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!