Aircrafts in The Spanish Civil War

Codes and Markings

This document deals, all too briefly and sketchily, with the codes, markings
and camouflage applied to aircraft during the Spanish Civil War, and to some
of the confusions that can arise, particularly from photographs of pre and
post-war aircraft.
 Pre-war codes
Civil Aircrafts

Before 1931, Spanish civil aircraft were registered with the letter M followed
by a 4-letter code identifying the individual aircraft, the first letter usually
being C for Civil aircraft (for example M-CAKK was a Fokker VIIb3m). In
1931 the code letter system was changed to EC (España Civil) followed by a
3-letter code (so that the Fokker VIIb3m became EC-AKK). Civil aircraft
registered for governmental use had a variation on the civil code; EC-
followed by a number and then -E (eg. EC-5-E was a D H 85). Aircraft that
were transported to Spain were assigned a temporary ferry code, consisting
of EC-W followed by a ferry number (eg. EC-W22 was assigned to a DH 83
Fox Moth bought by the Spanish government for aerial surveying in 1934,
which was subsequently recoded EC-4-E).

Many civil aircraft that were impressed into service during the civil war
retained their civil registration codes, while other aircraft were assigned civil
registrations during the war, either because they were genuine civil aircraft
or because they were masquerading as civil aircraft for delivery to Spain. Yet
other aircraft retained their foreign civil registrations.
 Pre-war codes
Military Aircrafts

In 1926, military codes were standardised, with the “Aviación Militar” and
“Aeronáutica Naval” choosing somewhat different systems. Prior to this,
Spanish military aircraft were, like civil aircraft, identified by combinations of
letter codes, starting in this case with M-M, the next letter representing the
type of aircraft.

AVIACIÓN MILITAR

Each aircraft type in service was assigned a type number, which was painted
on the central yellow band on the rudder, followed by a number assigned to
each aircraft as it entered service. For example the 135th Breguet XIX (type
code 12) to enter service had the code 12-135. The Grupo number and the
number of the aircraft in the Grupo were usually also painted in large black
figures on the fuselage sides (in this case 23-18 - The 18th aircraft in Grupo
23), and sometimes on the upper wings. Sometimes the type number and
series number were instead painted in white on the fuselage. Some aircraft
retained their pre-war registrations in the civil war (eg. the Hawker Spanish
Furies).
AERONÁUTICA NAVAL

Each aircraft had a code similar to that for civil aircraft, consisting of EA
followed by a three letter individual aircraft code (eg. EA-BAB was a Savoia-
Marchetti S-62), although this code wasn't always painted on the aircraft. In
addition, each aircraft bore a type letter or letters representing the aircraft
type, followed by a number assigned to each aircraft as it entered service
(eg. EA-BAB also bore the code S-1), usually in large letters on the fuselage.
The type letters were derived from the name of the aircraft type, and were
often kept by naval aircraft used by the republicans throughout the civil war
(eg. The Martinsyde F4 buzzards). Known type codes are:

D Dornier 15 Wal M Macchi M 18 S Savoia-Marchetti S-62

H Hispano E-30 MS Martinsyde F4 Buzzard T Vickers Spanish Vildebeest
 Civil War codes

Both the Nationalists and Republicans in the Spanish Civil War used codes to
refer to particular aircraft models, based on their use, and partially derived
from pre-war codes. Codes were not standardised until some way through
the war, and were sometimes not applied to particular aircraft.

NATIONALIST TYPE NUMBERS

Nationalist codes were based on a number system, derived from that used by
the Aviación Militar before the war. Each aircraft had a type number, followed
by an individual number usually assigned sequentially as aircraft entered
service (or were assigned codes). The two numbers were either painted on
the fuselage separated by a dash (most typically found on Italian aircraft of
the Aviazione Legionaria, but also on most flying boats and sea planes), or
either side of the black circle that became the standard Nationalist fuselage
insignia (most typically found on German aircraft of the Condor Legion).
REPUBLICAN TYPE CODES

Republican codes were loosely based on the system used by the Aeronáutica
Naval before the war. These consisted of a two letter type code, followed by
an individual number usually assigned sequentially as aircraft entered service
(or were assigned codes). The first letter of the type code designated the role
of the particular aircraft, the second letter identified the particular model.
The second letter was usually derived from the aircraft manufacturers' name,
letters being taken from the name in order in which the type entered service.
For example, AD-013 was the 13th Grumman Delfin, an Assault aircraft, to
enter Republican service.

Codes were applied rather inconsistently to Republican aircraft, and aircraft

often bore no codes whatsoever, or retained pre-war codes. In addition,
aircraft, particularly Russian types supplied in relatively large numbers (such
as the I-16s and SB-2s), often bore numbers to identify them within their
Grupo, often painted on the tail fin or rudder. Civil-registered aircraft
obtained by the Republicans often retained the civil codes of their country of
origin.

