------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Version of 31 March 1995 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- American Aircraft Markings -------------------------------------------------------- Buzz Numbers (USAF) After WWII, 'Buzz numbers' were introduced to identify USAF aircraft. Such a number was a combination of a two-letter code indicating the aircraft type and the last three digits of the aircraft serial. BE North American B-45 Tornado FA Lockheed F-94 Starfire FB McDonnell F-101 Voodoo FC Convair F-102 Delta Dagger FE Convair F-106 Delta Dart FE Focke-Wulf Fw 190 FG Lockheed F-104 Starfighter FH Republic F-105 Thunderchief FS Republic F-84H FT Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star FU North American F-86 Sabre FV Northrop F-89 Scorpion FW North American F-100 Super Sabre PN Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star PS Republic P-84 Thunderjet TC Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 TR Lockheed T-33 Tail Codes Current USAF tailcodes indicate the Wing or Group. They are often chosen to relect their base, however, and parts of a Wing that are based separately may adopt their own tail code. AD EGLIN AFB FL AK 343rd Wing Eielson AB, Alaska, USA AK 354th Fighter Wing Eielson AB, Alaska, USA AK 3rd Wing Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, USA AL 187th FG Dannelly Field, Montgomery, Alabama, USA AR RAF ALCONBURY UK AU Air University Maxwell AFB, Alabama, USA AV 31st FW Aviano AB, Italy. AZ TUCSON AP AZ BA BERGSTROM AFB TX BB 9th RW Beale AFB, Arizona, USA BB 9th RW RAF Alconbury, UK BC 110th FG Kellog Airport, Michigan, USA BD 917th FW Barksdale AFB, Lousiana, USA BH 117th RW Birmingham MAP, Alabama, USA BT 36th FW Bitburg AB, Germany CA 93rd BW Castle AFB, California, USA CB 14th FTW Columbus AFB, Mississipi, USA CC 27th FW Cannon AFB, New Mexico, USA CM COLUMBUS AFB MS CN COLUMBUS AFB, MS CO 140th FW Buckley ANGB, CO, USA CR 32nd FG Soesterberg AB, Netherlands CS 21st Space Wing Peterson AFB, Colorado, USA CT 103rd FG Bradley Int., Connecticut, USA DB 94th Airlift Wing Dobbins AFB, Georgia, USA DC 113th FW Andrews AFB, MD, USA DM 355th FW Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, USA DO 906th Fighter Group Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA DY 7th Wing Dyess AFB, Texas, USA ED 46th TW Edwards AFB, California, USA EG 33rd FW Eglin AFB, Florida, USA EL 28th BW Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, USA EL 44th Missile Wing Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, USA EN 80th FTW Sheppard AFB, Texas, USA ET 3246th TW Eglin AFB, Florida, USA ET 46th TW Eglin AFB, Florida, USA FC 336th CTG Fairchild AFB, Washington, USA FC 92nd BW Fairchild AFB, Washington, USA FE 90th Missile Wing Francis E Warren AFB, Wyoming, USA FF 1st FW Langley AFB, Virginia, USA FL 939th Rescue Wing Patrick AFB, Florida, USA FL 125th