Spec. 98-24І13-В amended to change color of interior surfaces of AAF aircraft, August 1945

For a long time, the interior surfaces of all AAF aircraft had been painted “Yellow Green.” Amendment No. 3 to Spec. 98-24113-B was issued on August 18, 1945, and directed that all “Interior (Enclosed) Surfaces” were now to be finished in “Interior Green”, ANA Bulletin No. 157 color no. 611. This now meant that the interior of all AAF aircraft would be finished in either black, medium green, or interior green, depending on the location of the particular surface.

Spec. 98-24105-S adds new requirements for markings, including escape hatches,

September 1945.

This specification covering markings for airplanes and airplane parts had grown steadily in size with the increasing complexity of AAF aircraft and a new release, dated September 5, 1945, had grown to no less than twenty eight pages. The applicable changes follow:

H-5a. Camouflage Finishes.—All exterior markings on aircraft having camouflage finishes shall be applied with black, blue, or orange yellow, shades Nos. 604, 606, and 614, respectively, of Bulletin No. 157, of the same materials as the finish of the airplane. On aircraft having night camouflage finish, Jet No. 622, the exterior markings shall be applied with insignia red No. 619.

E-6. Fuselage Markings:

E-6a. The following markings, properly filled in, shall be stenciled on the left side of the fuselage, forward of the front cockpit. Where the cockpit is in the nose of the fuselage, the markings shall be placed to the rear of the cockpit:

U. S. ARMY—(Model Designation)

A. A. F. SERIAL NO

E-7. Vertical Tail Surface Markings:

E-7b(l). When there is a possibility that the numbers will be obscured by exhaust gas residue, they shall be placed as high up on the vertical surface as possible and still comply with the discernibility requirement.

E-7e. Gncamouflaged Airplanes.—For uncamouflaged airplanes, the radio call numbers shall be placed on the vertical stabilizer surfaces. For light colored backgrounds, the numbersshall be black, and for dark backgrounds, the numbers shall be International orange in accordance with color shade No. 508, Bulletin No. 166.

North American P-51C-5-NT, 42-103896, aircraft No. 1078 of the 530"1 FS, 31Г*1 FG, of the Fourteenth Air Force seen from a C-47 it was escorting over rugged Chinese terrain, on July 24,1945. The bands on the yellow tail are black, spinner is yellow. Note the serial number on the fuselage and the direction-finding loop on top of the rear fuselage. (1JSAF)

E-7d. Camouflaged Airplanes.—For camouflaged airplanes, the radio cali numbers shall be placed to utilize both the vertical stabilizer and the rudder surfaces. For light colored backgrounds, the numbers shall be black in accordance with color shade No. 604 of Bulletin No. 157 and for dark backgrounds, the numbers shall be orange yellow In accordance with color shade No. 614 of Bulletin No. 157, except that the numbers for night fighter aircraft shall be Insignia Red in accordance with color shade No. 619 of Bulletin No. 157.

E-15b. External Markings.—The following external markings dealing with the identification of emergency exit open­ings and their operation from the outside of the airplane shall be in accordance with the following:

E-15b(l). Materials.—The markings for the identification of escape hatches, doors, and exits on the outside of the airplane shall be painted orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow sur faces the color shade shall be No. 515. The markings either shall be in lacquer conforming to Specification AN-L-29 or in enamel conforming to Specification AN-E-3.

E-15b(2). Exit Release,—All external releases for operating emergency exit panels shall be labeled “Exit Release” on the outside of the airplane to facilitate quick identification. This wording shall be painted orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No. 515.

E-15b(2) (a). Operation Instructions.—The wording describing the operation of the “Exit Release” shall be in standard English, such as “pull”, “push”, “turn”, or “slide”, and shall be painted orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No, 515.

E-I5b(2) (b). Size of Lettering.—The words “Exit Release” and “pull”, “push”, "turn”, or “slide” shall be preferably 2 inches in height, and shall not be less than 1 inch in height.

E-16. Identification of Areas for Auxiliary Exits, for Forced Entry into Aircraft for Rescue Purposes, and for Forced Exits:

E-16a. Markings.—The following markings dealing with the identification, from the outside of the airplane, of areas for forced entry into airplanes for rescue purposes and with the identification, from the inside of the airplane, of areas for forced exit shall be in accordance with the following:

E-16a(l). Materials.—The markings for the identification, from the outside of the airplane, of areas for forced entry into airplanes for rescue purposes, and the markings for the identification, from the inside of the airplane, of areas for forced exit shall be painted orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No, 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No. 516. The markings either shall be in lacquer conforming to Specification AN-L-29 or in enamel conforming to Specification AN-E-3.

