Leading edge of Jap planes question

[DiabloTX]

I had always thought that the Japs used the yellow stripe on the leading edge of their IJN planes for easier visual for landings on carriers for their landing officers.  But then I see that the IJA had them as well.  Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks.

[brady]

Their just added ID marking's, or so says my book on Japanese Aircrafct Camafluage and marking's.

[DiabloTX]

Ok, but how are they used, if they are on the front of the wings, the only person what will see them is
a-The con about to go down
b-The landing officer on a CV.

Thanks for the quick reply Brady, !

[brady]

They are I gues more quikely reckonisable when in air to air combat, during manuaver's, non of the allied planes had such markings so at a glance the yellow wing edges realy stand out, but then again I would of thought the Big Red Dot would of to:) I AH they stand out prety good to.

[Karnak]

brady,

Keep in mind that yellow is the most visible color to the human eye (that is why bright yellow vehicles are statistically the safest) and that smoothly curved or rounded shapes don't stand out.  The British (or was it the Germans?) found that the multi-colored (including a yellow ring) RAF rondels were less eye catching that the hard lines and angles of the black cross on Luftwaffe aircraft.

So, hard angled/straight line yellow should be eye catching.


FYI, Spitfires in Europe also had yellow leading edges sometimes.

[ramzey]

Originally posted by DiabloTX
I had always thought that the Japs used the yellow stripe on the leading edge of their IJN planes for easier visual for landings on carriers for their landing officers.  But then I see that the IJA had them as well.  Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks.

yellow stripes was painted as simple IFF in head on

[DiabloTX]

Originally posted by ramzey
yellow stripes was painted as simple IFF in head on

Thanks Ramzey, this makes the most logical sense to me so far.  Here's a spit.

[Red Tail 444]

So, the Japanese WANTED to be seen by enemy aircraft?

[DiabloTX]

Originally posted by Red Tail 444
So, the Japanese WANTED to be seen by enemy aircraft?

Yeap, and the British too!!

[Puck]

Originally posted by Red Tail 444
So, the Japanese WANTED to be seen by enemy aircraft?

...and the Americans.  Invasion Stripes were there to help keep allied AA from shooting down allied aircraft.  The AAF put P38s (with invasion stripes) over the fleets in the hope that the navy gunners (whos motto was "shoot 'em all down, we'll sort the wreckage later") would not shoot at an aircraft with such a distictive planform; the Germans had nothing resembling it.  If I recall correctly only a few P38s were shot down by allied fire.

The cost of being visible to the enemy was more than offset by being visible to friendly units.  Aircraft spend much more time around good guys than bad.

[ramzey]

and germans when have advence in air use yellow noses for 109's

Evert strip, roundel or any other kide of speciial markings /noses, tails, elevators on p51, p47, p38, f4u...../ are used for quick identyfication.

ramzey