FG Jacksonville IAP, FLorida, USA FM 482nd Fighter Wing Homestead AFB, Florida, USA FM 482nd Fighter Wing MacDill AFB, Florida, USA FS 188th FG Fort Smith MAP, AR, USA FT 23rd FW Pope AFB, North Carolina, USA FW 122nd FW Fort Wayne MAP, Indiana, USA GA GEORGE AFB CA GF 319th BG Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA GF 91th Missile Wing Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA GR 416th BG-W Grifiss AFB, New York, USA GU TAEGU AB R.O.K. HA SIOUX CITY A/P IA HF 181st Fighter Wing TERRE HAUTE A/P IN HI 419th Fighter Wing Hill AFB, Utah, USA HL 366th Wing Hill AFB, Utah, USA HM HOLLOMAN AFB NM HO 49th FW Holloman AFB, New Mexico, USA HR HAHN AB FRG HS HOMESTEAD AFB FL HV 30th Space Wing Vandenberg AFB, California, USA HW 24th Wing Howard AFB, Panama IA 132nd FW Des Moines IAP, IA, USA ID GRISSOM AFB, IN IL 182nd FG Gtr Peoria Apt., Illinois, USA IN 930th FG Grissom AFB, Indiana, USA IN 434th Wing Grissom AFB, Indiana, USA IS 35th Wing NAF Keflavik, Iceland KC 442nd Fighter Wing Richards Gebaur AFB, Missouri, USA KE KEY FIELD MERIDIAN MS KI 410th BW Sawyer AFB, Michigan, USA KS 552ng ACW Keesler AFB, Mississippi, USA KS 81st TRW Keesler AFB, Mississippi, USA KT 403rd Airlift Wing Keesler AFB, Mississippi, USA KY STANDIFORD FIELD, KY LA LUKE AFB AZ LB 64th FTW Reese AFB, Texas, USA LF 58th FW Luka AFB, Arizona, USA LH LUKE/DAVIS MONTHAN AFB LK 314th ALW Little Rock, Arkansas LN 48th TFW RAF Lakenheath, UK LR 944th Fighter Group Luka AFB, Arizona, USA LY LANGLEY AFB VA LV 4450th TG Nellis AFB NV 'Las Vegas' LZ 42nd BW Loring AFB, Maine, USA MA 104th FG Barnes Municipal, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA MB 354th FW Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, USA MC MCDILL AFB FL MD 175th FG Martin State, Maryland, USA MD 366th Wing Castle AFB, California, USA MI 127th FW Selfridge ANGB, Michigan, USA MJ 432nd Fighter Wing Misawa AB, Japan MM 341st Missile Wing Malmstrom AFB, Montana, USA MO 366th Wing Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, USA MS 934th Airlift Group Minneapolis St. Paul, MN, USA MT 5th BW Minot AFB, Montana, USA MT 90th Missile Wing Minot AFB, North Dakota, USA MX 908th Airlift Group Maxwell AFB, Alabama, USA MY 347th FW Moody AFB, Georgia, USA NA NELLIS AFB NV NF 355th FW Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, USA NF 914th Airlift Group Niagara Falls IAP, New York, USA NJ MCGUIRE AFB NJ NM 150th FG Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, USA NO 926th Fighter Group NAS New Orleans, Lousiana, USA NT MATHER AFB CA NY 174th FW Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York, USA OF 55th Wing Offutt AFB, Nebraska, USA OG 2nd BW Barksdale AFB, Lousiana, USA OH 180th FG Toledo Express Apt., OH, USA OH 178th Springfield-Beckley MAP, Ohklahoma, USA OH RICKENBACKER ANGB OH OH TOLEDO A/P OH OK 138th FG Tulsa IAP, Oklahoma, USA OK 552nd