USAAF Aircraft Markings and Camouflage 1941-1947: The History of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage, and Colors

352 Pages·1997·12.66 MB·English

by  Victor G. Archer

US ARMY AIR FORCES
AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND CAMOUFLAGE
1941-1947
The History Of USAAF Aircraft Markings, Insignia, Camouflage,
And Colors
Robert D. Archer
Color Illustrations by Victor G. Archer
...__,__........."T •ARCHER
u
ARMY AI FO CES
AIRCRAFT MARKINGS AND
CAMOUFLAGE 1941-1947
Color Illustrations by Victor G. Archer
The History Of USAAF Aircraft Markings,
lnsignia, C 0 tlage, And Colors.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Research on this history ofthe USAAFAircraft.Camouflage, run of the March AFB Museum files; Harry Gann; Gerry R.
MarkingsandColorsstarted in theearly 1960s,and receivedoffi Markgrafwho provided a large number ofcolor slides from the
cialhelp1965onward, from the USAirForce. Maj. LarryBrown, collection ofR. B. Starinchak; William L. Swisher,who also sent
Col.C.V.Glines,Maj.PaulK.Kahl,Lt.Col.MaryMackie,andLt. many others taken by F. Schertzer, Peter M. Bowers, and the late
Col. Robert A. Webb, all gave the support needed to get the re Gordon S. Williams; Paul Talbott of Delta Air Lines; and Nick
searchgoingand obtainedmanyofthe required photographs. Williams. Of these, Harry Gann, William L. Swisher, and Paul
Talbott, all responded to urgent last-minutecalls for many photo
AttheUSAFMuseum,Dayton,Ohio,RoyalD.Freyprovided graphs needed tofill outthecoveragerequired.
facilities tocopythe huge numberofdocuments tosupportthe re
search. Otherpersonnel providing helpat the variousgovernment Manyfriendsprovidedthenecessarysupporttokeepthiswork
agencies includedA. Essenpreis, Virginia Fincik, John W. Gross, aliveoversuchalongperiod;theyincludethelateRichardL.Sloan,
RaymondK.Loberg,WilberJ.Nigh,GaryD.Ryan,EdwardShirley, William B. Larkins, Terry R. Waddington" Harry Gann, Gerry
andJohnE.Taylor. Markgraf, WalterM. Jefferies,Jr.,and GregKrasel.
Manyphotographersandcollectorshelpedtoprovidethelarge Noneoftheabovehelpwouldhaveprevailedwithoutthetotal
number of black and white photographs and color slides seen in supportofmywifePatricia,and mysonVictor,throughoutthelast
thisvolume.TheseincludethelateCol.RobertL.Baseler,USAAF, many years. Specialthanks toVictorfor hiscolorgraphicillustra
Maj.JackM.Elliott,USMCR(ret);GeneGilmorwhog~e methe tionsthat have helped to make thisworkareally accurateandcol
orfulone.
Toeach andeveryoneofyou, my thanks.
BookDesignbyIanRobertson.
Copyright© 1997byRobertD.Archer.
LibraryofCongressCatalogNumber: 96-71971
All rightsreserved. Nopartofthisworkmay bereproduced orused inanyforms orby
any means- graphic, electronicormechanical, includingphotocopyingorinformation
storageand retrievalsystems- withoutwrittenpermissionfrom the copyrightholder.
Printed inHong Kong.
ISBN: 0-7643-0246-9
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CONTENTS
Introduction ~ 6
Chapter 1 1941 Formation ofthe USAAF and response to attack in the Pacific 10
Chapter 2 1942The first full year ofcombat.. 56
Chapter 3 1943 The struggle forAir Superiority in Europe, NorthAfrica and the Pacific 109
Chapter 4 1944 Air Superiority is gained over Europe and the Pacific 179
Chapter 5 1945-1947 The war is won and the USAAF returns to peace 243
Chapter 6 CombatAircraft Distinctive Markings, Invasion Stripes, and Unit Insignia 293
Chapter 7 Standard Color Shades, Development and Usage, and Color Chips\ 318
AppendixA Aircraft Designation System 334
Appendix B Aircraft Maintenance Markings 338
Abbreviations 341
Index 343
Introduction
This volume covers the history and development ofhow and in Gen. Arnold and theAAFassuming a role in the wareffort far
why the USArmyAir Forces finished and marked their aircraft, greater than that prescribed in War Department Circular No. 59.
between 1941 and 1947.The USArmyAirForceswasformed out Thisfinally reached apointwhere theAAFreachedaquasi-equal
of the earlier unsatisfactory command structure, when in March ity with theArmy and Navy, as compared to its actual legal status
1941, theSecretaryofWar, Henry L. Stimson, directed thataction ofequalitywith theArmygroundandserviceforces.
