RNAS rondels in 1915

[JimAttrill]

I have in front of me a picture in a book of a Nieuport in which Squadron Commander Richard Bell-Davies of the RNAS won the Victoria Cross in 1915 by landing his aircraft to rescue a colleage down behind enemy lines. The interesting thing is that the aircraft has a roundel on the rudder, but it is the French roundel with the blue in the centre and the red at the outside. The picture also shows the same roundel underneath the top wing, which is a bit stupid as I don't think anyone would have bothered to paint that there. The lower wing is edge on to the viewer and cannot show insignia. I don't know what sort of Nieuport it is, but the picture also shows a fixed Lewis gun on the top wing.

 

Did the painter get it wrong, or did this aircraft have what was later to be the French roundel?

[JFM]

The RNAS initially relied on French machines to make up for the shortcomings of British manufacturers. The cockade on the rudder sounds as if that photo shows a Nieuport 10. Yes, cockades were also painted on the undersurfaces of the upper wings (this was standard with Nieuport scouts), as well as the undersurfaces of the lower wings.

[godzilla1985]

I have in front of me a picture in a book of a Nieuport in which Squadron Commander Richard Bell-Davies of the RNAS won the Victoria Cross in 1915 by landing his aircraft to rescue a colleage down behind enemy lines. The interesting thing is that the aircraft has a roundel on the rudder, but it is the French roundel with the blue in the centre and the red at the outside. The picture also shows the same roundel underneath the top wing, which is a bit stupid as I don't think anyone would have bothered to paint that there. The lower wing is edge on to the viewer and cannot show insignia. I don't know what sort of Nieuport it is, but the picture also shows a fixed Lewis gun on the top wing.

 

Did the painter get it wrong, or did this aircraft have what was later to be the French roundel?

 

I wish I still had some of my early WWI research material (lost alot in a fire ) but I do recall some photos I had of some early RFC aircraft actually having the British Union Jack on the aircraft surfaces instead of roundels.

[cptroyce]

JFM- Nice to see we have a published author on the Forum..thanks for the link. Will be getting your book.

 

Regards,

Royce

Edited August 19, 2009 by cptroyce

[JimAttrill]

Thanks Jim, I thought at first that the painter got it wrong! Because it is a painting and not a photo. I can't unfortunately trace the source, although I would reckon it is most likely the Imperial War Museum, an amazing place for anyone interested in WWI.

 

I have a picture somewhere of a Sopwith Tabloid with a Union Jack on the fuselage side. This I reckon must be from 1914.

[shredward]

The first RNAS roundels, in use up to mid-May 1915, consisted of an inner white disc and outer red ring, often appearing with a Union Jack, or in place of one. They also used a roundel very similar to that of the French, or plastered things with Union Jacks - there was no real standard. In mid 1915, they adopted the outer blue/white/red roundel, in common with the RFC. Finally, the thin outer white ring was added after PC10 and 12 came into use.

Cheers,

shredward