GENERAL 1947

Red stripes finally bring back red into the national insignia, Amendment -2 to AN-I-9b, January 1947

Some six months after the previous change to AN-I-9b, Amendment -2 was issued on January 16,1947, to be effective immediately upon issue. This changed the first sentence to read as follows:

“D-l. Construction.- The national insignia shall be an insignia white five pointed star inside an insignia blue circum­scribed circle with an insignia white rectangle, one radius of the blue circle in length and one-half radius of the blue circle in width, on each side of the star and the top edges placed to form a straight line with the top edges of the two star points beneath the top star point; with an insignia red horizontal stripe in the white rectangles at each end of the insignia, the width of the red stripe to be one-sixth the radius of the star; and an insignia blue border one-eighth radius of the blue circle in width outlining the entire design; except that when the insignia is to be applied on a sea blue, dark blue or black background, the insignia blue circumscribed circle and the insignia blue border may be omitted.”

This new amendment added red stripes inside each of the white horizontal bars, and this has remained the basic national star insignia to the present day.

New version AN-I-38a, Insignia and Markings for Search and Rescue Aircraft issued, June 1947.

On June 2, 1947, a revised version of the spec, for Insignia and markings for search and rescue aircraft, AN-I-38a, was effective imme diately upon issue. Many detail changes were made in the requirements; the new version read as follows:

AN-I-38a, 2 June 1947, Superseding AN-I-38, 17 October 1945

A. APPLICATION.

A-l. This specification is drawn to present the requirements for the size, location, and color of the insignia and markings for identification of all aircraft that are engaged in search and rescue operations.

B. APPLICABLE SPECIFICATIONS.

B-l. Publications.- The following publications of the issue in effect on date of invitation for bids shall form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein:

B-la. Army-Navy Aeronautical Specifications.

AN-D-2 Dope; Celiulose-Acetate-Butyrate, Pigmented, Gloss AN-TT-D-554 Dope; Cellulose-Nitrate, Pigmented AN-E-3 Enamel; Aircraft, Gloss AN-L-29 Lacquer; Cellulose Nitrate 13-lb, Army-Navy Aeronautical Bulletin.

No. 166 Colors; List of Standard Aircraft Glossy.

C. MATERIAL.

C-l. General.- The insignia, lettering, and markings shall be applied with glossy lacquer, conforming to Specification AN-L-29, dopes, Specifications AN-TT-D-544 and AN-D-2, or enamel, Specification AN-E-3, as are applicable and compatible with the finishes applied to adjacent surfaces. Decalcomanias may be used upon specific approval of the Procuring Agency.

C-2. Color.- The finishes shall be Color No. 506 Orange-Yellow and Color No. 515 Gloss Black. The colors used shall conform to the applicable Army-Navy Aircraft Color Standards (Glossy), Bulletin No. 166.

D. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.

D-l. Markings for Large Seaplanes and Amphibians.

D-la. Wing Tips.

D-la(l). Wing tip floats and struts shall be painted orange-yellow.

D-la(2). Upper and lower surfaces of both wing tips shall be painted orange-yellow from the wing tip inboard a distance equal to 7 percent of the total wing span (float excluded). A black border 6 inches in width shall be added inboard, except on airplanes finished in glossy sea-blue color, in which case the black border is omitted.

D-lb. Wing, Center Section (Upper Surface Only).

D-lb(l). The upper surface of the center section, including the rear projection portion of the engine nacelles, shall be painted orange-yellow to a distance just outboard of the two inboard engine nacelles. A black border 6 inches in width shall be added outboard, except on airplanes finished in glossy sea-blue color, in which case the black border is omitted.

D-lb(2). On the upper surface, the word “RESCUE” shall be superimposed in black. Centered aft of the word “RES­CUE”, the appropriate identification numerals and/or letters shall be added. Letters and numerals shall be of the modified vertical block type, uniform in shape and size and shall be 36 inches high, 27 inches wide, and the width of the individual strokes forming them shall be 6 inches. The spacing between letters shall be 12 inches.

Republic XF-12, 44-91002, first prototype, made its first flight on July 2, 1946. It was an extraordinary clean design, intended to be used as a long range strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Only two were built, as the AAF no longer needed the mission requirement. (USAF via Gerry R. Markgraf)

D-lc. Hull.-

D-lc(l). Hull (Rear Section).- A 36-inch orange-yellow band, approximately three feet forward of the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer, shall encircle the aft portion of the hull, but not extend onto the last step or keel. Two 6-inch black stripes shall be added as borders, except on airplanes finished in glossy sea-blue color, in which case the black borders are omitted.

D-lc{2). Hull (Forward Section).- On each side of the forward part of the hull and centered between the leading edge of the wing and the bow, an orange-yellow rectangle, whose length shall be equal to three times its height, shall be painted. A two – inch black stripe shall border the rectangle. The height of the rectangle shall be 33 percent of the vertical dimension of the projection of the fuselage side at the point of application, except that the height of this rectangle shall be not greater than 36 nor less than 20 inches excluding the border. The rectangle shall be located as near as possible to the center of the vertical projection of the fuselage at the point of application. The national aircraft insignia, which normally would occupy this space, shall be located aft on the hull to clear this marking.

D-lc(2)a. Identification Numbers.- The search and rescue identification numbers and/or letters shall be of the modified vertical block type, uniform in shape and size, and shall be approximately 2/3 of the height of the orange-yellow rectangle. The width of the letters and numerals shall be 3/4 of the height and the width of the individual strokes forming them shall be 1/6 of the height. The letters and numerals shall be appropriately spaced,

D-lc(3). Hull (Bottom Section).- On the bottom of the hull, between the bow and the main step, and extending from chine to chine, the search and rescue identification numerals and/or letters shall be painted. The top of the letters and/or numer­als shall be at the port chine of the hull. Letters and numerals shall be orange-yellow, bordered by a two-inch black stripe. The width of the letters and numerals shall be 3/4 of the height, and the width of the individual strokes forming them shall be 1/6 of the height. The letters and numerals shall be appropriately spaced.

D-2. Markings for Permanently Shore-Based Helicopters.- The entire fuselage shall be finished in orange-yellow atid the word “Rescue” shall be painted in black at the widest part of the top (aft of the enclosure) and bottom of the fuselage, using vertical block letters as large as space will permit.

D-3. Markings for Other Aircraft.- The markings, as specified for large seaplanes and amphibians, shall be used as appropriate to the size and shape of the aircraft.

e. When insignia is applied to black camouflaged surfaces, the insignia blue circle and border may be omitted. Thus, the white star and white bar areas will be set off by black background, instead of insignia blue background, (this had been common practice on Navy aircraft painted glossy sea blue, etc., but this is the first use of it by the AAF. Also see next item).

Amendment to AN-l-9b changes insignia requirements for dark backgrounds, June 1946

On June 10,1946, Amendment -1 to Spec. AN-I-9b was issued, effective immediately upon issue. This stated that:

“when the national insignia was to be applied on a sea blue, dark blue or black background, the insignia blue circumscribed circle and the insignia blue border may be omitted”.

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Douglas C-47, serial unknown, of the European Air TVansport Service, seen at Croydon Airport, England, on May 27,1947, shows its post-war natural metal finish. (Author)