Coastal Command Camouflage in WWII

This is a topic which does not seem to have had any dedicated references published. I have created the table below based on the Airfix Magazine Guide to RAF Camouflage by Alan Hall, The RAF Museum Guide to RAF Colours and Markings and Owen Thetford's wartime book published by Harborough. Please remember that transitions from one scheme to another would have been gradual as aircraft were repainted
As can be seen there are a number of inconsistencies so comments, additions and corrections are welcome (via the 'Contact' page on the site please). Note that I have used the well known 'Type A', 'Type A1', etc. designations for Roundels/Fin Stripes.

Date Detail Reference

pre-Oct 1938 Overall silver, Type A national markings in pre-war colours photos

Oct 1938 Dark Green,Dark Earth uppersurfaces, Silver undersurfaces,
Type B national markings in wartime colours
Codes in Medium Sea Grey, serials in Black photos

??? Dark Green,Dark Earth uppersurfaces, Silver undersurfaces (Blenheim fighters in black/white,
Also some Hudsons in Black with large white serials)
national markings: upperwing Type 'B', none underwing, fuselage Type 'A1', fin Type 'A'
all in wartime colours, Codes in Medium Sea Grey, serials in Black.
Flying boats repainted in Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey uppersurfaces on overhaul,
presumably with Sky codes ? photos

Nov 1939 upperwing roundel changed to 'A' (or 'A1' ?) Ian Huntley - SAM

June 1940 Blenheim fighters change to Sky undersurfaces Hall

19 July 1940 upperwing roundel changed to 'B' Hall

July 1940 underwing roundel of Type 'A' and Sky undersides introduced (except Sunderland)

23 Aug 1940 undersurfaces of flying boats changed to Sky

Sept 1940 undersides of all landplanes changed to Black (except Blenheim & Anson)
This Air Ministry ruling led to a storm of protest from Coastal Command as
many of their aircraft operated by day

28 Oct 1940 25% of GR and torpedo bombers allowed to retain Sky undersides,
Flying boats to have clear lanolin undersurfaces

12 Dec 1940 Flying boats to have Sky undersurfaces RAFM

July 1941 Landplanes have Temperate Sea Scheme (Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey)
on uppersurfaces, undersurfaces remain Black (majority) or Sky. Codes change to Sky ?
Also, about now, National Markings changed to Type 'C' underwing (where used) and on fins
with type C1 on the fuselage Hall

Aug 1941 Wellington, Whitley and Flying boats have Temperate Sea Scheme (Dark Slate Grey
& Extra Dark Sea Grey) on uppersurfaces, fuselage sides and undersurfaces White,
codes and serials Dark Slate Grey (Red or Black on some a/c). Other types have Temperate
Sea uppers and Sky undersurfaces with Med Sea Grey (??? Sky ?) codes and Black serials.
NB Thetford put the transition to White undersides as summer 1942 and
the 4+ Wellington book shows an aircraft with what appear to be Dark Earth
and Dark Green uppersurfaces with White undersurfaces !
Also the RAFM book does not mention White undersurfaces until July 1942.
Ensor's Endeavour indicates 500 Sqdn changed its Hudsons to white undersurfaces around August 1942, previously they were 'duck egg blue'. Hall

1942 ? Beaufighters have Red codes (occasionally outlined White) ?
Mosquitos introduced in Night Fighter (Dk Green / Med Sea Grey) camouflage with Red codes Hall

January 1943 Large aircraft have just Extra Dark Sea Grey on uppersurfaces,
White undersurfaces and fuselage sides. Hall

1943 ? Code letters change from two, indicating squadron, to one numeral indicating a squadron on a base.

1944 ? Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Extra Dark Sea Grey uppersurfaces
with Medium Sea Grey undersurfaces and Red codes (occasionally outlined White)
Surely Alan Hall means Sky undersides? (Ross) Hall

mid 1944 Code letters return to two, indicating squadron

1944 ? Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Sky codes photos

1944 ? Low attack Halifaxes in standard bomber colours Sqdn/Signal

1944 ? Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Black (occasionally outlined Yellow) codes Hall

Date	Detail	Reference
pre-Oct 1938	Overall silver, Type A national markings in pre-war colours	photos
Oct 1938	Dark Green,Dark Earth uppersurfaces, Silver undersurfaces, Type B national markings in wartime colours Codes in Medium Sea Grey, serials in Black	photos
???	Dark Green,Dark Earth uppersurfaces, Silver undersurfaces (Blenheim fighters in black/white, Also some Hudsons in Black with large white serials) national markings: upperwing Type 'B', none underwing, fuselage Type 'A1', fin Type 'A' all in wartime colours, Codes in Medium Sea Grey, serials in Black. Flying boats repainted in Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey uppersurfaces on overhaul, presumably with Sky codes ?	photos
Nov 1939	upperwing roundel changed to 'A' (or 'A1' ?)	Ian Huntley - SAM
June 1940	Blenheim fighters change to Sky undersurfaces	Hall
19 July 1940	upperwing roundel changed to 'B'	Hall
July 1940	underwing roundel of Type 'A' and Sky undersides introduced (except Sunderland)
23 Aug 1940	undersurfaces of flying boats changed to Sky
Sept 1940	undersides of all landplanes changed to Black (except Blenheim & Anson) This Air Ministry ruling led to a storm of protest from Coastal Command as many of their aircraft operated by day
28 Oct 1940	25% of GR and torpedo bombers allowed to retain Sky undersides, Flying boats to have clear lanolin undersurfaces
12 Dec 1940	Flying boats to have Sky undersurfaces	RAFM
July 1941	Landplanes have Temperate Sea Scheme (Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey) on uppersurfaces, undersurfaces remain Black (majority) or Sky. Codes change to Sky ? Also, about now, National Markings changed to Type 'C' underwing (where used) and on fins with type C1 on the fuselage	Hall
Aug 1941	Wellington, Whitley and Flying boats have Temperate Sea Scheme (Dark Slate Grey & Extra Dark Sea Grey) on uppersurfaces, fuselage sides and undersurfaces White, codes and serials Dark Slate Grey (Red or Black on some a/c). Other types have Temperate Sea uppers and Sky undersurfaces with Med Sea Grey (??? Sky ?) codes and Black serials. NB Thetford put the transition to White undersides as summer 1942 and the 4+ Wellington book shows an aircraft with what appear to be Dark Earth and Dark Green uppersurfaces with White undersurfaces ! Also the RAFM book does not mention White undersurfaces until July 1942. Ensor's Endeavour indicates 500 Sqdn changed its Hudsons to white undersurfaces around August 1942, previously they were 'duck egg blue'.	Hall
1942 ?	Beaufighters have Red codes (occasionally outlined White) ? Mosquitos introduced in Night Fighter (Dk Green / Med Sea Grey) camouflage with Red codes	Hall
January 1943	Large aircraft have just Extra Dark Sea Grey on uppersurfaces, White undersurfaces and fuselage sides.	Hall
1943 ?	Code letters change from two, indicating squadron, to one numeral indicating a squadron on a base.
1944 ?	Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Extra Dark Sea Grey uppersurfaces with Medium Sea Grey undersurfaces and Red codes (occasionally outlined White) Surely Alan Hall means Sky undersides? (Ross)	Hall
mid 1944	Code letters return to two, indicating squadron
1944 ?	Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Sky codes	photos
1944 ?	Low attack Halifaxes in standard bomber colours	Sqdn/Signal
1944 ?	Beaufighters and Mosquitos change to Black (occasionally outlined Yellow) codes	Hall