Individual flight record mission symbols?

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Can anyone point me to any documentation which lists the mission symbols used on Individual Flight Records? In particular I'm looking for symbols used from WW2 up to 1960.

Any help much appreciated; I'm sure I've missed an obvious post somewhere!

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Anyone? I can't be the first to ask surely?

:drink3:

cco23i · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2021 4:06 pm

As in red Xs and such?

cco23i · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2021 4:11 pm

Red X indicates dangerous condition, aircraft can’t fly.
Red / maintenance work necessary
Red - required inspection not made
Black last name initial thoroughly inspected condition satisfactory.
Black circle around mechanics initial indicates routine maintenance performed.
Black - indicates inspection today not required.

This is for WW2 and into Korea

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

No - these are aircrew flight symbols; T-2, O-9 etc. I've met lots of crews who recorded them but none can recall what each meant.

Noha307 · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2021 8:28 pm

Just to be clear, this is the type of form you are talking about, correct?

(Source: Jeremy's Antique Radios via Warbird Information Exchange)

I believe the information you are looking for might be found in an Army Air Force circular or regulation. Something similar to this: AAF Regulation No. 15-23. Section 1 of the Pilots' Information File has some information about filling out the form as well.

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Yes - the type shown above: though mission symbols aren't shown on that example.

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

For info I'm looking at these:

This is a 1943 log -

And this a post-War one:

Any ideas?

Noha307 · **Posted:** Mon May 24, 2021 2:31 pm

Thanks for providing the sample scans of the symbols. I was actually going to ask for them if you hadn't included them.

Okay, so it looks like the document you are looking for is AAF Regulation No. 15-1. The key was realizing that AAF Regulation No. 15-23 applied to AAF Form No. 23. As best I can tell, the "15-" series of AAF regulations all reference AAF Forms. Therefore, instructions on how to fill out AAF Form No. 1 are covered by AAF Regulation No. 15-1. A quick online search turned up only a single result for "AAF Regulation No. 15-1", but it seems to confirm this theory. According to page 75 of the Judge Advocate General's Department Board of Review Holdings, Opinions and Reviews Volume XXVI:

Judge Advocate General's Department Board of Review Holdings, Opinions and Reviews Volume XXVI wrote:

When the accused landed at Suffolk Airdrome at 9:45, he prepared and signed a night report on War Department AAF form 1A, of which paragraph 4f (1) (d) AAF Regulation 15-1 provides that:

AAF Regulation No. 15-1 wrote:

After landing, in the space for 'Remarks' on Form 1A the pilot will indicate O.K.; or if any defect or malfunctioning occurred, explain the trouble and sign his name and rank following the remarks.

This is further corroborated by a note on page 1-10-1 of the Pilots' Information Manual:

Pilots' Information Manual wrote:

For detailed information on Form 1 study AAF Reg. 15-1 carefully

As to where to find a copy of AAF Regulation No. 15-1, my best guess is to contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

As an aside, this whole exercise just reminds me how important the role of good organization is and how good of a job the wartime AAF administration and people like Sarah Clark did of it. Things like AAF Regulation No. 15-23 applying to AAF Form No. 23 really makes finding things a whole lot easier. Similarly, the AAF's role-hyphen-number-variant format (e.g. P-51A) is really the pinnacle of well designed, logical aircraft designation sequences - with no irrelevant references to the company that built the aircraft like the U.S. Navy or European systems (e.g. FG-1 or Me 262).

Anyway, hope this helps!

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Lovely job! Thanks - I will indeed contact AFHRA. Your leads were just what I needed to make a start.

Noha307 · **Posted:** Mon May 24, 2021 3:20 pm

quemerford wrote:

Lovely job! Thanks - I will indeed contact AFHRA. Your leads were just what I needed to make a start.

Glad to be of assistance! If you find anything out, please post it here. I'd like to know the answers myself!

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Incidentally I think it's 15-5 I'm looking for; 15-1 is Airplane Flight Report. I've learned a lot today!

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Mon May 24, 2021 7:02 pm

cco23i wrote:

Red X indicates dangerous condition, aircraft can’t fly.
Red / maintenance work necessary
Red - required inspection not made
Black last name initial thoroughly inspected condition satisfactory.
Black circle around mechanics initial indicates routine maintenance performed.
Black - indicates inspection today not required.

This is for WW2 and into Korea

May not have been what the OP wanted, but it still helped me with the Form 1-A flight reports I have for the Paducah B-17, so thanks Scott!

patelie · **Posted:** Sun Jul 24, 2022 10:04 am

quemerford wrote:

Incidentally I think it's 15-5 I'm looking for; 15-1 is Airplane Flight Report. I've learned a lot today!

Hello

By chance, have you found the AAF Regulation N° 15-5 or AC Cir. 15-5?
I am also interested to find the signifiance of some of the mission symbols on the IFR
W ?
A (Administrative?)

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1394

Sadly no: AFHRA couldn't help and I'm still in need if anyone has a suggestion?

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Individual flight record mission symbols?

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