Most Visible Color for Aircraft

What are "invasion stripes"?

Jose

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On 07 Mar 2004 15:14:08 GMT, (Teacherjh)
wrote:

What are "invasion stripes"?

I could be wrong but I believe it's the set of black-white-black
stripes painted on Allied aircraft towards D-Day in WWII. If it is
what I'm thinking http://www.airliners.net/open.file/506614/M/ might
be a decent picture.

Saryon wrote in message . ..
On 07 Mar 2004 15:14:08 GMT, (Teacherjh)
wrote:

What are "invasion stripes"?

I could be wrong but I believe it's the set of black-white-black
stripes painted on Allied aircraft towards D-Day in WWII. If it is
what I'm thinking http://www.airliners.net/open.file/506614/M/ might
be a decent picture.

Those indeed are invasion stripes. Invasion stripes are black & white
stripes painted (in some cases hastily) parallel to the chordline on
Allied aircraft before the June 1944 invasion of Normandy. The intent
was to allow the easy rapid recoginition of Allied aircraft and keep
them from being shot down by their own side.

Blue skies at all

John

Teacherjh wrote:

What are "invasion stripes"?

Sets of alternating black and white bands on the wings and fuselage. With the
exception of some of the high-level bombers, all Allied aircraft that were
expected to fly over Europe in support of the invasion of Normandy were painted
with these. The idea was to keep our troops from shooting at our own aircraft.

They don't necessarily make an aircraft more visible, but they allowed troops
to figure out at a glance whose side the plane was on if they saw it.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

What are "invasion stripes"?

Jose

In a vain attempt to prevent Allied seamen from shooting down Allied
aircraft, all planes going to France on June 6, 1944, were painted
with white tempera stripes on the wings, above and below.

All the women paint manufacturers in Britain worked through their
Whitsun weekend to make the paint, and it was put on the planes
overnight on June 5-6.

See for example
http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/w...on_Stripes.htm

It washed off after a few weeks or months, but is still very popular
for L-4s.


all the best -- Dan Ford
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