POST-WAR CODES

Immediately following the capitulation by the Republicans, those aircraft that

remained in Spain (for many were flown across the French border or, in the
case of the more modern Russian types, were taken back to Russia during
the closing stages of the war) were incorporated into the Nationalist Airforce
and acquired codes of the Nationalist type.
 Pre-War Markings

Spanish military aircraft before the civil war normally had a finish of silver
doped canvas areas, and natural metal. They bore red, yellow and purple
roundels on the upper (and sometimes lower) wings and had the rudder (or
the central portion of it) painted in the red-yellow-purple tricolour. There
were a number of unit badges borne by particular aircraft, eg. Fighter Grupo
11 bore a black panther on the fin, Fighter Grupo 12 a black stag leaping in a
circle on the fuselage, Fighter Grupo 13 a four-leafed clover on a black disk
on the fin and the Vickers Vildebeests of the Aeronáutica Naval bore a blue
and yellow dolphin on the forward fuselage.
 Civil War Markings

The outbreak of the civil war meant that steps had to be taken to identify to
which side aircraft belonged, and also to reduce the visibility of at least land-
based aircraft (a large proportion of the aircraft of both sides were destroyed
on the ground in the first few days of the war). The latter problem was
overcome by the application of washes of green or earth-coloured paint over
the original metal finishes, often in a mottled pattern, before purpose-
designed schemes were applied. Naval aircraft often retained their metal
finish throughout the war.

The problem of identifying the side to which a military aircraft belonged was
even more pressing, and various different combinations of markings were
used in the early stages of the war, becoming somewhat more standardised
later in the war. It should be remembered however that there were many
exceptions to the general rules given below.

REPUBLICAN MARKINGS

The Republicans normally retained the tricolour on the rudder of

their aircraft. In addition, large areas of each aircraft were
painted red, usually wide red bands on the fuselage and wings.
The whole rear fuselage was sometimes painted red, and other
. schemes involving red patches were also seen. The pre-war
roundels were sometimes retained, but in other cases red bands
on the upper and lower wings were painted directly over them.
In a small number of cases the yellow and purple portions of the
roundel were over-painted in red to leave a red disc.
Apart from the rudder and red bands, the colour schemes worn by
Republican aircraft were far from standardised. As mentioned above, aircraft
incorporated from before the war were often initially left in their metallic
finishes, but were soon over-painted in duller colours. Other aircraft were
camouflaged in what appears to be green mottled over light brown. One of
the most common colour schemes, however, was all-green upper surfaces
with either light blue or grey under surfaces. This is probably because
Russian aircraft were supplied in these schemes and French aircraft often
retained their green/brown Armée de l'Air colours. Other aircraft appear to
have had such a scheme applied in Spain, for example some Letov 231s and
Grumman Delfins.

RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT

Russian aircraft in the mid 1930s, at least those that served in the west,
were usually painted in a standard VVS AII green lacquer on the upper
surfaces and AII blue lacquer (a quite dark sky blue) on the under surfaces.
The Polikarpov fighters and reconnaissance aircraft sent to Spain retained
this colour scheme, and had red bands and the rudder tricolour applied over
this. The SB-2 bombers, however, were finished in a greater variety of colour
schemes, with various forms of mottle or wave-band camouflage.

Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 fighters built in Spain were not finished in VVS
colours, but instead were finished in various wave-band camouflage
schemes.
CAPTURED AIRCRAFT

There are few photographs of Nationalist aircraft captured by the

Republicans, however those that do exist suggest that a variety of techniques
were used to re-brand them. The Fiat CR 32 appears to have been repainted
in the classic green/sky finish of many republican fighters, while photographs
of a Bf 109 suggest that it was left in its Nationalist grey finish with the
addition of red bands on the fuselage and wings.

NATIONALIST MARKINGS

Nationalist aircraft were distinguished by various crosses and

bands in black and white, and later in the war by black discs on the fuselage
and wings. The most consistent marking used was a black St. Andrew's cross
on the rudder of each aircraft, with the rudder itself usually being painted
white. The black discs on the fuselages of Nationalist 'planes, particularly the
German fighters and Italian bombers, were often adorned with various
personal and group symbols.
GERMAN AIRCRAFT

The aircraft used by the Condor Legion in Spain mostly had one of two basic
colour schemes:

Bombers, attack and reconnaissance aircraft were usually finished in the

standard 1930s German splinter camouflage of grey, brown and green, with
pale blue under surfaces. Later in the war, some aircraft were also sent in
two-tone green splinter camouflage, which was becoming standard in
Germany at that time.

Fighter aircraft and seaplanes were usually finished over-all in a shade of

grey, sometimes with pale blue under surfaces. Later in the war it seems that
aircraft sent from Germany were finished with green upper surfaces,
although these seem to have quickly faded in the Spanish sun.

Condor Legion aircraft were fairly consistently painted with black discs on the
fuselage sides and upper and lower wings, the wing discs typically bearing
white crosses from quite an early stage in the war. The fuselage discs often
provided a canvas for various personal and squadron emblems, usually in
white.

