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Concorde Pre-Production Placards and markings (External)
Concorde airframe markings were changed during the development period, some external markings were mandatory as shown below, others were added for the testing of the aircraft. Below you will see all the mandatory external markings for Pre Production Concorde 101 and 102 (Referred to as 01 and 02 in the text below) and lower down some of the additional markings added to these aircraft for develpoment purposes.
Mandatory Pre-Production Markings (External only)
Emergency break-in points to port and Starboad
Refuelling and water drain point markings
Pitot probes, Static and Oxygen Vents and Registration Marks
Jack and Trestle Points
Nacelle Placards and Markings
Nacelle G-AXDN 01 (101) as below
Nacelle F-WTSA 02 (102) as below
Wing Jacking and Registration marks
Forward Passenger and Rear Baggage doors and surrounds
Intermediate Passenger and service doors and surrounds
Service doors, inflight escape hatches and surrounds
Emergency Exit, Brake Parachute and Crash Recorder Doors
MEPU Monofueltank access door
Additional Pre-Production Markings (External only)
The examples below are in the case of Pre Production Concorde 01 (101) G-AXDN
Above G-AXDN lands at Farnborough in 1974, you can see significant differences to markings let's take a look in detail below.
A. Canards painted black to show ice during testing, these remained black for most of the test period and seem to have been repainted white just before arrival at Duxford.
B. Ice Camera position painted black to avoid reflection of light
C. 196 Painted on side of cabin, this was done for airshows and is the presentation number, this is still done today on other aircraft.
Left you can see a close up of the black canards seen above, this photograph was taken at Fairford just before the final flight to Filton for Decomissioning and ferry flight to Duxford. These must have been painted white at Filton during the decomissioning process, footage of the aircraft landing at Duxford shows these as white.
Right the word Experimental has been added to the aircraft during testing, this photograph was taken at Fairford just before the final flight to Filton for Decomissioning and ferry flight to Duxford, it is missing from the aircraft now.
Two black Squares / Red Black Target on French Pre Production
The purpose is the same for both of these, they were used as "targets" for cine-theodolites used to measure the trajectory of the aircraft, e.g. during landings and take-offs. Painted on both sides of the aircraft but in the case of AXDN only visible on one side due to the stairs and door.
Right, De ice panels on the wing, these are numbered to identify which panel is iced up, other areas on this aircraft are also painted black to identify ice issues this includes the intakes, winglets as above and camera areas. The white ice would show up clearly on the cameras pointing towrds these panels.
Left Rolls Royce - Snecma Olympus 593 decal.
No Concorde would be complete without this iconic decal, here you can also see some of the black paint that showed up ice on the intakes
Un-Authorised/Other Pre-Production Markings (External only)
Some would call it Vandalism, others call it artwork, whichever way you see it these additional decals and logo's add to the character of each airframe. During the test period these various additional pieces of artwork were added to the aircraft by the crew or operators.
Below, seen on F-WTSA (02) (102)
1. Hippocame ailé named La Crevette (Air France logo)
2. 1976 Olympic games at Montréal. 102 was the 1st Concorde to land at Mirabel Airport for it's inauguration
Below, seen on G-AXDN (01) (101)
1. Clockwork Tangerine
2. Ice Nairobi 75
3. Maineiacs
4. MACH 2.23
5. Miss Moses Lake