betakentoplacetheexistingAirCorpsandArmyAirForceCom Very rapid growthoftheAAF resulted in the formation ofno
batCommand(which had replacedtheearlierGHQAirForce)un lessthansixteenseparateAirForcesworld-wide.Firstofthesewere
deronecommand.Shortlyafterthis, herevivedtheofficeofAssis the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest Air Forces,
tantSecretaryofWarforAir; the newsecretary, RobertA. Lovett, within those areasofthecontinentalUSA.Thesesoon becamethe
proceededto promoteincreased aircraftproductionand tostream First, Second, Third, and Fourth Air Forces. The Fifth, Seventh,
line theArmy airarm. Tenth,Thirteenth, Fourteenth, andTwentiethAir Forces served in
The resultingreorganizationcreatedthe newArmyAirForces theChinese-Burma-Pacifictheaters;theEighth,Ninth,Twelfth,and
(notethepluralform ofthetitle)onJune20,1941withGeneralH. Fifteenth in the Europe-Mediterranean theaters; the Sixth in the
H.Arnoldappointed as its Chief, directly responsible to theArmy Panama Canal Zone, and the Eleventh in Alaska. The EighthAir
ChiefofStaff.ThenewAAFwassuperiortotheAirCorpsandthe Forcewas re-deployed to the Pacifictheaterin 1945,afterthe end
AirForceCombatCommand. UnderArnold, Maj. Gen. GeorgeH. ofthe war inEurope.
Brett, the new Chief of the Air Corps, and Lt. Gen. Delos C. Otherspecializedcommandswereeventuallyformed, includ
Emmons,commandinggeneraloftheAirForceCombatCommand, ingtheTechnicalTrainingCommandandtheFlyingTrainingCom
were made responsible for service and combat functions, respec mand (these were later merged into a singleTraining Command),
tively. AirCorpsMaintenanceCommand,andtheAirCorpsFerryingCom
However, itsoonbecameapparentthattherewerestilldefects mand(thiseventuallybecametheAirTransportCommand).
intheneworganization,butitwasnotuntilearlyin1942thatthese Atthepeakofitsstrength,theAAFhadno lessthan2,411,294
were finally rectified by making theAAF a virtually autonomous men inservice, and 78,757aircraft in its inventory.Therewereno
force within the War Department. These changes bad been made less than 243 active groups in service by April 1945, and 224 of
possiblebyofficialrecognitionofthemajorpartairpowerhadplayed these were overseas. After the end of the war, the reduction in
in the Nazi conquest ofEurope, and the Japanese attack on Pearl strengthwasveryrapid andonly303,600men remained intheser
Harbor. vice by May 1947. Less than four months later the AAF was re
As a result, a new War Department Circular, No. 59, was is placed by the new, independent, USAir Force, on September 18,
suedonMarch2,1942,effectiveonMarch9,1942.Thisabolished 1947. Planning for this event had actually begun in 1943, but it
theArmyGHQ,andplacedtheAAFonthesamelevelastheground took all ofthis time before theAir Force finally became an equal
army, if not as that of the Army itself. The earlier Office of the partnerwith theArmy and Navy.
ChiefoftheAirCorps and theAir Force Combat Commandwere To make the subject matter ofthis volume more manageable
abolished. Despite this new directive, Gen. Arnold still obtained and understandable, it has been broken down into seven chapters
most ofhis authority, as head ofan all-but independent air force, andtwoappendices. Chapter1covers1941,Chapter21942,Chap
frombeingamemberoftheAmerican-BritishCombinedChiefsof ter 3 1943, Chapter 4 1944, Chapter 5 1945-1947. Each ofthese
Staff(CCS) and theAmericanArmed ForcesJoint ChiefsofStaff chapters fully covers, in chronological order, the development of
(JCS), formed inFebruary, 1942. standardaircraftcolorschemesand finishes, developmentofcam
However,thisnewcommandstructuredidgettheAAFaposi ouflagecolorschemesandfinishes, evolutionofthenationalinsig-
tion commensuratewith itsgrowingsize and power.This resulted
6
Introduction 7
nia,themarkingsforairplanesandairplaneparts,unitinsigniaand theRAFforthesameduties.Thediscrepancyinthisareaisheight
tactical markings, and theevolutionofstandardcolorshades. ened bythe later useoftotally undocumented bluecolorsonvari
Chapter6coversbrieflythedevelopmentofthecolorfulCom ous Consolidated F-7 (B-24 modified) aircraft for use in the Pa
batAircraft Distinctive Markings for the EighthAir Force in En cific.Thesecolordiscrepancieswereallthemoresurprisinginview
gland, the special SHAEF "Invasion Stripes, and Unit Insignia". ofthe existenceofthejointArmy-Navy committeethat issued the
Chapter7coversthedevelopmentandusageofthestandardUSAAF jointANA157and 166colorbulletins.However,sucheventswere
aircraftcolorshades. very unusual,andcontrarytothenormalcooperationineffectuntil
Appendix A covers the aircraft designation system used the endofthewar.
