Both 211 and 113 Squadrons went to the ME that April with their Hinds in silver dope finish (and on the evidence available, 211 Squadron Hinds were never camouflaged). Units departing for the Middle East in response to rising Middle East tensions earlier in 1938 are reported to have removed the Squadron number from their aircraft.

Today the aircraft is kept in a fine restored state at the National Aviation Museum of Canada. Thirty years later, L7180 was one of four Hawker Hinds donated to museums by the Afghan government. Repaired, L7180 went with 211 to the Middle East and passed (with several others) to the Royal Afghan Air Force in July 1939. Again in silver dope, this time wearing the Squadron number, possibly in red. L7180 comes to grief at Aldergrove in 1938 (G Grierson)ДЄn accident at home, exact date unknown but noted as 1938 in Geoff GriersonвЂ™s album. GeoffвЂ™s log and photographs of the Hind period show that 211 Squadron practice varied from aircraft to aircraft both at home and abroad. From the collection of Geoff Grierson, thanks to son Mike Grierson. K6854 in company with K6852, L7174 and others on a very overcast day, in silver dope with no Squadron numbers in evidence. At least in the Home Commands, the Munich crisis also saw silver-doped biplanes quickly camouflaged by their units in the field.Дў11 Squadron Hawker Hinds, Grantham 1937 (G Grierson) Though recommended and commonly followed (but by no means uniformly applied), this potential intelligence gift ceased with the Munich crisis in September that year, with adoption of the two-letter unit codes that offered modestly better security against Order of Battle analysis. Up to 1938, squadrons commonly showed their Squadron number on the fuselage sides, as bold numerals placed forward of the roundel and coloured by Flight: A Flight red B Flight yellow C Flight blue. Hawker Hinds were to be delivered to RAF Squadrons in factory-finish silver (ie aluminium) dope until production ceased at the end of 1937.

Raf squadron codes and serial numbers