I've just come across the following entry in 73rd AA Section's War Diary for 11th January, 1917:

Received report re Hostile Plane @ 14:45 An aeroplane with Allied colours rose from near ZIR @ 13:50 hrs & circulated at low Altitude between ZIR and JENIKOJ

I read it that an observer either saw an enemy design lift off wearing Allied markings or a captured plane fly from an enemy aerodrome. Was painting false colours on aircraft ever common practice and how was it seen from a legal standpoint? How might a pilot who was captured after flying such a plane be treated?

Keith