White SE

[Doug Mace]

Would anyone have any knowledge of an all white SE5a with the 111th RFC in Palestine? On a mission to verify this...can't find nothing other than one photo in a book I have that has no caption to identify who, when or where...and the photo looks quite authentic and period. I'm just spit-balling here with the 111th theory what with their painting some of their ships white or partially white to reduce glare. Cheers.       -M

[Jim]

I thought white paint would increase glare, rather than reduce it, as more light would be reflected off the white surface? Perhaps aircraft operating in Palestine were painted white for another reason, but I don't think it would be to reduce glare.

[Beto]

I have not seen that film in a looong time, but I think that in "Hell's Angels" the "good guys" flew white airplanes and the "bad guys" black ones. Something surely inherited from old western movies where they used the same scheme to help the audience identify the good and the bad guy in black and white films. Maybe some SE5a's used in the film and painted white ended miscaptioned/uncaptioned in your book.

[Doug Mace]

I suppose it's possible, Beto...but as I said, the photo looks very much of the time period as are all other photos in the book...but what got me thinking the 111th, the photo on a preceding page also uncaptioned is of a Bristol just taking off (as is the SE), with the lighting of the shot looking very much the same as the SE shot...with the foreground looking identical and being about the same distance from the camera...background very similar...and the F2 is also sporting a mostly white fuselage as well as the upper wing surface. The 111th's final make-up in the desert was of Bristols and SE's...so maybe not so much a spitball but more of an educated guess. Sorry to belabor the matter...just seeing if anyone had more specific input...the thing is, I really like the look and am thinking of painting my WnW SE suchly and would prefer to be somewhat accurate anyway. Also looking forward to Pheon's upcoming markings for Palestine Bristols.