RAF aviation codes system

[i16stealth]

I'm interested in meanings of the letters in RAF planes' fuselages. As I understand, they probably represent number of squadron and a number of the particular plane in it?

Also, why did the RAF "Hurricanes" fought in Soviet North have markings different from typical (they were marked with a letter and a number)?

http://i16fighter.narod.ru/ops/hurIIb.jpg

[simon]

AFAIK you are correct, the first two letters were squadron ID, the last letter was aircraft ID. The exception was the personal aircraft of Wing Commanders and above which had the pilot's initials (So Douglas Bader's plane carried the letters DB on the side).

I have seen the same picture of the Hurricane that you have in your post, to be honest I don't know why that would be the case or if it was the case for all the RAF Hurricanes that ended up in the Soviet Union, perhaps it was a theatre specific requirement of the Soviet commanders? Did it put the RAF markings more in line with Soviet ones?

[i16stealth]

Some time ago I saw another "Hurricane" profile from this squadron, and it was marked the same way (letter and number).

Your opinion (about the specific requirements of VVS RKKA) seem interesting, moreover, it's the only rational explanation we've got ;)

[simon]

Sorry for another belated response, but I have been able to gather from doing another search on another project that Soviet Aircraft had a two number aircraft ID Code. The RAF on the other hand had a alphabetical system, so it appears that the RAF units operating in Russia adopted a combination of the two, the first two figures being the RAF alphabetic squadron ID, the latter two being the local Soviet numerical aircraft ID.