F3F

US Navy Carrier Aircraft Colors & Markings Before World War II

By Michael Benolkin

Sponsored by

Testors ModelMaster Floquil Pollyscale Aztek
Acryl Pactra

In the 1930s and into 1940, the US Navy employed a color marking scheme to enable pilots and ground observers to quickly identify any given aircraft. This involved a combination of colors and letters & numbers. For a look at the standard airframe colors used prior to WWII, refer to the Quarter Master 3-1 color tables.

Up until 1935, squadrons applied their own colors to the tails of their aircraft as a quick visual reference of squadron identification for any given ship. In October 1934 for example, the tail colors were as follows:

USS Lexington

Squadron Sqn ID Color
VF-2B Lemon Yellow
VF-5B True Blue
VS-3B Lemon Yellow
VB-1B Lemon Yellow

USS Saratoga

Squadron Sqn ID Color
VB-2B White
VF-6B White
VS-2B Lemon Yellow
VT-2B Insignia Red

USS Ranger

Squadron Sqn ID Color
VF-3B Willow Green
VS-1B Willow Green
VB-3B Willow Green
VB-5B Willow Green

USS Langley

Squadron Sqn ID Color
VS-14M Insignia Red
VS-15M True Blue

With the growing number of fleet carriers and associated number of squadrons, a directive was issued in 1935 to standardize tail colors to the aircraft carrier that the aircraft was assigned to:

1935-1937:

Carrier Sqn ID Color
USS Langley Insignia Red
USS Saratoga White
USS Ranger Willow Green
USS Lexington Lemon Yellow
USS Yorktown True Blue
USS Enterprise Black

After 1937:

Carrier Sqn ID Color
USS Yorktown Insignia Red
USS Saratoga White
USS Ranger Willow Green
USS Lexington Lemon Yellow
USS Enterprise True Blue
USS Wasp Black

Each squadron was divided into six sections, each section having three aircraft apiece. Each section was assigned its own color. That color was in the fuselage band, the cowl colors and the upper wing chevron. The entire cowl and fuselage bands are in color for the respective section leaders. The top half of the cowl received the color for the second aircraft in the section, and only the bottom half in color for the third aircraft. Note that while all three members of the section had the over-wing chevron, only the section leaders had the fuselage band.

On the side of each aircraft was number-letter-number code which indicated the squadron, type of squadron, and assignment in that squadron, respectively. For example, 4-F-1 was the squadron commanders aircraft for Fighting Four (VF-4). A 6-S-4 would indicate the second section leader for Scouting Six (VS-6).

Aircraft belonging to the squadron commander or section leaders (aircraft 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16) had a colored fuselage band. The number-letter-number identifier would be centered on that color stripe.

The types of squadrons that were in service with the US Navy before WW2 included:

  • VB - Bombing
  • VF - Fighting
  • VH - Ambulance
  • VJ - General Utility
  • VN - Training
  • VO - Observation
  • VP - Patrol
  • VR - Transport
  • VS - Scouting
  • VT - Torpedo
  • VX - Experimental

Here is a complete squadron breakdown:

Aircraft
Number
Section
Number
Section
Position
Color Cowl Example
1 1 1 Red Entire 4-F-1
2 1 2 Red Top 4-F-2
3 1 3 Red Bottom 4-F-3
4 2 1 White Entire 4-F-4
5 2 2 White Top 4-F-5
6 2 3 White Bottom 4-F-6
7 3 1 Blue Entire 4-F-7
8 3 2 Blue Top 4-F-8
9 3 3 Blue Bottom 4-F-9
10 4 1 Black Entire 4-F-10
11 4 2 Black Top 4-F-11
12 4 3 Black Bottom 4-F-12
13 5 1 Green Entire 4-F-13
14 5 2 Green Top 4-F-14
15 5 3 Green Bottom 4-F-15
16 6 1 Yellow Entire 4-F-16
17 6 2 Yellow Top 4-F-17
18 6 3 Yellow Bottom 4-F-18

In the late 1930s, squadron numbers were changed as squadrons were moved between aircraft carriers, so you'll need to do some homework as to which unit shield belongs to which squadron at any given time.

Federal Standard 595 Matched Enamel Colors

FS595 Nr 1xxxx
Gloss
2xxxx
Satin
3xxxx
Matt
Color Model
Master
Gunze Humbrol Revell WEM
x1136 11136     Insignia Red 4224 327     ACUS26ˆ
    31136 1705   153    
x3655 13655     Lemon Yellow 2023       ACUS29ˆ
    33655 Blue Angels Yellow     099    
x4187 14187     Willow Green 2028
4229ˆ
      ACUS27ˆ
x5102 15102     True Blue 2030
4219ˆ
      ACUS28ˆ
x7038 17038     Black 1747
1947
002 021 32107  
  27038   4227   085 32302 ACS04
    37038 1749
1949
  033 32108' C02
x7875 17875     Insignia White 1745
4223ˆ
001
316
022 32104  
  27875       130 32031  
    37875 1768
2142
062 034 32105 ACUS10°

Federal Standard 595 Matched Acrylic Colors

FS595 Nr 1xxxx
Gloss
2xxxx
Satin
3xxxx
Matt
Color Model
Master
Acryl
Floquil
Polly Scale
Gunze Humbrol Revell
x1136     31136 Insignia Red 4714 414128      
x3655 13655     Lemon Yellow 4684        
    33655 Blue Angel Yellow       099  
x4187 14187     Green   414209      
x5102   25102   Blue   505216      
x7038 17038     Black 4695 505214 H002 021 36107
  27038   Instrument Black 4700     085 36302
    37038 Black 4768 505350 H012 033 36108'
x7875 17875     Insignia White 4696 505011 H001 022 36104
  27875   4701     130 36301
    37875 4769   H011 034 36105
FS595 Nr 1xxxx
Gloss
2xxxx
Satin
3xxxx
Matt
Color Model
Master
Acryl
Floquil
Polly Scale
Tamiya Vallejo Spare
x1136     31136 Insignia Red 4714 414128 XF07° 957  
x3655 13655     Lemon Yellow 4684        
  23655   Flat Yellow       953  
    33655 Blue Angel Yellow     XF03° 078  
x4187 14187     Green   414209      
x5102   25102   True Blue   505216   090
963
 
x7038 17038     Black 4695 505214 X01° 861  
  27038   Instrument Black 4700        
    37038 Black 4768 505350 XF01° 950  
x7875 17875     Insignia White 4696 505011 X02    
  27875   4701        
    37875 4769   XF02    

References

  • Color Schemes and Markings US Navy Aircraft 1911-1950, Bill C. Kilgrain, 1983 (Third Edition), Meridian Printing Ltd.
  • The Official Monogram US Navy & Marine Corps Aircraft Color Guide Vol 1 - 1911-1939, John M. Elliott, 1987, Monogram Aviation Publications
Return to the Main Color Reference Menu

 


HOME   WHAT'S NEW   REVIEWS   FAQS   AIRCRAFT   ARMOR   SPACE   NAVAL   HISTORY
CALENDAR   COLORS   TIPS   COMING SOON   ABOUT

 

fishermodels.com
squadron.com culttvman.biz
greatmodels.com Nostalgic Plastic
luckymodel.com afterburnerdecals.com
hobbyeasy.com yellow-wingsdecals.com
hobbybuy.com rouchworks.com
hlj.com ams.com
zotzdecals.com AMM
up-ship.com  
panthernz_nz.com  
spada-decals.com