Anti-flash white

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Anti-flash white is a brilliant white colour commonly seen on United States and British nuclear bombers in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the Tupolev Tu-160. The purpose of the colour was to reflect some of the thermal radiation from a nuclear explosion, protecting the aircraft and its occupants. For the same reason, British nuclear bombers were given – though not at first, until the problem was considered – pale pink and blue roundels rather than the traditional dark red, white, and blue. United States aircraft carried no underside insignia at all.

Apart from its use on the V bombers, anti-flash white was applied to several British prototype aircraft, including the Blackburn Buccaneer and the British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2.

The anti-flash white paint used on the British Avro Vulcan was manufactured by Cellon, and that on the Handley Page Victor by Titanine.

[edit] See also

• Vickers Valiant – the third British "V bomber" (together with the Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor mentioned above.)

[edit] References

• The V-Bombers - The Handley Page Victor - part 3 by Bill Gunston - Aeroplane Monthly - March 1981 issue.

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