Desert paint color

[Mike Starmer]

Roundels as Air Recognition Signs were introduced in July 1942 for 8th Army vehicles. Optimum size was 10in centre red disc with 10in wide circles of white and blue. Yellow outer was 60% width of circles. i.e. 6in. Where there was insufficient room for this size then a roundel of smaller size and same proportions was to be used. Yellow may be omitted if that colour paint was not available. Placement was to be on any permanent upturned surface like hull decking, cab roof or solid lorry body. However in practice it was placed on canvas hoods were the vehicle was a COE type and open rear as on bridging vehicles.
The colours were not the dull RAF shades but bright shades as used for unit AoS etc. This roundel was used by 8th Army and Commonwealth forces in Sicily and Italy until cancelled in about April 1944 when the white star was generally adopted. Having written that, a white star was placed on tanks and vehicles of 48 RTR in Tunisia in Nov. 1942 and a number of other units seem to have adopted it too during that campaign.