Invasion Stripes/Markings for Operation Downfall

[RWGWAG]

This thread topic could have gone to other locations on this website, but I figured this was the best option.

We all know of the famous invasion stripes for the invasion of France, but what about the proposed invasion of Japan? I'm especially interested in how it would have worked with glossy sea blue USN aircraft. Does anyone know if concrete instructions are out there? If you did a what-if model for Operation Downfall, what did you do? A what-if forum that I found elsewhere discussed many colors, but nothing but guesses.

For reference, glossy sea blue Hellcats from VOF-1 and VF-74 participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. The only marking I have seen was one VOF-1 aircraft with small white invasion stripes on the underside of its flaps (pic attached, credit USN). Contrary to multiple sources, I do NOT think they had red cowl rings in VOF-1. VF-74 looks to have had nothing but regular markings.

Then we have the 1945 Japan markings: yellow cowl rings used by at least a couple air groups for the initial Tokyo strikes and the invasion of Iwo Jima in February, as well as the white cowl rings for the initial Kyushu strikes in late March and maybe these lasted for the beginning of the Okinawa invasion.

So what do we think? I'm leaning towards white stripes at least on the wings (two or three?), and maybe white cowl rings. I don't think there is any document out there outlining official marking instructions. Let us discuss! Thanks!

 

[EwenS]

This thread topic could have gone to other locations on this website, but I figured this was the best option.

We all know of the famous invasion stripes for the invasion of France, but what about the proposed invasion of Japan? I'm especially interested in how it would have worked with glossy sea blue USN aircraft. Does anyone know if concrete instructions are out there? If you did a what-if model for Operation Downfall, what did you do? A what-if forum that I found elsewhere discussed many colors, but nothing but guesses.

It is nothing but guesses because so far as I have found in researching Operation Downfall over the years nothing was ever decided or even discussed. Planning for Operation Olympic, the invasion of southern Kyushu due to take place on 1 Nov 1945, was still ongoing when the war ended. The objective of Olympic was to occupy only the southern part of Kyushu to provide the ground for airfields into which the USAAF & USMC ground support units on Okinawa could move up into. Even less advanced was planning for Operation Coronet, the invasion of Honshu, scheduled for 1 March 1946. It is even open to question whether such markings would have been required given the markings that were already being carried by various USAAF/USN/USMC/FAA aircraft.

This article explains some of the background to the need for invasion stripes for D-Day, and in particular the experience of the paratroopers during Operation Husky, the landings in Sicily in July 1943.

I can't think of a single case in the Pacific where such markings were required. Air cover for Operation Olympic was initially going to come largely from carrier aircraft of the Third & Fifth Fleets which would include 14 CV, 6/7 CVL & 36 CVE (in various roles) plus 4/5 CV & 4 CVL from the BPF. Okinawa was about 400 miles south of the landing beaches on Kyushu. So there would have been a lot fewer types of aircraft in the early days and they would have been carrying very large & distinctive markings anyway. And no transport aircraft dropping paras. So I'm not even sure that some special "Downfall" markings would even be required.

For reference, glossy sea blue Hellcats from VOF-1 and VF-74 participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. The only marking I have seen was one VOF-1 aircraft with small white invasion stripes on the underside of its flaps (pic attached, credit USN). Contrary to multiple sources, I do NOT think they had red cowl rings in VOF-1. VF-74 looks to have had nothing but regular markings.

There were no standardised Allied aircraft markings for Operation Dragoon. Certainly none were being worn on the FAA aircraft on the RN escort carriers in TF88 operating alongside the Tulagi & Kasaan Bay and which formed the bulk of the air support in the early days.

Then we have the 1945 Japan markings: yellow cowl rings used by at least a couple air groups for the initial Tokyo strikes and the invasion of Iwo Jima in February, as well as the white cowl rings for the initial Kyushu strikes in late March and maybe these lasted for the beginning of the Okinawa invasion.

I'm assuming that you are only talking about USN aircraft and not the USAAF P-51D fighter groups that began ariving on Iwo Jima from March 1945, some of which wore Group / Squadron markings incorporating yellow in spinner / cowling / wing/ tailplane markings. 45th & 78th FS of 15th FG & 72nd FS of 21st FG.

From Jan - July 1945 the aircraft on each carrier wore a set of geometric white markings on wings and tailplane that were unique to that ship. With increasing numbers of carriers operating in the fleet, on 27th July 1945 new orders were issued to replace these markings with single / double letters 24" high on the vertical tail surfaces, above the starboard wing & under the port wing. This was still being implemented when the war ended.

Escort carriers continued to use geometric patterns for their air groups until after the war ended.

The only reference to yellow / white cowl bands that I have is this from "US Navy Carrier Aircraft Colours" by Geoff Thomas:-
"For the first two series of raids on the Tokyo area, between 16 and 26 February, the strike aircraft were marked with Yellow (and perhaps White) cowling bands."

