USAAF unit identification markings, codes and colors
ETO
USAAF in Europe adopted a similar coding system to that of the RAF: two character alphabetical or alpha-numeric combination were separated from a third by the national Insignia. 3rd letter was Radio Call Letter, in Bomb Groups often repeated on the fin.
1st Air Division
1st Combat Wing | |||||||
Group | Squadrons codes and colors | tail markings | |||||
91st BG | 322nd LG | 323rd OR | 324th DF | 401st LL | ▲A | ||
381st BG | 532 VE | 533 OQ VP | 534 JZ GD | 535 PL MS | ▲L | ||
398th BG | 600 N8 | 601 3O | 602 K8 | 603 N7 | ▲W | ||
40th Combat Wing | |||||||
92nd BG | 325th NV | 326th JW | 327th UX | 407th PY | ▲B | ||
305th BG | 364th WF | 365th XK | 366th KY | 422nd JJ | ▲G | Green band on horizontal stabilizer | |
306th BG | 367 GY | 368 BO | 369 WW | 423 RD | ▲H | Yellow band on horizontal stabilizer | |
41st Combat Wing | |||||||
303rd BG | 358th VK | 359th BN | 360th PU | 427th GN | ▲C | ||
379th BG | 524th WA (1) | 525 FR (2) | 526 LF (3) | 527 FO (4) | ▲K | ||
384th BG | 544 SU (1) | 545 JD (2) | 546 BK (3) | 547 SO (4) | ▲P | ||
94th Combat Wing | |||||||
351st BG | 508 YB | 509 RQ | 510 TU | 511 DS | ▲J | Red band across tail | |
401st BG | 612 SC | 613 IN | 614 IW | 615 IY | ▲S | Yellow band across tail | |
457th BG | 748 | 749 | 750 | 751 | ▲U | color on propeller hubs | |
482nd BG | 812 MI | 813 PC | 814 SI | ▲ | Pathfinders B-24, B-17 Variable use of codes | ||
RCM | 803 (36) R4 | B-17, B-24, P-51, P-38 | |||||
NLS | 422(858)(406) JJ J6 | B-17, B-24 | |||||
801 BG | 36(856)- | 406(858)- | 788(859) – | 850(857) – | B-24, C-47, Mosquito, A-26 |
2nd Air Division
2nd Combat Wing B-24 | ||||||
Groups | Squadrons codes and colors | tail codes | tail markings | |||
389th BG | 564 YO | 565 – EE ‾‾ | 566 – RR + | 567 –HP_ | ◯C | vertical black white black tail |
445th BG | 700 IS | 701 MK – | 702 WV – | 703 RN + | ◯F | horizontal black white black tail |
453rd BG | 732 E3 | 733 F8 + | 734 E8 – | 735 H6 – | ◯J | diagonal black white black tail |
14th Combat Wing | ||||||
44th BG | 66th QK + | 67th NB_ | 68th WQ | 506th GJ ‾‾ | ◯A | vertical white black white tail |
392nd BG | 576 CI | 577 DC + | 578 EC _ | 579 GC _ ‾‾ | ◯D | horizontal white black white tail |
491st BG | 852 3Q | 853 T8 – | 854 6X – | 855 V2 + | ◯Z | horizontal green white green tail |
492nd BG | 856 5Z | 857 9H – | 858 9A – | 859 X4 + | ◯U | diagonal white black white tail |
20th Combat Wing | ||||||
93rd BG | 328th GO | 329th RE | 330th AG | 409th YM | ◯B | vertical yellow black yellow tail |
446th BG | 704 FL | 705 HN | 706 RT | 707 JU | ◯H | horizontal yellow black yellow tail |
448th BG | 712 CT △ | 713 IG ◯ | 714 EI ◻ | 715 IO ◇ | ◯I | diagonal yellow black yellow tail |
