With a serial number on the white tips of both  mudguards.  

If I was going to depict my 741 as RAF (and it could well be?) I would paint a roundel on each side of the tank with a black serial number on white on the mudguards. No RAF records survive, so it's make it up time. The numbers that I can see in the Jerusalem picture are RAF 10108? - 10010? - 99263?   Ron

Hello Ron,

I found this post via a google search for Indian 741's and I'm wondering if you know in which book the photo of the RAF Regiment personnel being inspected was published?

Many thanks

Philip