ACW Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, USA OS 51st Fighter Wing Osan AFB, Korea OT USAF Air Warfare Centre Eglin AFB, Florida, USA OZ 384th BW McConnell AFB, Kansas, USA PA 111th FG NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, USA PA HARRISBURG A/P, PA PD 939th Rescue Wing Portland IAP, Oregon, USA PF Patrick AFB, Florida, USA PI 911th Airlift Group Gtr Pittsburgh IAP, PA, USA PN Clark AFB, Phillipines PP 302nd Airlift Wing Peterson AFB, Colorado, USA PR 156th FG Puerto Rico IAP, San Juan PT PITTSBURGH A/P PA RA 12th FTW Randolph AFB, Texas, USA RG 339th TESTS Robins AFB, Georgia, USA RS 96th Wing Ramstein AB, Germany SA 149th FG Kelly AFB, Texas, USA SB SEMBACH AFB FRG SC MCENTIRE ANGB SC SD SIOUX FALLS A/P, SD SH 507th Fighter Group Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, USA SI 183rd FG Capital Apt., Springfield, IL., USA SJ 4th Wing Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, USA SL 131st FW Lambert Field, st. Louis, MO, USA SM 337th TESTS McClellan AFB, California, USA SP 52nd FW Spangdahlem AB, Germany SW 363rd FW Shaw AFB, South Carolina, USA TC 355th Wing McChord AFB, Washington, USA TH 301st Fighter Wing Carswell AFB, Texas, USA TH 181st FG Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA TJ Torrejon AB, Spain TR Nellis AFB, NV (TONOPAH) TX BERGSTROM AFB TX TY 325th FW Tyndall AFB, Florida, USA UH RAF UPPER HEYFORD VA 192nd FG Byrd IAP, Richmond, Virginia, USA VN 71st FTW Vance AFB, Oklahoma, USA VO 928th Airlift Group Chicago, Illinois, USA VT BURLINGTON A/P VT VV GEORGE AFB CA WA 57th FW Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA WA USAF Weapons School Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA WF SHEPARD AFB TX WG 913th Airlift Group NAS Willow Grove, PA, USA WI 128th FW Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin, USA WL Williams AFB, Arizona WM 351st Missile Wing Whiteman AFB, Missouri, USA WP 8th Fighter Wing Kunsan AB, Korea WR 81st FW RAF Bentwaters, UK WR RAF Woodbridge, UK WT 509th BW Whiteman AFB, Missouri, USA WW George AFB, California, USA WW 35th TFW WW 37th TFW XL 47th FTW Laughlin AFB, Texas, USA YJ 374th Airlift Wing Yokota AB, Japan YO 910th Airlift Group Youngstown MAP, OH, USA ZR Zweibrucken, Germany ZZ 18th Wing Kadena, Okinawa, Japan -- British Aircraft Markings --------------------------------------------------------- Three-letter codes (RAF) During WWII, the RAF used three-letter aircraft codes. Two letters, painted before the roundel, indicated the unit; the third, painted aft of the roundel, the individual aircraft. Sometimes the letters were put in other places. These codes were also used by the RCAF, SAAF, RNZAF, USAAF units of the 8th and 9th AF, and for some time by post-war Belgian units. Code Type Year Squadron ---- ---- ---- ---- 2N- P-47 81FS, 9AF 2Z- P-47 510FS, 9AF 33-B Battle I 1941 15 (SAAF) Algato, East Africa 3T- P-47 22FS, 9AF 