489th BG | 844 4R | 845 S4 – | 846 8R + | 847 T4 – | ◯W | vertical green white green tail |
96th Combat Wing | ||||||
458th BG | 752 7V | 753 J4 | 754 Z5 | 755 J3 | ◯K | vertical red white red tail |
466th BG | 784 T9 | 785 2U | 786 U8 | 787 6L | ◯L | horizontal red white red tail |
467th BG | 788 X7 | 789 6A | 790 Q2 | 791 4Z | ◯P | diagonal red white red tail |
3rd Air Division
3rd Air Division | ||||||
4th Combat Wing B-17 | ||||||
Group | Squadrons codes and colors | tail codes | ||||
94th BG | 331st QE | 332nd XM | 333rd TS | 410th GL | ■ A | |
385th BG | 548 | 549 | 550 | 551 | ■ G | Yellow chevron on wing |
447th BG | 708 CQ | 709 IE | 710 IF | 711 IP | ■ K | Blue chevron on wing, 2 green stripes on tail |
486th BG | 832 3R | 833 4N | 834 2S | 835 H8 | ■ W | |
487th BG | 836 2G | 837 4F | 838 2C | 839 R5 | ■ P | |
13th Combat Wing B-17 | ||||||
95th BG | 334 BG | 335 OE | 336 ET | 412 QW | ■ B | |
100th BG | 349 XR | 350 LN | 351 EP | 418 LD | ■ D | Black rudder and wing band |
390th BG | 568 BI | 569 CC | 570 DI | 571 FC | ■ J | Yellow rudder and wing band |
45th Combat Wing B-17 | ||||||
96th BG | 337 AW | 338 BX | 339 QJ | 413 MZ | ■ C | |
388th BG | 560 | 561 | 562 | 563 | ■ H | Two black bands on tail and wing |
452nd BG | 728 -M3 | 729 9Z- | 730 7D | 731 6K+ | ■ L | |
93rd Combat Wing | ||||||
34th BG | 4th 3L | 7th R2 | 18th 8I | 391st Q6 | ■ S | B-24/B-17 |
385th BG | 548 – | 549 – | 550 – | 551 – | ■ G | B-17 |
490th BG | 848 7W | 849 W8 | 850 7Q | 851 S3 | ■ T | B-24/B-17 red tail tip |
493rd BG | 860 – | 861 – | 862 – | 863 – | ■ X | B-24/B-17 red band on tail |
Medium bombers
VIII Air Support Command | ||||||
3rd Combat Bombardment Wing | ||||||
Group | Bomb squadrons | |||||
322nd BG | 449th PN | 450th ER | 451st SS | 452nd DR | B-26 | |
323rd BG | 453rd VT | 454th RJ | 455th YU | 456th WT | white horizontal band | B-26 |
386th BG | 552nd RG | 553rd AN | 554th RU | 555th YA | yellow horizontal band | B-26, A-26 |
387th BG | 556th FW | 557th KS | 558th KX | 559th TQ | yellow and black stripes | B-26, A-26 |
397th BG | 596th X2 | 597th 9F | 598th U2 | 599th 6B | diagonal yellow stripe | B-26 |
9th USAAF Units | ||||||
Group | Bomb squadrons | |||||
344th BG | 494th K9 | 495th Y5 | 496th N3 | 497th 7I | White triangle on tail | B-26 |
391st BG | 572nd P2 | 573rd T6 | 574th 4L | 575th O8 | Yellow triangle on tail | B-26 |
394th BG | 584th K5 | 585th 4T | 586th H9 | 587th 5W | diagonal white stripe | B-26 |
409th BG | 640th W5 | 641st 7G | 642nd D6 | 643rd 5I | yellow rudder | A-20, A-26 |
410th BG | 644th 5D | 645th 7X | 646th 8U | 647th 6Q | white and black rudder | A-20 |
416th BG | 668th 5H | 669th 2A | 670th F6 | 671st 5C | white rudder | A-20, A-26 |
Fighters
65th Fighter Wing | |||||