throughoutthe lifeoftheAAF,andAppendix Bcoversthevarious Toavoidconfusion,alldateshavebeenconvertedtothemonth/
aircraft maintenance markings used. day/year format. Some of the official nomenclature may seem
Photographs and color drawings have been included in each strange,suchastheuseoftheFrenchword"cocarde"forthe"star
chapter and appendix, where applicable, to illustrate the applica in-circle"insigniainSpecification24114ofOctober1940,butthis
tion ofthe requirements to aircraft. Some photographs also illus was the official term used until the issue ofthe jointArmy-Navy
trate mistakes or incorrect application ofthe requirements. With Spec.AN-I-9 in 1943.
the vast numberofaircraft used by theAAF, it isonly possible to Tofully understand the use oftheofficial documentation, itis
displayarepresentativeselectionoftheirphotographs,andthereader necessary to realize that specificationswere mandatoryfor use by
shouldalsomakeuseofthe large numberoftitlespublishedonthe bothcontractorsandtheservice,whiletechnicalordersandtechni
AAFforfurtherreference. However,muchincorrectormisleading cal instructionswereonlyapplicablewithin theservice. However,
informationhasbeenpublishedonthesubjectofthisbook;readers waiversordeviations could be obtained by contractors in specific
are advised to use their discretion and make use ofthe official in situations,whenagreedtobytheservice. Althoughallofthespeci
formation contained in thisvolume. fications, etc., are dated, it did not necessarily mean that the re
Allofthedata in thetexthasbeenextractedfrom ahugevari quirement went intoeffectimmediately, unless a mandatorycom
ety ofofficial documents, specifications, technical orders, memo pliance date was included. Effects ofthis lag in applying require
randum, etc. produced by the AAF during the period covered by mentsarecalled out in the text, whereknown.
this volume. TheAAF used a logical, uniform numbering system To clarify and coordinate the massofdata generated between
for all ofits specifications, and all ofthe earlier aircraft ones fell 1941and1947,chartscoveringthespecifications,technicalorders,
intocategory98-XXor99-XX. Theofficialnomenclaturehasbeen color specifications, etc., issued during each year, will be found
usedthroughout, includingthevariouschangesitwentthrough.To nearthe front ofChapters 1through5.
save space, the reference "Specification Number" has been short These charts allow complete correlation ofall ofthe service
enedto"Spec.".Incontrastto manyotherpublicationsonthisspe markingandcolorrequirementsforanygivenperiod,asdetailed in
cialized subject,the author hasgiven the full textofthe mainoffi eachoftheChapters.Tomakeiteasiertofindspecificreferencesin
cial documents. This allows the reader to follow the requirements thetext, manysub-headingsindicatethemoreimportantdata inall
laiddownfor USAAFpersonneltofollow, and thoseleviedonthe chapters. Tosavespace, and endlessrepetition,several havebeen
hugenumberofmanufacturersinvolvedduringthewar.Inmanyof used in the captions to the photographs; these will befound in the
these requirements, the needs ofourAllies also had to be consid listofabbreviations.
eredand,indeed,thereweremanyjointcommitteesformedforjust The publisher has decided to print the numerous standard
such needs. USAAFcolorshades,ratherthanusing insertedcolorchips.Every
Most of the time, the new USAAF cooperated very closely effort has been made to make the printed colorshades as accurate
withitschiefally,theolderBritishRoyalAirForce,totheirmutual as possible: those whose needs require the highest possible accu
benefit. However, as one reads the history ofthese events, it be racy in color shades are requested to contact the author, via the
comesapparentthatthereweretwoareas inwhichthereappearsto publisher.
have been a degreeofunwarranted chauvinism onthe partofcer Theauthorisaware that it has notbeen possibleto includeall
tain USAAF personnel. The first one was the tremendously slow oftheavailabledata in thisvolume;forexample, itwasfound that
efforttousewhitecamouflageontheAnti-SubmarineCommand's the data for the section on the very colorful CombatAircraft Dis
aircraft, like the RAF Coastal Command had been usingverysuc tinctiveMarkingswassoextensivethat,afterconsultationwiththe
cessfullyforsometime. Infact, thewhiteschemewasnotadopted publisher, it was decided to publish it later, as a separate work.