4K- P-47 506FS, 9AF 4N- P-47 394FS, 9AF 4P- P-47 513FS, 9AF O7 P-47 514FS, 9AF 4W- P-47 406FS, 9AF 5A- Spitfire 1944 329 (French) 6M- P-47 494FS, 9AF 6V- P-47 53FS, 9AF 7J-T Meteor F.4 7, Belgian AF Chievres, Belgium 7J- P-47 508FS, 9AF 7U- P-47 23FS, 9AF 8L- P-47 393FS, 9AF 8N- P-47 405FS, 9AF 9D- P-47 395FS, 9AF 9G-P Spitfire 441, RCAF 9Q- P-47 404FS, 9AF A6- P-47 389FS, 9AF A8- P-47 391FS, 9AF AD- P-47 113 AE-U Spitfire IX 402 (RCAF) AF-A Lancaster B.10 1950 404 (RCAF) AJ-N Lancaster III 1943 617 AJ- P-47 356FS, 9AF AH-A Spitfire Va 1942 332 (Norwegian) Catterick AH-R Spitfire F.IXc 1942 332 (Norwegian) North Weald AK-K Tempest FB.6 1949 213 Deversoir AN-M Spitfire F.VIII 417 (RCAF) Italy AU- Spitfire 1943 421 (RCAF) AW- P-47 42 AW-S Beaufort I 1942 42 Wick / Leuchars AX-D Spitfire F.VB 1943 107FS, 67RG Membury B2- P-47 390FS, 9AF B4- P-47 387FS, 9AF B7- P-47 374FS, 8AF B8- P-47 379FS, 9AF BF-N Boomerang 1944 5 (RAAF) BR-R Typhoon IB 1944 184 BU-Q Stirling I 1942 214 BX- Beaufort 1941 86 North Coates C2- P-47 396FS, 9AF C4- P-47 388FS, 9AF C5-T P-51D Mustang 1944 364FS, 357FG, 8AF C8-O Halifax III 1945 640 CG-J P-38H-5 1943 38FS, 55tFG, 8AF CH- P-47 365FS, 9AF CP- P-47 367FS, 9AF CS- P-47 370FS, 8AF CV- P-47 368FS, 8AF CZ-D Spitfire IX 1944 222 Selsey Bill D3- P-47 397FS, 9AF D4-W Stirling 1945 620 D5- P-47 386FS, 9AF D7-F P-51D Mustang 1945 406FG DD- Beaufort 15 (RAAF) DG-Q Spitfire LF.VIII 1945 155 Burma DL-N Spitfire VC 1943 91 DN-H Spitfire LF.XVI 1945 416 (RCAF) Belgium DT-A Hurricane I 1940 257 North Weald DU-Q Boston III 1943 22 (RAAF) DU-V Spitfire IX 1945 312 (Czech) DV-T Spifire LF.IXc 129 DV-V Spitfire VC 1943 129 Ibsley DW-D Spitfire F.XIVc 1944 610 DW-K Spitfire I 1940 610 DY-S Whitley V 1941 112 E2- P-47 375FS, 8AF E4- P-47 377FS, 9AF E9- P-47 376FS, 8AF EB-B Spitfire F.XII 1944 41 EB-Z Spitfire III 1940 41 EG- Beaufort 487 (RNZAF) EG-T Mosquito FB.VI 487 (RNZAF) EG- P-47 34 EL-N Typhoon 1945 181 EM-F Lancaster I 1942 207 EY-F Halifax 1943 78 F2-V Lancaster VI 635 F4- P-47 492FS, 9AF FJ- P-47 261 FL- P-47 81 FR-D Spitfire 303 (Polish) FS-B Halifax II 1944 148 FT-Z Spitfire Vc 1943 43 NW Africa FT- P-47 353FS, 9AF FU-A Spitfire LF.Vb 1943 453 (RAAF) FU-N Spitfire IX 453 (RAAF) FX- Beaufort 6 (RAAF) FY-D Mustang IV 1945 611 Hunsdon FZ-O Spitfire 1940 65 Hornchurch G-R (sic) Spitfire IX 1943 81 Souk-el-Arba G8- P-47 378FS, 9AF G9- P-47 509FS, 9AF GA-B Buffalo I 1941 21 (RAAF) Sembawang, Singapore GE-H Tomahawk IIA 1943 349 (Belgian) GE-L Spitfire IX 349 (Belgian) GE-T Meteor Mk.4 349, Belgian AF Beauvechain, Belgium GQ- P-47 355FS, 9AF GQ- P-47 134 GW- Spitfire 1944 340 (French) GX- Beaufort 1942 415 (Canadian) Thorney Island GZ-C Hurricane I 1940 32 Hawkinge H5- P-47 392FS, 9AF H7-N Halifax B.VI 1945 346 (French) H8-D RF-84F 42, Belgian AF HA-Q Stirling 1944 218 HD-B Halifax 1944 466 (RAAF) HE-J Whirlwind I 1941 263 Colerne HF-X Tempest II 54 HH-D Typhoon 1944 175 HL- P-47 83FS, 8AF HN- Tempest F.2 20 HO- P-47 487FS, 8AF HV-A P-47D-25 1944 61FS, 56th FG I7- P-47 493FS, 9AF I8-P Typhoon 1944 440 IA- P-47 366FS, 9AF IL-F Spitfire Vc 308FS, 31FG Italy IS-D F-84G 2, Belgian AF Bierset, Belgium IV- P-47 369FS, 8AF JM- Beaufort 32 (RAAF) JN-A Wellington IC 1940 150 K4- P-47 511FS, 9AF KM-K Hampden I 1941 44 KN-A Halifax ? 