[SkyBuffalo]

Looking through my collection last week I noticed that there are a number of British and Japanese planes from the latter part of WWII that all have yellow paint on sections of the front edge of the wings. The British include Spitfires, Typhoons and P-51 Mustangs. The Japanese planes with yellow wing fronts include a Raiden, a Zero, a Frank, a Grace, and Oscar, a Tony, a Betty and a Nick (many of these are the IXO Japanese planes, which is why I chose IXO for this thread. But there's also Corgi, Dragon, Model Power and Gemini).

So, what is the reason the British and Japanese painted sections of the front of the wings yellow, mostly later in the war? Is it the same reason for both countries or something totally different for each?

Just wondering if some of you knowledgable folk could tell me.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by SkyBuffalo

Looking through my collection last week I noticed that there are a number of British and Japanese planes from the latter part of WWII that all have yellow paint on sections of the front edge of the wings.

The British include Spitfires, Typhoons and P-51 Mustangs.

The Japanese planes with yellow wing fronts include a Raiden, a Zero, a Frank, a Grace, and Oscar, a Tony, a Betty and a Nick (many of these are the IXO Japanese planes, which is why I chose IXO for this thread. But there's also Corgi, Dragon, Model Power and Gemini).

So, what is the reason the British (and Japanese) painted sections of the front of the wings yellow, mostly later in the war? Is

it the same reason for both countries or something totally different for each?

Just wondering if some of you knowledgable folk could tell me.

For Sure, there was an Air-Ministry 'Directive' put in place, from August 1943, regarding the Hawker Typhoon, that (in addition to the "Day-fighter-Scheme") .........

" Typhoon aircraft from this date (1st Aug' '43) will carry the Yellow Day-Fighter Wing band, from a point outside of the 'inboard' cannon fairings, to the tips of the wings ".........

4 inches at the 'inboard-end, tapering to 3 inches at the wingtip

However, they were ALREADY in place (un-officially) BEFORE the 'Directive' became an 'official' order, as 609 Sqdn had them on their Typhoons 6 months earlier, as well as various Hawker-Hurricane & British Army Co-Operation Mustang squadrons (such as No.II (2) Sqdn, with their beautiful 'XV' coded Allison-engined 'Razorbacks'......(funny, as I've just been watching some decent footage of them strafing practice targets in England, on Salisbury plain !!!!!!!!!!!!)

So, basically, it's frontal/'Head-on' 'I.D.' (from a British-perspective) , re; RAF)


Can't state anything knowledgeable, re; Japanese = it would be pure guess-work ^ but I'd imagine a similar reason, at a guess ?

[Epapazian]

I'm pretty sure that the Japanese adopted yellow wing flashes for the same reasons as the RAF---an easy ID device. Interestingly, during the last months of WWII, the Luftwaffe, which, at this point, often did not bother to paint large portions of the undersurfaces of its fighters at all to save time and manpower, made an exception when it came to the leading edges of the fighters' wings. These were always painted the blue/gray RLM 76, or even a darker gray ( RLM 75 ) to distinguish them from the yellow flashes of RAF planes or the aluminum shine of U.S. warbirds, thereby giving the German pilots a slight rapid ID edge.

[Hornchurch]

Well it makes a change, having to resort to books for facts, dates & details, but that's what you got me doing here.......!!!!!!!!
(like a 'Library-Anorak', LOL !)

Since I was a kid, I just "took it for granted" that those yellow-leading edges were just part of the colouring, not really giving it too much thought, as to why they were there (or more likely, from when ?)

Took a while browsing thru, for the 'Hawker-Typhoon' information.

In a similar pile of old 'Camouflage & Markings' booklets (which contain specific colour-references, PLUS Air-Ministry directives & dates...), I've managed to come across one that covers the Allison-Engined P-51 'Razorback's, in RAF service........

Suprisingly, it states........

"Disposition of Leading-Edge identification-stripes..." (on RAF Allison-engined P.51's)

Amazingly, the date given, is 1st July, 1942 (!) to "post-war"..........

Curiously.... it goes on, to say..."except on 'Diver' a/c engaged on 'Anti-V.1' patrols, from 17th Aug' 1944"

I'm presuming the 'Latter' a/c are the like of Mk.IX/XIV Spitfires & RAF P.51's like 'Malcolm-Hooded' MK.III's (equiv' to the USAAF's P.51-'B's)

Seems odd, that !

You think they'd just "get on with it", & leave the Yellow-painted 'I.D' bands on the leading-edges "as they are".....(?)

[Captain Eddie]

SkyBuffalo, thanks for the question, and to everyone else, thanks for the replies. I asked this question some time ago regarding the Japanese aircraft, but never got a reply (that's OK, just an observation).

[Cruver Collecter]

Another case of much useful information available on this forum.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Another case of much useful information available on this forum.

I concur! Thanks Hornchurch for your due-diligence in this subject matter.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

I concur! Thanks Hornchurch for your due-diligence in this subject matter.

Cheers, FlyX ......... 'bout time I got my head stuck in a book (or 'pamphlet', in this case)