USAAF squadron codes and markings

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