76 KN-G Halifax III ? 77 KO- Beaufort VIII 2 (RAAF) KT Spitfire I 1940 54 KT-L Beaufort VII 7 (RAAF) KW-S Halifax B.III 1943 425 (RCAF) KW- P-47 615 L3- P-47 512FS, 9AF L9- Halifax III 1945 190 LA-V Mosquito VI 1944 235 LD-I Kittyhawk III 1943 250 LH- P-47 350FS, 8AF LM P-47 62FS, 8AF LQ-R Halifax 405 LZ-C Spitfire IIA 1941 66 LZ-P Spitfire Vc 1943 66 Sumburgh (temporary) MN-S Spitfire XVI 1946 350 (Belgian) Fassberg MN-S Meteor Mk.4 350, Belgian AF MQ-S Mitchell 1944 226 MP-L Halifax I 76 MT-J Spitfire F.IXc 122 MU- P-47 60 MU-X Blenheim I 1940 60 MW- Beaufort 217 St.Eval / Thorney Island MX- P-47 82FS, 8AF NA-P Halifax V 1943 428 (RCAF) NA- Beaufort 1 (RAAF) NE-P Beaufighter 1944 143 NF-V Halifax II 1943 138 NG- Blenheim I 1940 604 Northolt NG-K Beaufighter 1942 604 Middle Wallop NH-F Swordfish III 1945 119 Knokke, Belgium NL-K Spitfire 1944 341 (French) NN-V Spitfire Vc 310 (Czech) NV- P-47 79 NW- Beaufort 1942 217 Luqa, Malta NX-O SPitfire VII 131 NX- P-47 131 O4-X Halifax VII 620 OA-H Beaufort I 1940 22 North Coates OC-G P-51D 1944 359FS, 359FG, 8AF Martlesham Heath OC- P-47 359FS, 8AF ON-E Spitfire HF.VII 1943 124 ON-H Spitfire VI 1942 124 North Weald OQ- P-47 5 OS-T Hudson III 1942 Sturgate OS- P-47 357FS, 8AF OY-C Hudson V 1941 48 P5-9 Albemarle V 297 PE- P-47 328FS, 8AF PI- P-47 360FS, 8AF PK-G Mustang III 1944 315 PN- Beaufort 14 (RAAF) PO-S Lancaster I 1945 467 PR-F Spitfire 1940 609 PR-R Typhoon 1944 609 PZ- P-47 486FS, 8AF QH-K Beaufort VIII 1942 100 (RAAF) Richmond, Australia QI- P-47 361FS, 8AF QJ-4 Spitfire F.VIII 1943 92 Taranto, Italy QP Thunderbolt 334FS, 8AF QP-L P-51B-15 1944 314FS, 4FG, 8AF QS-E Stirling IV 1944 620 QV-I Spitfire I 1940 19 QV-D Mustang III 1944 19 R3- P-47 410FS, 9AF RA-J F-84G 10, Belgian AF RD-K Beaufort I 1941 32 OCU Patricia Bay, Canada RH-S Boston IIIA 1944 88 (Hong Kong) RS- P-47 30 RY Spitfire IX 1945 313 (Czech) RZ-R Spitfire LF.IXc 1944 241 Italy SD-T Hurricane I 1940 501 Gravesend SD-J Spitfire IA 1941 501 Colerne SD-W Tempest V 1944 501 SE-Q Halifax II 1943 431 SE-Q Lancaster X 431 (RCAF) Croft Spa SF-J Whirlwind I 1943 137 Manston SF- Beaufort 13 (RAAF) SH-E Spitfire VB 1941 64 Hornchurch SK-E Spitfire VB 1942 165 Gravesend SR-B Tempest Mk.2 1948 33 SX-B P-47D-25 1944 352FS, 353FG, 8AF T5- P-47 10FS, 9AF TK-A Lancaster I 1945 149 (East India) TL-R Lancaster 35 TL-S Halifax II 1942 35 TM-N Hurricane 1940 504 TP-E Hurricane 1940 73 TP-R Typhoon IB 1944 198 TU-A B-17G 1944 510th BS, 351th BG U9- P-47 411FS, 9AF UB-N Beaufighter TF.X 1944 