Photos of Fairey Battles in France during 1939

[edwest]

Not photos but interesting descriptive text:

"The Phoney War

"With mobilisation on 24th August 1939, all code letters were changed and any underwing registrations that existed were painted out as was any other ’heraldic’ form of unit identity. Many Battle units were flown to France to support the British Expeditionary Forces in the form of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF), the first two units flying out on 2nd September.

"By November 1939 the Red, White and Blue roundel had been introduced for fueslage sides and recognition problems in France led to the addition of ’striping of the vertical tail surfaces’ as decreed by the French authorities. This presented a problem initially as the Directorate of Operational Requirements would not permit the rudder to be painted (for balance purposes), thus was adopted at first a 21-inch overall width band of the three identity colours (Red forward), set full height against the fin post. At the same time for safety purposes Red, White and Blue roundels were added at the under surface wing tip to protect against French ground fire. Later the striping in some cases became as overall 27-inch width with restricted height.

"Unlike RAF fighters in France, the Battle units retained their coding in full though interestingly the censors obliterated most unit markings in photographs publishd in UK aero-magazines and newspapers of the time."