ORION COLOURS & MARKINGS

When the P-3B Orions were first delivered to the RAAF in 1968, they were painted in a similar fashion to the Neptunes that they replaced. The Orions were predominantly Gloss Light Gull Grey with the upper part of the fuselage painted Gloss Insignia White for solar reflection. Serial numbers were black and displayed in the usual manner on the rear fuselage. The last two digits of the serial number were carried above both windscreens. On the port side only, the Australian flag was carried under the cockpit window alongside the squadron crest. While at Moffett Field, an early form of the 11 Squadron emblem in the form of a red diamond was added to the fin, reportedly by RAAF crews using spray cans! After arrival in Australia, the last two digits of the serial were added to the forward fuselage in large characters under the cockpit. On the port side, the first digit appeared below the Australian flag and the second digit appeared below the squadron crest. The squadron emblem on the fin was soon replaced by the more familiar white albatross on a red, white and blue band. The P-3Bs retained this livery for the duration of their RAAF service.

When the first batch of P-3Cs for No 10 Squadron entered service in 1978, they wore the same colours as the P-3Bs and their serial numbers were carried in the same style and locations. When the second batch of P-3Cs arrived for No 11 Squadron in 1985, it became apparent that the use of the "last two" would result in duplications across the fleet so the serials on the forward fuselage and above the windscreens were presented with all three digits.

Then it all changed!

In April 1989, A9-756 was deployed on Gateway duties wearing toned-down markings. It is believed that A9-756 was the first Orion to be so painted. The fin flashes, Australian flag and colourful squadron markings were painted out and roundels were applied in darker shades of grey. Serials were removed from the fin and forward fuselage locations although the full serial was retained on the rear fuselage and the abbreviated serial was retained above the windscreens. It seems that serials were retained in these two locations until later in 1989 when aircraft began to appear with the last two or three of the serial painted inside the nosewheel doors in grey or black. During this process, some aircraft were noted with the red propeller warning line and the black and yellow cockpit RESCUE markings changed to grey. During 1989, several aircraft appear to have been completely repainted grey with a white top but with all markings omitted except the serial in the rear fuselage and windscreen locations. In one such case (A9-657) the aircraft retained red, white and blue roundels. It would appear therefore that this penultimate scheme of grey and white existed in two versions; (a) the quick over-paint method and (b) the complete repaint as aircraft became due for repainting.

In late 1991, aircraft began to appear with black propeller tip markings eliminating the high visibility red and white stripes which existed previously.

These changes may have been inspired by a July 1986 directive from the Naval Air Systems Command that the United States Navy should take the following actions to adopt a generic paint scheme for all P-3 Orions: (Source: 2)

1. Eliminate all markings including Bureau Numbers from the vertical stabilizer.
2. Eliminate unit aircraft numbers from the aircraft nose.
3. Eliminate any other squadron unique emblems/markings.
4. Add an aircraft number to the inner surface of nose wheel door.

In 1991, the Defence Signals Directorate began developing a specification for two P-3C Orions to be converted to an electronic intelligence gathering role. This program was known as Project Peacemate or Project Air 5384. In 1994, Phase 2 began with the modification of the two aircraft which were ultimately certificated in 1997. These aircraft are believed to be A9-657 and A9-660 which are discernible by the lack of sonobuoy tube apertures on the underside of the rear fuselage and the later addition of small "thimble" type antennae top and bottom, amongst other additional antennae.

With the aim of further enhancing the Orion's camouflage by eliminating the solar reflecting white top, a new Near Infrared Reflecting and Low Visibility Paint was developed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Materials Research Laborotory. This paint incorporated solar reflecting pigments and for testing purposes it was formulated in three shades of grey which were applied to A9-665 as follows:

THE EXPERIMENTAL SCHEME

(Source: 1)

A9-665 in the experimental three tone grey scheme.

A9-665 in the experimental three tone grey scheme.

A9-665 in the experimental three tone grey scheme.

A9-665 in the experimental three tone grey scheme.

This scheme had been tested previously on Dakota A65-78 using conventionally pigmented coatings but the tests were abandoned because of excessive cabin temperatures.

The experimental three tone grey scheme was tested on Dakota A65-78.

On 13 February 1992, two Orions were parked together at Edinburgh and instrumented to evaluate the new scheme which was known as Solar Heat Reflecting - Low Visibility Paint Scheme (SHF-LVPS). A9-665 in the new scheme was compared with A9-659 in the current grey and white scheme which, by this time, had adopted low visibility markings. The tests concluded that:

"The magnitude of the operational temperature increase under the most severe conditions of low altitude in a hot/humid environment is calculated to be 0.30C in the cabin and 1.30C at the flight stations. Under less severe conditions, temperatures in the cabin and the flight station will be controlled to current levels by the ECS."

It was also concluded that the effectiveness of the camouflage could be improved by eliminating the masked demarcation between the mid and light shades.

As a result of the tests, in April 1993, a second Orion (unidentified) was painted overall Light Grey FS36375 with markings in Pale Grey FS36495 (i.e. lighter than the overall shade). It seems that this scheme is close to what was eventually adopted across the fleet although ultimately the markings were darker than the overall shade.

A similar overall grey scheme applied to USN Orions and commonly known as Tactical Paint, is said to have radar absorption properties but it is not known if the RAAF paint has similar capabilities.

With only two of the surviving nineteen P-3Cs having the ELINT capability, it is surmised that it was deemed tactically advantageous for their presence to be disguised. The apparent solution was to make all nineteen Orions look the same and ultimately all aircraft were painted overall semi-gloss (also described as satin finish) Light Ghost Grey (FS26375) with the roundels and other markings presented in the darker shade of semi-gloss Grey Blue (FS25237). Wheel wells, undercarriage legs, wheels and flight control recesses were painted in gloss Insignia White (FS17875). This new livery began to appear sometime around March 1995. To complete the ruse, external serial numbers were effectively made invisible from "spotting" distances. Squadron markings were retained but these were also in Grey Blue such that they were barely visible. By this time squadron markings were largely notional as all the Orions were pooled under No 92 Wing at RAAF Edinburgh.

THE FINAL SCHEME
1995 Onwards

While the removal of external markings achieved the goal of making all the Orions look the same, it wasn't much help to ground crews who needed to tell one aeroplane from another when there were multiple Orions on the apron. Clearly it would not do to load an aeroplane with depth charges when the mission required droppable life rafts and vice versa! It is reported that the need for external identification was highlighted when a crew preflighted the wrong aeroplane. Accordingly, the Orions were identified on the ground in several ways:

Serial numbers were presented in grey or black on the white inner face of the nose landing gear doors. Photographs suggest that the 10 Squadron aircraft (700 series serials) showed the last two digits of the serial number while 11 Squadron aircraft (600 series serials) showed the last three. Ultimately however, both squadrons showed all three digits. Because the inside of the door has a contoured surface, these numbers are sometimes difficult to read (and probably even more difficult to apply!). As another means of identification, the last three digits of the serial number were presented in black on a dayglo orange "Remove Before Flight" sleeve which was placed over the port nose landing gear door while the aircraft was on the ground..

For the benefit of personnel boarding the aircraft, the full serial was presented aft of the main cabin door in very small dark grey characters, mostly in a horizontal format but in some instances the serial was presented vertically.

Undoubtedly the serial number would have been displayed in numerous locations inside the aircraft but one known location is a placard on the captain's instrument panel. Curiously, these placards displayed the serial number with a leading zero e.g. A09-757 as seen in the following image. These placards also carried the aircraft's SELCAL code (i.e. Selective Calling - a means of calling an individual aircraft).