455 UF-X Spitfire Vb 1943 601 UH-W Hudson III 2 (RNZAF) UM- Spitfire Vc 1943 125 Italy UN- P-47 63FS, 8AF UR-K F-84G Thunderjet 1952 2, Belgian AF Florennes, Belgium UR-Z Spitfire 1951 2, Belgian AF Florennes, Belgium US-P Hurricane 1940 56 US-E Tempest V 1944 56 US-X Hurricane 56 UV-M Beafurt VIII 8 (RAAF) UZ-T SPitfire F.IXc 1942 306 (Polish) Northolt V5- P-47 412FS, 9AF V9-H Halifax II 1944 502 VA-P Defiant II 1942 125 VF Thunderbolt 336FS, 8AF VO-M Mitchell 1944 98 VX-V Hudson I 206 VZ-S Spitfire IXB 412 (Canadian) W3- P-47 313FS, 9AF WA- P-47 146 WD- Thunderbolt 335FS, 8AF WF-P B-17G 1944 364BS, 305BG, 8AF Chelveston WK- P-47 135 WR-D Spitfire VB 1943 40 (SAAF) WR- P-47 354FS, 8AF WS-V Lancaster VII 1944 9 Salbani, India WX-C Spitfire VB 1942 302 WZ-Y Spitfire VB 1942 78FG, 8AF WZ- P-47 84FS, 8AF WZ-T Spitfire F.24 1948 80 X9-W Halifax 1943 517 XC-J Tempest F.2 1947 26 Fassberg XD-C Mosquito B.IV 1943 139 XE- P-47 123 XM-M Typhoon 182 Y2-Y Spitfire LF.IXc 1944 442 (RCAF) Berry-sur-Mer, France Y3-A Halifax MET.VI 1949 202 Y8- P-47 507FS, 9AF YF- P-47 358FS, 8AF YG-L Hornet Moth 502 YJ- P-47 351FS, 8AF YO-X Spitfire Vb 1943 401 (RCAF) Catterick YP-T Havoc I 1941 23 YT-C Spitfire IIA 1941 65 Tangmere YT-H Hornet F.3 1948 65 YX-N Blenheim IF 1940 54 OTU YY- York 1948 241 OCU YZ-P Lancaster B.I 617 Z5-E Halifax 1944 462 (RAAF) ZA- Albermarle 295 ZA-E Halifax B.II 1943 10 ZD-F Spitfire VB 1941 222 North Weald ZK-A Beaufighter IF 25 ZN-B Hampden 106 ZO-F Stirling V 1945 196 ZP-Y Spitfire VIII 1944 457 (RAAF) ZT- P-47 258 ZX-A Spitfire LF.VIII 1943 145 Canne, Italy -- German Aircraft Markings ---------------------------------------------------------- Tail Bands In 1941, tail bands were added as part of the markings for aircraft on the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean. A white band round the aft fuselage was carried by aircraft in the Mediterranean and southern Russia; a white band was carried in central and northern Russia and Scandinavia. Often wing tips and cowling were painted in the same color. In mid 1944 a more complicated system of 'Reichsverteidigung' (defense of the reich) tail bands was introduced for fighter units. JG 3 : Single white band JG 4 : Black, white and black band JG 5 : Black and yellow band JG 11 : Yellow band JG 27 : Green band JG 51 : Green, white and green band JG 52 : Red and white band JG 53 : Black band JG 77 : White and Green band JG 300 : Blue, white and blue band. The 'Gruppe' within the Jagdgeschwader was identified by markings within the band; a narrow horizontal stripe was added for the II. Gruppe and a narrow vertical one for the III. Gruppe. The Gruppe markings were placed inside or on top of the bands. According to the book, the total width of the band was 900mm. This was often ignored. Letter codes. For the non-alphabetic symbols, the following convention is used: '~' indicates the a curved