untiljustbeforetheUSAAFhandedoverthisdutytothe USNavy. Nevertheless, the author believes that this work covers a subject
The second area was the paint and colors to be used on the longdemandingthis kind ofattentionand hasdone hisbesttosat
USAAFlongrange, highflying, LockheedF-5 reconnaissanceair isfy the objective; any errors that may be in this volume are his
craft.Mucheffortwasexpendedontheso-calledhazepaintschemes, responsibility. Hehopes that thereaderwillenjoythe volumeand
but in the end various synthetic blue colors were used. This was that they will inform him ofany correctionsoradditions that may
despite the existence of well-developed color schemes in use by cometo light.
u.s.
8 ARMYAIR FORCES
USAAF
TIME LINE NATIONAL STAR INSIGNIA
1941
USAAF Established June 20,1941
Lt.Gen.H.H. Arnold, Chief
InsigniaSpec. no. 241102-K
July20, 1941 to May28, 1942
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941
1942
InsigniaSpec. nO.24102-K
Allied invasion of North Africa Amend. #3
November 8, 1942 May 28, 1942toJune 29,1943
1943
Variation with 2inch
yellow outline, 8th AF. op.
memo no. 9, October1, 1942
Italy surrenders
Also used in North Africa.
September8,1943
1944
D-DayJune 6, 1944
Paris liberated
August 25, 1944
Insigniato
Battle ofthe Bulge AN-I-9a
June 29,1943to
December 16, 1944
August 14, 1943
1945
Germany surrenders
May 8,1945
Japan surrenders
Insigniato
August 14, 1945 AN-I-9b
1946 August 14, 1943to
January 14, 1947
Gen. H.H. Arnold retires
Gen. C.A. Spaatz takes over
February 9, 1946
InsigniaSpec. no.
1947
AN-1-9b, Amend.#2
January 14, 1947to
September26, 1947
USAAF becomes US AIR FORCE
September26, 1947
Robert D. Archer
RobertD.Archerspenthisearlyyears inBristol,England. He is a member ofthe Air ForceAssociation and is also a founding
keptextensivenotesonthecolorschemesand markingstobeseen member of the US branch of the International Plastic Modelers
onthehugevarietyofaircraftatFiltonAirfieldfrom 1936,untilthe Society, and contributed scores ofarticles to several scale model
outbreak ofwar in 1939, beginning a life-long interest in aircraft magazines. After 49 years in the aviation industry, he retired in
colorschemes. 1991.
He entered the aircraft industry as adesign engineer in 1942, His most recentworkwas the Monogram U.S.ArmyAirSer
workingfor Napier'sonthe Nomad, Naiad, and double-Naiaden viceandAirCorpsAircraftColorGuide,adefinitivereferencework
gines: at English Electric on electrical control systems; and at coveringthe period between 1908and 1941,published in 1995.
SupermarineontheSwiftseries,andTypes525and545. He
waselected anAssociateMemberofthe RoyalAeronautical
Societyin1954,andwasactiveintheAirTrainingCorpsand
theRoyal ObserverCorpsoftheRoyalAirForceuntil heleft
Englandin1954tojoinCanadair,Canada,ontheCL-28pro
gram.
He was brought to California in 1956 by Northrop and
workedontheT-38,F-5,LockheedElectraandtheMcDonnell
F-4 prototype. In 1964 he joined DouglasAircraft at Long
Beach, initially in military advanced design. He worked on
thecontrolsystemsoftheKC-10and MD-80,madeaspecial
review ofthe F-15 flight control system, and completed his
serviceasamanageronthefly-by-wirecontrolsystemofthe
C-17. ForabriefperiodheworkedatLockheedAircraft,asa
projectengineeron the WP-3Aand NKC-121Kprograms.
In1966,theUSAFgrantedhimthethennecessarysecret
clearances to research all ofthe files concerningthe subject
ofthis volume. He was the only non-service persongranted
thisprivilege.Thishasensuredtheaccuracyanddepthofthe
material presented herein, muchofitfor thefirst time.
Over the years, he has contributed to various publica
tions,suchasInteravia,FlightInternational,Space/Aeronau
tics,Jane'sAllTheWorld'sAircraft, and theAmericanAvia
tion Historical Society Journal, and wrote a book covering
the development and service use of the Republic F-105
Thunderchief.
He was a founding member of the American Aviation
Historical Society, serving for many years on the editorial
boardoftheJournal,and wasadirectorfor ashorttime. He
9