US Navy Carrier Aircraft Colors & Markings Before World War II

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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:

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:

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:

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				Insignia Red	4224	327			ACUS26ˆ
					1705		153
x3655				Lemon Yellow	2023				ACUS29ˆ
				Blue Angels Yellow			099
x4187				Willow Green	2028 4229ˆ				ACUS27ˆ
x5102				True Blue	2030 4219ˆ				ACUS28ˆ
x7038				Black	1747 1947	002	021	32107
					4227		085	32302	ACS04
					1749 1949		033	32108'	C02
x7875				Insignia White	1745 4223ˆ	001 316	022	32104
							130	32031
					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				Insignia Red	4714	414128
x3655				Lemon Yellow	4684
				Blue Angel Yellow				099
x4187				Green		414209
x5102				Blue		505216
x7038				Black	4695	505214	H002	021	36107
				Instrument Black	4700			085	36302
				Black	4768	505350	H012	033	36108'
x7875				Insignia White	4696	505011	H001	022	36104
					4701			130	36301
					4769		H011	034	36105
FS595 Nr	1xxxx Gloss	2xxxx Satin	3xxxx Matt	Color	Model Master Acryl	Floquil Polly Scale	Tamiya	Vallejo	Spare
x1136				Insignia Red	4714	414128	XF07°	957
x3655				Lemon Yellow	4684
				Flat Yellow				953
				Blue Angel Yellow			XF03°	078
x4187				Green		414209
x5102				True Blue		505216		090 963
x7038				Black	4695	505214	X01°	861
				Instrument Black	4700
				Black	4768	505350	XF01°	950
x7875				Insignia White	4696	505011	X02
					4701
					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