Colour Conundrum

RAF Tropical Land Schemes 1934 – 1943 Part 2

It would appear that Middle East Commanddid actually intend to use Middle Stonebecause it is mentioned by name in AMO A.926/40 dated 12 December 1940 in paragraph 5 (i):

“Aircraft of the Middle East Command are coloured MIDSTONE in place of the DARK GREEN.” In the context of the rest of the AMO this meant that Middle East Command aircraft were finished on their upper surfaces in Dark Earth and Midstone. Despite the slight difference in how the colour name is written between 'Middle Stone' in BS 381 and 'Midstone' in the AMO and later RAF documentation, a comparison by eye of BS 381 (1930) No.62 Middle Stone and the RAF colour 'Midstone' reveals them to be identical.

The introduction of Midstone appears to have caused some consternation at the RAE. Following publication of AMO A.926/40, on 21 December 1940, the RAE wrote to the Air Ministry to raise a number of concerns over the contents of the AMO. Paragraph 5 (I) read: 'The term 'Midstone' has not to our knowledge been used for any aircraft camouflage colour and is not included in the standard camouflage colour booklets. Presumably Light Earth is meant and there seems to be no reason why this name should not be retained.'

The Air Ministry replied on 22 January 1941 stating that Midstone was a new colour introduced only in the Middle East and would be applied by personnel there.