RAF WW2 vehicle reg numbers and paint.

[Guest matt]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to research a photo I have which shows an RAF operated Clarktor airfield tractor at RAF Valley on Angelsea. The picture was taken June or July 1945 and the tractor carries the registration RAF 83572 and on the bonnet TYPE 600. I was wondering if there are any records available for RAF vehicles such as this?.

 

The second question concerns the colour of the tractor,it is a B&W photo but the tractor appears to be yellow,when did the RAF start using yellow on airfield vehicles? I have several earlier WW2 photos of Clarktor's(not at Valley though) and these are all OD,so I'm guessing the yellow was applied immediately after VE day to aid visability,but are there any surviving orders to this effect?

 

Thanks!

 

Matt.

[fv1609]

Matt, I don't know when yellow came in. There is no reference to it in FVDD Specification No.2012 1st January 1948. This includes RAF MT vehicles, bikes & saloon cars. For MT vehicles:

 

Undercoat Dark Battleship Grey BSC 32

Finish Coat, High Gloss, RAF Blue, Grey BSC 33

Chassis, valences & wings were Black.

 

NB Saloon cars, the wings were BSC 33 as well

 

For RAF numbers in white letters & figures 3.5in x 2.5in x 5/8in

 

Later in 1948 the BSC spec was changed from the 1931 system to introduce a prefix number for basic colour so these two above became 632 & 633. Although 633 was deleted in 1996.

[T corbin]

I think from SEP 44 upper surfaces of vehicles used within area of airfields where painted yellow.TONY