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[RalphRiese]

Might anyone know accurate dates for the use of the yellow 18"-square mustard gas patches on the early-war Spitfires?  Best I can find is "Summer 1940", but I'm trying to confirm/reject use on No. 65 Sqn aircraft at Hornchurch in August 1939.   Any advice much appreciated.  Cheers, Ralph.

[Edgar Brooks]

I realise that this is rather late, but I've only just discovered something, in Kew, which might be relevant, and, as far as I'm concerned, casts doubt on the use of the patches before 1940, and after March, 1941.  There's a list of the entire anti-gas production, for the whole war, in a file, and, within, it lists "Detector Paint No.1 & No.2."  Up to the end of March, 1940, No.1's entire production was 121,499 lbs., which, if you take 11lbs = 1 gallon, is just over 11,000 gallons, which is not a lot, for the entire Air Force, plus civilian warning posts.  In the 2nd. quarter of 1940, it was only 5,951 lbs, or 540 gallons.  Production soared to 55,000 lbs in the 3rd quarter, and 194,825 in the 4th.  1st. quarter of 1941 was 156,450, then tailed off abruptly, with No.2 paint taking over completely.  I'm told that No.1 was the yellow, and No.2 was khaki.  As an extra, I've found no evidence for the belief that aircraft camouflage was made gas-detecting, in fact all the evidence points to this being an(other) urban myth.
Edgar

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