Douglas A-26s of the 8th, 13th, 89th, and 90th AS, 3rd AG, Fifth Air Force, seen at Belo Airstrip, Okinawa, on August 11, 1945. All aircraft are camouflaged in ANA Olive Drab No. 613 and Sea Gray No. 603, as requested by the AAF Commanders in the Pacific. The squadron fin top bands are yellow for the 8th AS, red for the 13th AS, green for the 89th AS, and White for the 90th AS. (USAF)

E-16a(2). Identification of Areas Around Auxiliary Exits.—Openings, such as auxiliary exits, windows, and navigators domes, are usually of a smaller size than the primary openings and consequently entry or exit is more difficult. Where the struc­ture immediately surrounding the foregoing openings is free from heavy structural members such as bulkheads and main longi­tudinal members, from oxygen, fuel, and oil lines, and battery leads, such areas shall be marked, both on the inside and out­side of the fuselage at the extreme boundary of such areas, with a broken band, which shall be orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No. 516,

E-16a(2) (a). Size of Broken Identification Marking Band.—The broken identification marking band, both on the inside and outside of the fuselage, shall be 1/2 of an inch in width. Each segment of the broken band shall be approximately 1 inch in length, with segments approximately 12 inches apart. Examples of the identification of such areas on the outside of the airplane are shown in Figures 4 and 6.

E-16a(3). Identification Nomenclature.—The words “Cut Here For Emergency Rescue", shall be painted or stenciled on the inside of, parallel with, and immediately adjacent to the broken band identifying an area on the outside of the airplane, for forced entry into the aircraft for rescue purposes. The words, “Cut Here For Emergency Exit” shall be painted or stenciled on the inside of, parallel with, and immediately adjacent to the broken band identifying an area, on the, inside of the airplane, for forced exit from the airplane. The foregoing nomenclature shall be orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 606 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No. 516.

EJ6a(3) (a). Size of Lettering,—The words, “Cut Here For Emergency Rescue” and “Cut Here For Emergency Exit”, shall be painted or stenciled approximately 1 inch in height.

E-16a(4). Identification of Other Areas.—Other emergency escape areas are usually areas of a type which may be cut through to provide a means of rescue when entrance or exit cannot be made in any other manner. These areas shall be deter­mined by visual inspection of each affected airplane, since relocation and reinstallation of equipment, furnishings, oxygen, fuel and oil lines, and battery leads may have been made which would not be indicated on the installation drawing of the airplane. These areas shall be as close as possible to the normal stations of personnel, except where personal injury to occupants might result from forced entry at that point These areas shall be marked both on the inside and outside of the fuselage by painting or stenciling corner markings only which shall be orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No, 515.

E-16a(4) (a). Size of Identification Corner Markings.—The horizontal and vertical bars of the corner markings, both on the inside and outside of the fuselage, shall be approximately 3inches in length and 1 inch in width. Examples of the identifica­tion of such areas on the outside of the airplane are shown in Figures 6 and 7.

E-16a(5). Identification Nomenclature.—The words, “Cut Here For Emergency Rescue”, shall be painted or stenciled in the approximate center of the four corner markings, on the outside of the airplane, indicating other areas for forced entry into the aircraft for rescue purposes. The words, “Cut Here For Emergency Exit”, shall be painted or stenciled in the approximate center ofthe four corner markings, on the inside of the airplane, indicating other areas for forced exit from the airplane. The foregoing nomenclature shall be orange yellow in accordance with color shade No. 506 of Bulletin No. 166, except that on yellow surfaces the color shade shall be No. 515.

E-16a(5) (a). Size of Lettering.—The words “Cut Here For Emergency Rescue” and “Cut Here For Emergency Exit”, shall be painted or stenciled approximately 1 inch in height.”

Boeing B-17G-I10-VE, 44-85815, an Eglin Field lest aircraft, is seen carrying a JB-1 flying bomb under the right wing. This missile was the US built version of the infamous Fieseler Fi 156 V-l flying bomb, (author’s collection)