Group | Squadrons codes and colors | ||||
361st FG | 374 B7 | 375 E2 | 376 E9 | yellow nose, sqn color on rudder | P-47, P-51 |
355 FG | 354 WR | 357 OS | 358 YF | white spinner, sqn color on rudder | P-47, P-51 |
4th FG | 334 QP XR | 335 AV WD | 336 MD VF | Spitfire V, P-47, P-51 | |
56th FG | 61 HV | 62 LM | 63 UN | sqn colors on rudder and engine cowling | P-47 |
479th FG | 434 L2 ◯ | 435 J2 △ | 436 9B ◻ | sqn color on rudder | P-38, P-51 |
5 ERS | 5F | P-47, B-17, OA-10A | |||
66th Fighter Wing | |||||
Group | Squadrons codes, geometric code and colors | ||||
55th FG | 38 CG △ | 338 CL ◯ | 343 CY ■ | P-38, P-51 | |
78th FG | 82 MX | 83 HL | 339th FG | black & white checkerboard on engine cowling, sqn color on rudder | P-38, P-47, P-51 |
339th FG | 503 D7 | 504 5Q | 505 6N | white-red-white spinner +checkerboard ; sqn color on rudder | P-51 |
353rd FG | 350 LH | 351 YJ | 352 SX | black & yellow checkerboard on engine cowling | P-47, P-51 |
357th FG | 362 G4 | 363 B6 | 364 C5 | red-yellow-red spinner +checkerboard ; sqn color on rudder | P-51 |
67th Fighter Wing | |||||
Group | Squadrons codes, geometric code and colors | ||||
352nd FG | 328 PE | 486 PZ | 487 HO | blue nose, sqn color on rudder | P-47, P-51 |
356th FG | 359 OC | 360 PI | 361 QI | blue-red nose stripes, sqn color on rudder and spinner | P-47, P-51 |
359th FG | 368 CV | 369 IV | 370 CS | green nose, sqn color on rudder | P-47, P-51 |
364th FG | 383 N2 ◯ | 384 5Y ■ | 385 5E ▲ | white nose or spinner | P-38, P-51 |
20th FG | 55 KI ▲ | 77 LC ◯ | 79 MC ■ | black and white vertical stripes | P-38, P-51 |
36th FG | 22 3T | 23 7U | 53 6V | squadron colors on engine cowling and tail rudder | P-47 |
48th FG | 492 F4 | 493 I7 | 494 6M | squadron colors on: engine cowling + red & white checkerboard and tail rudder | P-47 |
50th FG | 10 T5 | 81 2N | 313 W3 | P-47 | |
354th FG | 353 FT | 355 GQ | 356 AJ | P-51 P-47 | |
358th FG | 365 CH | 366 IA | 367 CP | orange tail | P-47 |
362nd FG | 377 E4 | 378 G8 | 379 B8 | squadron colors on engine cowling, red tail tip | P-47 |
363rd FG | 380 A9 | 381 B3 | 382 C3 | Sqn colors: propeller spinner and the forward 12” of the engine cowling | P-51 |
365th FG | 386 D5 | 387 B4 | 388 C4 | P-47 | |
366th FG | 389 A6 | 390 B2 | 391 A8 | P-47 | |
367th FG | 392 H5 ▲ | 393 8L ● | 394 4N ◼ | geometric symbol on tail and sqn color on engine cowling/nose | P-38, P-47 |
368th FG | 395 A7 | 396 C2 | 397 D3 | Yellow tail tip. Sqn colors on cowling and propeller spinner | P-47 |
370th FG | 401 9D ◼ | 402 E6 ◯ | 485 7F ▲ | P-38 | |
371st FG | 404 9Q | 405 8N | 406 4W | squadron colors on engine cowling | P-47 |
373rd FG | 410 R3 | 411 U9 | 412 V5 | P-47 | |
404th FG | 506 4K | 507 Y8 | 508 7J | P-47 | |
