Warbird Information Exchange

This question most likely has been answered here before, but I did not find it in a search. Was the USA the only force to display "victory" or "kill" markings on their aircraft? I don't recall seeing any on other countries aircraft.
David

I've seen pictures of German fighters on the eastern front sporting kill tallies on their vertical stabilizer.

John

I'm not aware of any air force that did NOT use them, although the Japanese used them less than most others because (1) they did not believe in exalting the achievements of the individual over the group and (2) most pilots, even aces, did not have a personal aircraft of their "own".

August

I know that the RAF used them. As well as the Germans and Americans.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I see plenty of US warbirds painted to represent an "Ace" or some other well known unit with "kill" markings, but of the British and others that are recreated no markings. I don't remember seeing any "kill" markings on the Spitfires or Hurricanes at TOM 2006. Certainly these airplanes are painted to honor someone. Just curious if I'm missing something.
David

The way I always understood it, the Russians despised the Germans so much that when they shot one down, they wouldn't even put the German Cross on their airplanes. They'd just use their own Russian Stars. Sorry, but I couldn't find a picture of one to show you.

The Yak 9 that I used to maintain had the German crosses on it, but it was representing an airplane that a Free French pilot flew for the Russians (I can't remember his name though...I don't know my history as well as perhaps should ).

You can just barely see the marks from the nine kill marks between the canopy and the star on the fuselage........


Gary

You looking for something like this, Gary?

http://www.afwing.com/images/p39/pokryshkin-1.jpg

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

That's exactly what I was looking for! You're a geeeenious.

I looked for quite a while and couldn't find that.

Gary

Hmmmm... Looks like one of those worthless Allison powered planes that didn't do squat during the war. What do all those stars mean again?

And an odd assortment of Japanese markings, both Army and Navy.

I'm on a roll...

http://www.smhq.org/articles/chapados/Kobayashi0001.JPG

http://www.skbrasil.com.br/artigos/tanimizu04.jpg

http://www.svsm.org/articles/ki44gp/ki4406.jpg

http://www.pilotenbunker.de/Jagdflieger ... rofile.jpg

http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web ... 2a%20G.jpg

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Some itty-bitty trivia:

That first link of my previous post is of well-known JAAF Dragon Slayer (B-29 hunter) Maj. Terohiko Kobayashi, CO of the 244th. The one odd-looking kill marking is a B-29 in blue with a Ki-61 (I believe in red) stencilled over it, representing his successful ramming attack against a Superfort on 1/27/45 near Fujiyama.

Desperate measures for desperate times...

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Having grown up with Japanese and German kill markings, isn't it "funny" that seeing American kill markings for the first time is a bit shocking...