The RAF In Vietnam?

[DeeBob]

I've long had an idea for doing a series of models reflecting aircraft that the RAF might have used if Britain had become involved in Vietnam rather than the US. I'm envisioning a version of history where the little-known crewman Joe "Tail-Gunner" McCarthy was lost in a freak accident in the Pacific and didn't get the chance to engineer the red scare, and instead Great Britain comes to the aid of France in Vietnam as an extension of the various colonial uprisings of the lost war years. My question really is what camouflage the RAF (and indeed the French air force) would have ended up employing.

The iconic (in whiff world, at least) RAF F111 camo is my lead contender as it stands, with an alternate scheme with black lowers for bombers.
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[NARSES2]

If Britain got invoved in the 50's then I can't see the RAF using anything other than their standard European scheme.  If we are talking about the 60's and an independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam with an airforce then I'm not sure ?

[jcf]

The "Red Scare" existed long before McCarthy, the post-WWII version being an extension of the post-Russian Revolution period of reactionary political elements of the great powers, and Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy etc. It was a factor in the rise of right-wing nationalism and fascism and the monied classes in Europe, the UK and the US had been beating that drum since the 19th century.
McCarthy took advantage of the Soviet's actions in regards to the establishment of "Socialist Democracies" in Central and Eastern Europe, the blockade of Berlin, Mao winning in China, the Korean War and Soviet support of the anti-Colonialist independence movements. The latter getting the reactionary conservatives in the UK and France foaming at the mouth because it directly affected their pocketbooks. Ironically it was their refusal to talk and the active suppression of all groups that enabled the Soviets to gain so much influence within those movements. McCarthy was able to temporarily manipulate the zeitgeist to further his own career, his humiliation didn't end it, the public repudiation of black-lists etc. was good theatre but all that actually happened is that it was moved out of the public eye.
Convincing a war-weary British public to support France in their colonial adventures would be a hard  row to hoe, especially as the public were still dealing with rationing and the country's own Colonial "emergencies". The situation would have to be very different, here's some of my thoughts:
1) Britain comes out of the war in much better shape economically which puts less pressure on and reduces the anxiety of the people and thus the political institutions.
2) The situation in SE Asia, and by extension the entire area, along with anti-Colonial movements in the rest of the world, has to be presented as an existential threat. Rather than being geographically specific they're all part of one great Soviet originated by and controlled from the Kremlin, rather than the hodge-podge they were in reality.
3)Possibly the perception of an existential threat is reinforced by the Soviets having ended up with far more control of Europe: 80%+ of Germany- including all of Bavaria, Austria and Northern Italy.
Switzerland being the only trans-Alpine/Alpine country not under direct Soviet control, this would put France under great pressure in the Southeast. All of the Balkans and  Greece-including Cyprus, which when combined with the control of Northern Italy, would mean control of the Adriatic and a large part of the Eastern Mediterranean.
All of this would strengthen claims that retaining control of colonies, at any cost, was necessary to survival and that winning France's war in Indochina was of critical importance to the future of the "West".

The paint schemes of the RAF units stationed at Kai Tek post-war and used in Malaya, along with period FAA schemes would probably be a good guide and, possibly, more likely than the CBI-type camouflage schemes.

[kitbasher]

One possible camouflage difference could be that instead of the NEAF scheme of middle stone (or was it light stone?) and dark earth uppers plus black undersides, RAF transport aircraft are finished in dark green, dark earth uppers and medium sea grey lowers?  Basically as per RAF SEAC fighters.

[Dizzyfugu]

I'd assume that aircraft woul have initially retained their NMF or EDSG/DG/Light Aircraft Grey cammo - the latter is quite effective over "jungle terrain", maybe with hi-viz markings and with a matt finish. I'd doubt a SEA scheme adaptation, though, as well as the NEAF scheme (which is rather suited for desert regions). Maybe an all-green upper surface livery - like the Lightnings based in Germany - would have been applied in the field, though? Or a mix of post-WWII RAF Dark Green and Dark Earth, e.g like the early Omani Strikemasters?