405th FG | 509 G9 | 510 2Z | 511 K4 | Sqn colors: leading edge of the engine cowling, canopy frame, anti-glare panel, horizontal tail band | P-47 |
406th FG | 512 L3 | 513 4P | 514 O7 | Sqn colors on engine cowling. 3- color horizontal tail band | P-47 |
474th FG | 428 F5 ◼ | 429 7Y ▲ | 430 K6 ◯ | P-38 |
Group | Squadron | |||||
325PW(R) | 25 BG | 652 YN | 653 WX | 654 XN | B-17, B-24, Mosquito XVI | |
VIII BC | 27 BG | 15 MQ | Boston III | |||
VIII GASC | 62 TCG | 4 – | 7 – | 8 – | 51 – | C-47 |
325PW(R) | 7 PG | 13 ES | 14 – | 22 G2 | 27 – | Spitfire, F5A/B/C |
Transport and reconnaissance units
Group | Squadron code | ||||
52nd Troop Carrier Wing | |||||
61st TCG | 14 3I | 15 Y9 | 53 3A | 59 X5 | C-47 |
313th TCG | 29 5X | 47 N3 | 48 Z7 | 49 H2 | C-47, C-53, C-46 |
314th TCG | 32 S2 | 50 2R | 61 Q9 | 62 E5 | C-47, C-53 |
315th TCG | 34 NM | 43 UA | 309 M6 | 310 4A | C-47, C-53 |
316th TCG | 36 6E | 37 W7 | 44 4C | 45 T3 | C-47, C-53 |
349th TCG | 23 Q8 | 312 9E | 313 3F | 314 LY | C-46 |
53rd Troop Carrier Wing | |||||
434th TCG | 71 CJ | 72 CU | 73 CN | 74 ID | C-47, C-53 |
435th TCG | 75 SH | 76 CW | 77 IB | 78 CM | C-47, C-53 |
436th TCG | 79 S6 | 80 7D | 81 U5 | 82 3D | C-47, C-53 |
437th TCG | 83 T2 | 84 Z8 | 85 9O | 86 5K | C-47, C-53 |
438th TCG | 87 3X | 88 M2 | 89 4U | 90 Q7 | C-47, C-53 |
53rd Troop Carrier Wing | |||||
439th TCG | 91 L4 | 92 J8 | 93 3B | 94 D8 | C-47, C-53 |
440th TCG | 95 9X | 96 6Z | 97 W6 | 98 8Y | C-47, C-53 |
441st TCG | 99 3J | 100 8C | 301 Z4 | 302 2L | C-47, C-53 |
442nd TCG | 303 J7 | 304 V4 | 305 4J | 306 7H | C-47, C-53 |
10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group | |||||
12 ZM | 15 5M | 30 I6 | 31 8V | F-3, F-5, F-6 | checkerboard |
33 SW | 34 S9 | 155 | 162 IX | ||
67th Photographic Reconnaissance Group | |||||
12 ZM | 15 5M | 30 I6 | 2911 | P-38, P-51, SpitfireVb, L-4, A-20 | |
33 SW | 107 AX | 109 VX | 153 ZS DA | ||
69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group | |||||
10 YC | 22 QL | 34 XX | 111 | L-5, F-6 | |
363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group | |||||
33 2W | 106 A9 | 161 B3 | 162 C3 | F-5, F-6, P-51 | |
9th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (P) | |||||
31 | 34 XX | 111 | 162 IX | P-38, P-51, P-40, A-20, UC-64 | |
1st Pathfinder Sqn | 1H | B-26 | |||
3rd Gunnery Tow Target Flight | LJ |
MTO – Italy and North Africa
12th USAAF Units | ||||||
44th Bomb Wing | ||||||
Group | Squadron numbers range, color and tail codes | |||||
17th BG | 34th 01-25 | 37th: 26-50 | 95th 51-75 | 432nd 76-99 | B-26 | |
319th BG | 437th: 01-25 | 438th 26-50 | 439th 51-75 | 440th 76-99 | B-25 blue cobalt tails | B-26, B-25 |
320th BG | 441th: 01-25 | 442nd 26-50 | 443rd: 51-75 | 444th 76-99 | B-26 | |
57th Bomb Wing | ||||||
