Hawker Nisr Iraqi Audax (RIrAF, Flying Training School, 1945). By 1945 all of Iraq’s remaining Hawker Nisr “Iraqi Audaxes” had reportedly been transferred to the RIrAF’s Flying Training School. Some, and perhaps all, of them were now painted in an overall camouflage scheme which was likely to have used British RAF “sand and stone”, yellow ochre and dark brown paint for the upper surfaces, with sky blue underneath. On this particular Nisr the area of the yellow ochre “sand” had clearly been extended so that the serial number 55 stood out against the lighter colour. Now being confined to the training role, the machine is unarmed and it is interesting to note that its radio aerial system has also been changed. Furthermore, the Iraqi national markings are smaller than they had been earlier, as is the Arabic serial number 55 on the rear fuselage. This number is repeated as RIAF 55, in small lettering under the national marking triangle on the fuselage. It was a system that would be used on more modern RIrAF aircraft for several years. The small red crescent on the upper side of the fuselage behind the observer’s cockpit almost certainly marked the position of an emergency first aid compartment. The Arabic inscription under the cockpits is incomplete in the only available photograph, and is also unexplained. However, it might be the Arabic word saraaj meaning “lamp” and was perhaps followed by another unseen word which is lost in shadow. (Artwork by Peter Penev)