I can't see why they were considered necessary given the geometric white markings applied to all aircraft. The cowling bands don't appear to have been universal to all the aircraft in an air group or even across the fleet. Intrepid & Bunker Hill aircraft are the only ones I have found out of a Task Force that included 16 fleet & light fleet carriers. It makes me wonder if they somehow identified flight leaders. Intrepid didn't participate in the Feb strikes, being on her way back from overhaul.

So what do we think? I'm leaning towards white stripes at least on the wings (two or three?), and maybe white cowl rings. I don't think there is any document out there outlining official marking instructions. Let us discuss! Thanks!

 

[RWGWAG]

Thanks for the reply. A couple things, the letter system was definitely used on 24 July for the Kure strike, as action reports state frustration over the replacement of the geometric system. However as you said, the directive appears to have been a few days later so there is confusion regarding the letter applications.

As to the cowl bands, I have seen aircraft from Essex, Bunker Hill, Bennington, and possibly Wasp using yellow for Tokyo. For Kyushu, I have seen Bunker Hill, Essex, Intrepid, Hornet, Franklin, Yorktown, Hancock, and a few CVLs. I wonder if the yellow bands for Tokyo were an experiment that later implemented the white.

 

[EwenS]

Thanks for the reply. A couple things, the letter system was definitely used on 24 July for the Kure strike, as action reports state frustration over the replacement of the geometric system. However as you said, the directive appears to have been a few days later so there is confusion regarding the letter applications.

And yet we have aircraft still weaing the geometric patterns in Aug & Sept 1945.

Some Hellcats on Cabot dated to Sept 1945 where the description clearly noted it broke the rules for the time period (carrier letter should have been R):-

Also CAG-89 on the Antietam when she left PH on 12 Aug 1945 to join TF38 for the first time (now I can't find the photo I recall! There is one of her with Higbee DD806 but that must date to before the markings changed.). She had arrived at PH on 19th June. Curiously she left Eniwetok for Japanese waters with Cabot on 21st. Cabot, fresh from a refit had struck Wake Is on 1 Aug before going to Eniwetok.

As to the cowl bands, I have seen aircraft from Essex, Bunker Hill, Bennington, and possibly Wasp using yellow for Tokyo. For Kyushu, I have seen Bunker Hill, Essex, Intrepid, Hornet, Franklin, Yorktown, Hancock, and a few CVLs. I wonder if the yellow bands for Tokyo were an experiment that later implemented the white.

White would have been more readily available in the paint lockers given it was already being used for other markings. But why change?

Still doesn't explain why they were being used and why they attract such little attention.

 

[Frog]

This thread topic could have gone to other locations on this website, but I figured this was the best option.

We all know of the famous invasion stripes for the invasion of France, but what about the proposed invasion of Japan? I'm especially interested in how it would have worked with glossy sea blue USN aircraft. Does anyone know if concrete instructions are out there? If you did a what-if model for Operation Downfall, what did you do? A what-if forum that I found elsewhere discussed many colors, but nothing but guesses.

For reference, glossy sea blue Hellcats from VOF-1 and VF-74 participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. The only marking I have seen was one VOF-1 aircraft with small white invasion stripes on the underside of its flaps (pic attached, credit USN). Contrary to multiple sources, I do NOT think they had red cowl rings in VOF-1. VF-74 looks to have had nothing but regular markings.

Then we have the 1945 Japan markings: yellow cowl rings used by at least a couple air groups for the initial Tokyo strikes and the invasion of Iwo Jima in February, as well as the white cowl rings for the initial Kyushu strikes in late March and maybe these lasted for the beginning of the Okinawa invasion.

So what do we think? I'm leaning towards white stripes at least on the wings (two or three?), and maybe white cowl rings. I don't think there is any document out there outlining official marking instructions. Let us discuss! Thanks!

The invasion stripes were dedicated to operation Overlord, and ordered to be removed one month after D-Day.
For operation Dragoon, there were no such specifications. They were simply worn by two wings from the IXth Troop Carrier Command sent to the MTO.

 

[RWGWAG]

Thanks to the admin for moving the thread to the more appropriate section. However if there are modelers who did what-if Op. Downfall schemes, I'd still love to see and hear about it!


Intrepid also kept its white vertical stripe into September and likely October as CAG-14 took over from CAG-10 after ops over China. Their letter code should have been E.


As to the cowl bands, I am as confused as you are EwenS. As mentioned, there weren't any USAAF P-51s until March, so the February Tokyo strikes were USN only in terms of daylight fighters — what's the need for extra recognition? I do recall some CVLs did not fly many missions feet dry, but otherwise I can only guess they were just testing visibility for future use. The larger application of white for Kyushu had to be the same reason — who were they going to get confused with? It was just USN aircraft and green Japanese planes. I wish we had an answer.


I do wonder why the VOF-1 Hellcat from Dragoon had stripes. Maybe just something for fun as Frog states that there were no specifications. Sources claim it had a red cowl too, and while the photo I posted way up in this thread looks to have a shiny cowl, no other VOF-1 Hellcats had red cowls, nor did they have invasion stripes. There is a head-on photo of a British Hellcat with a red cowl that may be the culprit in this regard.