Anti-flash white

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 givenndash though not at first, until the problem was consideredndash 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".

ee also

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

References

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