RAF Camouflage

[Yug]

Why did the RAF change from green and brown to green and gray after the Battle of Britain ?

[Jonathan Mock]

It was felt that the Temperate Land Scheme (Dark Earth, Dark Green and Sky) wasn't suitable for changing combat operations so a new camouflage system - the Day Fighter Scheme - was introduced in August 1941 that consisted of (what would become) Dark Green, Ocean Grey and Medium Sea Grey, with a Sky fuselage band and yellow leading edges to the wings.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Although RAF Bomber Command did keep the Green and Dark Earth for the rest of the war, on most of its Main Force Aircraft.

[nmcabecadas]

Grey seems better than brown and Germans also have a grey/green pattern, but using a more geometric approach, with straight lines, while the British have more soft shapes. Modern aircrafts in Europe seems to use more grey, in different shades, than any other color.

[tim_vincent]

As I understand it, it was because prior to, and during, the Battle of Britain, the RAF's fighters would normally be either flying over the land, or dispersed on airfields when on the ground, when the green and brown camouflage would be most effective.  After the Battle of Britain, the fighters ventured further afield and over the sea, where the brown would show up much more, and the grey and green were better camouflage.

[PhantomBigStu]

the changing role of the RAF - during the battles of France and Britan the role of the Fighter Command was defensive, the emphasie was camoflage when on the fields of France and Britain, where green and browns fit most. Once 1941 got going the role of the Fighter Command changed, no longer fighting off dailly bombing raids the main mission was offensive raids into France wither escorting bombers or so called cirus raids. Now the empahsive is camoflage in the air and over sea as well, green and grey is much more suitable for such 

[Ratch]

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