USAAF squadron codes

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