310th BG | 379th white band | 380th blue | 381st yellow | 428th red | 2 bands: yellow + sqn color, before 1944 only yellow stripe | B-25 |
321st BG | 445th I | 446th II | 447th III | 448th IV | tail roman numeral | B-25 |
1945: black 01-25 | 1945: black 26-50 | 1945: black 51-75 | 1945: black 76-99 | |||
340th BG | 486th 6(x) | 487th 7(x) | 488th 8(x) | 489th 9(x) | spinners and cowl rings in sqn color | B-25 |
12th BG | 81st 01-25 | 82nd 26-50 | 83rd 51-75 | 434th 76-99 | B-25 | |
47th BG | 84th 01-25 | 85th 26-50 | 86th 51-75 | 97th 76-99 | A-20 | |
5th Bombardment Wing | ||||||
2nd BG | 20 = | 49 T | 96 V | 429 ╨ | ◯ | B-17 |
97th BG | 340 0 | 341 1 | 342 2 | 414 3 | △ | B-17 |
99th BG | 346 I | 347 II | 348 III | 416 IV | ◇ | B-17 |
301st BG | 32 1 | 352 2 | 353 3 | 419 4 | ◻ | B-17 |
15th USAAF Units | |||||||
5th Bomb Wing | |||||||
B-17 units | |||||||
Group | Squadron | tail marking | colors | ||||
2nd BG | 20 | 49 | 96 | 429 | ⓨ | black rudder, wing band | |
97th BG | 340 | 341 | 342 | 414 | Y in triangle | ||
99th BG | 346 | 347 | 348 | 416 | Y in diamond | ||
301st BG | 32 | 352 | 353 | 419 | Y in square | green rudder | |
463rd BG | 772 | 773 | 774 | 775 | Y inverted triangle | yellow rudder | |
483rd BG | 815 | 816 | 817 | 840 | Y with star | red rudder and elevator | |
47th Bomb Wing | |||||||
B-24 units | |||||||
98th BG | 343 | 344 | 345 | 415 | horizontal stripes | △ 1 | yellow-black tail, halved diagonally fin |
376th BG | 512 | 513 | 514 | 515 | black fin bottom | △ 2 | |
449th BG | 716 | 717 | 718 | 719 | yellow-black area on halved fin | △ 3 | |
450th BG | 720 | 721 | 722 | 723 | verical stripes | △ 4 | |
49th Bomb Wing | |||||||
numbers on fuselage | |||||||
451st BG | 724 01-19 | 725 20-39 | 726 40-59 | 727 60-79 | ◯ 1 | ◯ | |
461st BG | 764 01-19 | 765 20-39 | 766 40-59 | 767 60-79 | ◯ 2 | ▬ | |
484th BG | 824 01-19 | 825 20-39 | 826 40-59 | 827 60-79 | ▶◀ | ||
55th Bomb Wing | |||||||
460th BG | 760 | 761 | 762 | 763 | rear fuselage letters | ◻ 1 | ◻ ◯ |
464th BG | 776 | 777 | 778 | 779 | rear fuselage letters | ◻ 2 | ◻ I |
465th BG | 780 | 781 | 782 | 783 | rear fuselage letters | ◻ — | |
485th BG | 828 | 829 | 830 | 831 | rear fuselage letters | ◻ X | |
304th Bomb Wing | |||||||
454th BG | 736 | 737 | 738 | 739 | rear fuselage numbers | ◇ 1 | white |
455th BG | 740 | 741 | 742 | 743 | rear fuselage numbers | ◇ 2 | yellow |
456th BG | 744 | 745 | 746 | 747 | rear fuselage letters | ◇ 3 | red |
459th BG | 756 6(+letter) | 757 7(+letter) | 758 8(+letter) | 759 9(+letter) | ◇ 4 | yellow-black checkerboard | |
5th Photo Group | 15th – two red bands on tail | 32th – two yellow bands on tail | 37th – two blue bands on tail | P-38 | |||
79th FG | HQ X01-09 | 85th X10-X39 | 86th X40-X69 | 87th X70-99 | 1945: 3 yellow lightnings on tail | P-40, P-47 | |