line, resembling an U with down-turned tips. '|' indicates a vertical line, '-' a horizontal line, and '+' a cross. '<' indicates a forward pointing '<', but when this is repeated as '<<', the second symbol was painted inside the first one, often as a triangle. For the circle I use '°', and for the solid ball '.' A Jagdgeschwader was made up of three (later four) Gruppen, indicated with Roman numbers. Each Gruppe had three Staffeln, of 12 aircraft, labelled with arabic numbers; these were numbered continously -- 7. Staffel was part of III. Gruppe. The point has the meaning of 'th' in German, so '2.' means '2nd'. The Staff (Stab) of each Gruppe had also four aircraft, and so did the staff of the geschwader. Theoretical strength was thus about 124 aircraft. The aircraft of the officers had special markings, placed in front of the German cross: Geschwader Commander: <<| or <<-) Geschwader Vice-Commander: <| Geschwader first officer: <- Staff Major: <|| Geschwader technical officer: <|° Gruppe Commander: << Gruppe vice-commander: < Gruppe technical officer: <° Staffel commander: 1 The Staffel commander, known as 'Staffelkapitan' (but not necessarily having the rank of captain) was sometimes also identified by a small flag on the antenna mast. The Gruppen were indicated by symbols placed after the cross: I. Gruppe (none) II. Gruppe - III. Gruppe ~ or | IV. Gruppe . or + While Staff- and Gruppe-markings were in black with white borders, a distinction between Staffeln was made by varying the colors of the symbols and numbers of aircraft: 1. Staffel, 4. Staffel, 7. Staffel: white 2. Staffel, 5. Staffel, 8. Staffel: red 3. Staffel, 6. Staffel, 9. Staffel: yellow Additional Staffeln: blue So an aircraft with a Yellow 5 and a ~ painted on it belonged to the 9. Staffel, part of the III. Gruppe. There were, however, many exceptions on this system, which was complicated and only applied to jagdgeschwader. In many instances, before and aft of the German cross, letters, numbers and symbols were placed to create identification codes. Four-letter codes, not containing any numbers, were used as 'call signs', an identification for aircraft not (yet) issued to a combat unit, such as prototypes and newly-built aircraft. Non-alphabetic symbols were used to indicate a rank; in other cases, letter codes were used to identify aircraft: two letters for the unit (geschwader) and two for the aircraft, with the color of the third letter indicating the 'Staffel'. Colors are indicated as follows in the list below: the letters between [] are not part of the designation, but represent the color of the preceding letter. [y] for yellow, [w] for white, [r] for red, [g] for green, [b] for Blue. Code Band Type Year Unit ---- ---- ----- ---- --------------- +H[y]L y Fw 189A-1 1943 Nahaufklaringsgruppe 1 +F[w] y Ju 87G-1 1943 10 (Panzer) Staffel, SL 2 <<+O[b] y Hs 123A 1942 4. Staffel, SL 2 1H+F[r]K w