Many German-produced aircraft were either provided direct to the Spanish

Nationalist air force, or handed over to them after use by the Condor Legion.
The colour schemes of these aircraft were often modified, typically with
wave-band camouflage. The Nationalist yoke and arrows were often painted
on the fuselage discs of Spanish Nationalist fighters late in the war.
An intriguing exception to the above "rules" were the Heinkel He 70s of A/88
of the Condor Legion, which were painted in a contrasting sunburst design on
the upper surfaces, although it's not clear what colours were involved (I
would guess that they were cream and red-brown, like some German
aerobatic display aircraft of the 1930s, although other authors suggest they
were white and blue, as in the profile below).

ITALIAN AIRCRAFT

Fighters and attack aircraft used by the Aviazione Legionaria were usually
finished in the "sand and spinach" camouflage typical of Italian military
aircraft in the 1930s and into WWII. Blotches of green and/or dark brown
were applied on a light brown or sand coloured ground, with pale grey under
surfaces. Some bombers were also finished in such schemes, although it
appears that Savoia Marchetti SM-81s were initially painted pale cream over-
all.

Italian maritime aircraft and the Fiat CR 32s based on the Balearics early in
the war, were left in natural metal, the flying boats and seaplanes typically
having black bands around the fuselage as well as across the wings. Later in
the war, the Italian land-based aircraft on the Balearics were painted in
various forms of wave-band camouflage.

The large black discs on the slab-sided fuselages of the Italian SM-79 and
SM-81 bombers seem to have been particularly tempting canvases for the
squadron artists, and were often adorned with fantastic designs (see below,
although several of these are from other Italian aircraft types). A black letter
"m" - A stylised version of Mussolini's signature, was also often seen on
bombers and attack aircraft.
CAPTURED AIRCRAFT

There are many photographs of Republican aircraft captured by the

Nationalists, particularly in the closing stages of the war. Early in the war,
captured aircraft simply had their red bands painted over, and Nationalist
markings applied, but later in the war total repainting of captured aircraft in
mottled camouflage seems to have been common. There is one famous
picture of a captured SB bomber which has even its propellor-blades
camouflaged.

POST-WAR MARKINGS

After the civil war the Spanish Air Force adopted markings based on those of
war-time nationalist aircraft, but replacing the black discs on the wings with
roundels of red yellow and red (which were also used as the nationalist
colours during the civil war). The black fuselage discs were initially retained,
usually with the yoke-and-arrows device applied, but were eventually
replaced with the same red-yellow-red roundels. The rudder retained the
black St. Andrew's cross on a white ground, and this form of national
marking can be seen to this day. The system of type-numbers applied during
the war was continued afterwards, so, for example, single-engined light
aircraft taken over from the Republicans at the end of the war were
numbered 30*75 to 30*188.
The number system was revised some time after the civil war, with new type
numbers being assigned to many aircraft. Photographs of post-war Spanish
aircraft can sometimes be problematic, particularly if the wing roundels are
not obvious, and this has probably led to some post-civil-war types (e.g.
later marks of Bf 109 and He 111) being wrongly, and confusingly, identified
as civil war aircraft.

A BRIEF WORD ABOUT COLOURS

In the 1930s, colour photography was still in its infancy. There are few
contemporary colour photograph of aircraft from the Spanish Civil War. It's
often forgotten, 'though, that the photographic emulsions used in black-and-
white photography in the 1930s were also far from perfect. So-called
Panchromatic films, which responded in a similar way to the human eye to
the range of colours in a scene, although developed, were far from standard.
Most films of the period were far more sensitive to light of some wavelengths
and less sensitive to other wavelengths. Typically, for example, green hues
would appear much lighter than they were in reality, and red hues much
darker. This means that the many black and white photographs that exist of
Spanish Civil War aircraft should not be interpreted at face value, and
guessing at the colours of aircraft based on such photographs is an
endeavour doomed to failure. This can be seen in, for example, the range of
shades that appear to adorn the upper surfaces and tails of I-15s in Spain.
As far as I know, these aircraft were actually painted in a very consistent
colour scheme, with standard VVS AII green upper surfaces, and a
presumably fairly standard tricolour on the rudder. However, depending on
the film used to take photographs, the relative shade of different parts of the
aircraft vary tremendously. For example the yellow, purple or in at least one
case, the red section of the tricolour can appear to be the lightest colour in
different photographs.

A further good example of this is provided by the grey upper surface colour
used on Condor Legion fighters, examples of which are given to the right. 20
years ago, every colour reproduction of Bf109s in Spain showed them
bearing a light neutral grey scheme, often called "gull grey". However, recent
research, based on contemporary German records and surviving aircraft
parts, seems to point to the grey being a much darker, greener hue. In fact
many of the fighter aircraft sent to Spain may have been finished in a colour
much closer to, if not actually, the famous RLM Grau 02.