324th FG | HQ Y01-09 | 314th Y10-39 | 315th Y40-Y69 | 316th Y70-99 | P-40 | ||
324th FG | 10-39 | 40-69 | 70-99 | lightning on fuselage | P-47 | ||
57th FG | HQ 01-09 | 64th 10-39 (black scorpion) | 65th 40-69 (red rooster) | 66th 70-99 (fighting cock + large X on cowling) | P-40, P-47 | ||
33rd FG | HQ | 58th | 59th | 60th | P-40 | ||
332nd FG | 99th A01-39 (P-40 with 79th FG) | 100th 1-27 | 301st: Stencil Numbers | 302ns: black nr with red border | red tail | P-51 | |
325th FG | HQ 01-09 | 317th: 10-35 | 318t: 40-65 | 319th: 70-95 | yellow-black checkerboard on tail; red cowl ring | P-40, P-47, P-51 | |
81st FG | 93rd: Q-(letter) | X-(letter) | P-39 | ||||
350th FG | 345th: 5(letter+nr); lightning on tail | 346th: 6(letter+nr); checkerboard on rudder | 347th: 7(letter+nr); “A” on tail | P-47 | |||
350th FG | P-39 | ||||||
27th FBG | 522 B(x) | 523 C(x) | 524 A(x) | A-36 | |||
27th FG | 522 | 523 | 524 | single letter | sqn color spinner | P-47 | |
86th FG | HQ 1-9 | 525 10-39 | 526 40-69 | 527 70-99 | 7 red-white stripes on tail | P-47 | |
82nd FG | 95th A(x) | 96th B(x) | 97th C(x) | P-38 |
Pacific
P-51/P-47 long range units 1945 | |||
Group | Squadron number range and color | ||
15th FG | 45th: 50-99 | 78th:100-149 | 47th:150-199 |
green-black-green spinner; green band on tail | yellow-black spinner; yellow-black wing and tail tips | yellow=black-yellow spinner; black band and triangle on tail | |
21st FG | 46th: 200-249 | 72nd: 250-299 | 531st: 300-349 |
blue spinner and tail band | yellow spinner | white spinner and tail band | |
506th FG | 457th: 500-549 | 458th: 550-599 | 462nd 600-649 |
green rear fuselage (solid or stripes) | dark blue rear fuselage (solid or stripes) | yellowrear fuselage (solid or stripes) | |
414th FG | 650-799 |
VII Fighter Command | ||||||
HQ | 1-14 | |||||
15th FG | HQ: 15 | 45th: 50-99 | 46th:100-149 | 47th:150-199 | 78th: 200-249 | P-40 |
318th FG | HQ: 300 | 19th: 301-349 | 72nd: 350-399 | 73rd:400-449 | 333rd: 450-499 | P-40 |
6th NFS | 15-49 |
B-24 tail markings: https://web.archive.org/web/20031202231130/http://www.armyairforces.com/tails-24.asp
B-29 tail markings: https://web.archive.org/web/20030608043534/http://www.armyairforces.com/tails-29.asp
Source:
Battle Colors: Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II: Vol.1: (VIII) Bomber Command
Robert A Watkins: Battle Colors: Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II, Vol. 2 – (VIII) Fighter Command
Dana Bell: Air Force Colors Volume 3: Pacific & Home Front 1942-1947
Dana Bell: Air Force Colors, Vol. 2: ETO & MTO (European & Mediterranean Theaters of Operations) 1942-45 – Aircraft Specials series 6151
http://www.airwar.org.uk/GENERAL/uscode.htm