He 111H-6 1943 2. Staffel, KG 26 1K Storkampfgruppe Lw Kdo Don 1K+EL He 46E 1943 3. / NsGr 4 20+K2 He 70F-1 1936 3. Staffel, Aufklarungsgr. (F)/123 2Z+OP Bf 110G-4/R1 1944 6. Staffel, NJG 6 3C+GR Bf 110E-1/U1 1941 7. Staffel, NJG 4 3U+Z[r]S w Bf 110E 1942 8. / ZG 26 3W+OD Fokker C.VE 1944 NSGr 11 4D+HH Ju 88A-1 1940 1. Staffel, KG 30 4M+K[w]H Bf 110E-1 1942 Erganzungs-Zerstorergruppe 4R+UR Ju 88G-1 1944 7. Staffel, NJG 2 4X NSGr 7 5+~ Bf 109E-3 1940 III. Gruppe, JG 2 5+~[y] y Bf 109F-2 1941 III. Gruppe, JG 54 5+I Bf 109E-3 1940 9. Staffel, JG 26 52+H[w]7 Hs 123A 1937 7./St.G. 165 5B NSGr 10 5D+LK Hs 126B-1 1941 2.(H)/Aufklarungsgruppe 31 5F+RM Do 17P 1940 4. Staffel, (F)/14 5J+GN He 111H-16 1942 5./KG 4 5K+DA Do 17Z-2 1940 Stab, KG 3 5K+GA He 111H-22 1944 KG 3 6A NSGr 12 6G+LR Ju 87B-1 1940 4. Staffel, StG 1 6G+A[g]C y Ju 87B-2 1941 Stab 2, StG 1 6J NSGr 8 7A+NH w Ju 88D 1(F)/121 7R+BK ? Ar 196A 2. Staffel, SAGr 125 7R+E[r]K w Ar 196A-3 1942 2. Staffel, SAGr 125 7R+H[y]L w Bv 138C-1 1943 3. Staffel, SAGr 125 7R+PL ? Bv 138C-1 1943 SAGr 125 8C Storkampfgruppe Lw Kdo Ost 9[y]+ y Bf 109G-6 1944 I. Gruppe, JG 52 9K+F[w]H Me 262A-2a 1945 1. Staffel, KG 51 9W+C[y]L Ju 88G-6b 1944 I. Gruppe, NJG 101 B3+B[y]L w Ju 88A-4 1942 I. Gruppe, KG 54 CB+AF Hs 123A 1942 4./Sch. G. 2 D3+CH y Fw 58C 1943 1./Storkampfgruppe Luftflotte 6 D3 NSGr 2 D5+D[r]S Bf 110G-4d/R3 1943 8. Staffel, NJG 3 E8 NSGr 9 F6+AL w Ju 88A-4 Aufklarungsgruppe 122 F8+E[r]K y Fw 200C-3 1943 2. Staffel, KG 40 F8+GL Fw 200C-3/U1 3. Staffel, KG 40 G2+B[w]H Ju 188D-2 1944 1. Staffel, (F)/124 G[b]+ b Hs 129B-2 1943 4. Staffel, (Panzer) Slachtgescwhader G9+I[r]N y Bf 110C-4B 1940 5. Staffel, Zerstorergeschwader 1 H1+EN ? Fw 189A-1 1941 5. Aufklarungsstaffel (H)/12 L1+DH Bf 110D 1941 1. / NJG 3 L2+E[r]N Hs 123A 1940 5. Staffel, LG 2 M8+GP Bf 110C-3 1940 6. Staffel, Zerstorergeschwader 76 M9 Storkampfgruppe Lfl.4 Q1+J[b]C y Ju 88A-14 1944 Stab II. ZG 1. S2+B[w]C Ju 87B 1941 Stab 11., StG 77 S2+M[w]R Ju 87R 1941 7 / StG 77 S7+EN Ju 87G-1 1944 5. Staffel, 2/StG 3 S7+K[w]H w Ju 87B-2 1942 1 / StG 3 S7+K[r]S w Ju 87D-1/Trop 1942 8 / StG 3 S9+CB Bf 110D 1940 Stab/Erprobungsgruppe 210 S9+C[g]D y Bf 109E-7B 1941 Gruppe-Stab, III. Gruppe, SKG 210 T6+AN Ju 87B-2 1940 5. Staffel, StG 2 T6+B[y] y Ju 87D-1 1942 III. Gruppe, StG 3 T6+H[y]L Ju 87B-2 1940 3 / StG 2 U5+D[y]L Do 17Z-2 1940 3. Staffel, KG 2 U5+H[y]T Do 17Z-2 1940 9. Staffel, KG 2 U5+N[y]T Do 216E-2/R19 1942 9. Staffel, KG 2 U8+JN Bf 110C-1 1940 5. Staffel, Zerstorergeschwader 26 U9+JC Go 145A 1944 2. / NSGr 3 V4+EU He 111H-3 1940 KG 1 V7+1E[w] Fw 189A-2 1943 1. Staffel, AGr 32 V8 NSGr 1 G1+AN He 111P-2 1940 5. Staffel, KG 55 AGr : Aufklaringsgruppe ErpG : Erprobungsgruppe JG : Jagdgeschwader KG : Kampfgeschwader NJG : Nachtjagdgeschwader NSGr : Nachtslachtgeschwader SAGr : See Aufklaringsgruppe Sch. G. : Slachtgruppe StG : Stukageschwader ZG : Zerstorergeschwader