Changing US national markings

[Volker_Nemsch]

OK, half of this thread is off-topic but the first half belongs here:

The United States changed their national markings on aircraft several times. They started with roundels (red/blue/white) switched over to a white star in a blue circle and a red center and changed again during WW2.

There were many discussions why and when the Germans changed their national markings (during WW1 until today) but I´m curious why the Americans did it on several occasions (as far as I know France never changed the national insignia on the aircraft they flew).

Thanks in advance!

Here are a couple of websites that might answer your questions:

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq2-1.htm

http://www.njahof.org/insignia.htm

Volker even the British changed national markings.The red,white, blue changed to red and blue on the wings[no I don`t know why!].In the Far Eastern theatre they were changed to Light Blue centre with a Dark Blue outer but I would assume that this was done to ensure that there were no colour marks in common with the Japanese markings.

I think you'll find that most changing of national insignia boils down to reducing the visibility of the aircraft, or attempting to eliminate mistaken identity due to similarities with other national insignia.

[Volker_Nemsch]

Hello Rex Feral!

Thank you very much for this valuable information! I have to admit that there more changes than I thought.

Glad I could help!

[Volker_Nemsch]

Hello Andy Fox!

I realised that there was a change in the British national markings, too. In one of the Squadron/Signal books about the S.E.5a there was a profile of a fighter with toned down markings (dark blue instead of white) because it was used in the night fighter role. At the beginning of WW2 the markings were changed again (as you described it).

I think that today the national aircraft markings play not the important role (identification of enemy or own aircraft in sight) as they did up to the end of WW2. Computer systems and radar will identify the aircraft long before the pilot can see it with his own eyes. I think that today they are more symbols rather than markings.

[leo]

I seem to recall that the brits experimented with changing the shape of their roundels to an irregular shape. The idea being that the regular insignia was a target for enemy planes.

Hi Leo.
Isn`t it the case that the Americans removed the central,red,portion from the star on both wings and fuselage because it makes a natural aiming point?Well it`s a thought

[Barrett]

Military a/c still carry national markings (even if it's just a black stencil over the base coat) because international law requires it. Without the logo, the a/c crew can presumably be charged with "piracy" by an enemy.